Problem: Cant get the car to idle or warm up.

Car: 1986 GL Sedan, EA82, 188K miles with Weber 32/36 DGEV.

 

What happens:

When starting the car, Ive always pumped the gas a few times, turned the key and the car fires up, and the RPMs rise to 1500-2000 and slowly rise (can get to 3000 RPMs in about 5 mins) and at about 3000, I tap the gas, RPM drops to 800ish and the car is just at the hash mark above the cold line temp wise... I let it idle a few more minutes, and then I drive off.. havent had an issue until now... Itll run up to about 1800 RPMs and then cut off and die... pump the gas, starts up and goes to 800 RPMs, idles for maybe 5 seconds then dies. Same story on next turn over (and the next and the next....) touch the gas during this time it just dies... everyone once in awhile itll go up higher, about to 1500 with the gas being pushed then die. I tried getting it to drive home after it finally would let me rev it with the gas pedal... about 1/3 of the way home, doing 45 it shudders and hitting the gas does nothing to help accelerate, put it in neutral and the engine just dies.... and you get to coast to a stop.

 

Possible ideas I have/received:

From GD: Electric choke could be malfunctioning/not working - How do I check this?

Frozen fuel lines (since the car will run for a few minutes, maybe it doesnt continue getting sufficient fuel?) but this did happen before it got really cold out.

 

I will be recording this process tomorrow morning and posting it in hopes that someone can help me figure this out...

Fuel pump on it's way out?

easiest way to check the choke is to disconnect the power wire to it, and use a zip tie or wire to open the top flap. then its not affecting anything. will have to use the pedal to keep it running cold, but once it warms up it should run right. if it still doesnt run right when its warm then its something else.

 

you could check the fuel pressure, filters and whatnot. Id check the choke first though, it shouldnt raise up like that if its set right, it should hover at whatever speed you have set until you tap the pedal to release it.

Sounds like fuel starvation to me.

Plugged filter,stuck carb float,weak pump etc.

I`d probably try refilling the carby bowl by dribbeling fuel into the bowl vents to see if there is a change.

 

Check the choke visually w/air filter top removed.

Should be closed before a cold start.

Should open approx. 1/8" after starting.

Should continue opening slowly.

Video will take apparently 10 minutes to upload...

 

But I disconnected the choke wire to see if that changed it, and at first it didnt, then the RPM gauge got really haywire (bouncing up and down at 2-3K RPMs and then car died, tried to turn it over again, nothing. Connected the wire again, and STILL the same "no turn over" just cranking...

 

So now I have gone from a car that wont idle to a car that wont start :cool: GRRRR...

 

So new question, what did I do by disconnecting that? How do I fix it... and then we will get back to why it wont idle correctly.

Answer, I blew a fuse... WONT be doing that again

 

Car is running right now, no weird start up or anything... so guess we shall see, its probably warming up so it shouldnt do it anymore...

 

Video is here:

 

Shuts off at I think 2:15 and YES YOU CAN WATCH IN HD IF YOU WANT

Choke fuse? Yeah that will happen sometimes with the Weber's since the connection is exposed on the side of the choke housing.

 

GD

I don't know what fuse blew but Id assume it was that one.

 

Car runs after warmed up but can't stay alive til then.... need to figure this out ASAp as its my transportation... I feel like this is a craptachi issue on a Weber some how... first winter its done this...

Bump... had to drive the Hyundai its so... quiet.

Fuel pump on it's way out?

 

Pretty sure we have a winner... Wont even run now, but it doesnt smell like fuel after trying to crank it so much, so this leads to the belief that its not getting fuel.

 

Doing some research on changing fuel pumps, checking them and also SPFI fuel pump vs carb fuel pump (could get my hands on either)

Might not be the pump. Check for power to the pump while cranking, check for fuel flow out the fuel line at the carb, check fuel filter, etc. Don't troubleshoot with Visa - you should have learned that in my shop.

 

GD

Well I pulled fuel line off, and it of course dribbled into the little cup I have for it... didnt see anything come out while cranking, but it cranked for about 2 seconds before the battery gave up... Its on the charger.

 

I found a used SPFI and a used carb pump for $20 both off wrecked cars, but the "How to keep your subaru alive book" says the pumps outlive the cars Im hoping maybe a loose wire or something... but its been an issue for awhile that went away when I got the car back...

 

Once battery charges, off to go crank away.

For anyone interested in an update:

 

Still puzzled. Getting fuel the FIRST time... I had my fuel line off in a container and had my mom crank it, shot fuel into the cup pretty quickly ( right?)

 

I put the car back together and started it up, he lived! up to 2500 rpms then died and wouldnt fire back over other than for about a half a second.

 

I guess next test is to get under there with the volt meter and see if maybe the pump is running and then decides to stop running... Which could be fuel pump problem, but could it also be ECU related?

 

Also, the gas dribbles that came out of the car yesterday (battery died, couldnt crank) were in a container in the engine bay... the gas turned into a gel... Trying to research, either something was added OR its diesel... :/

I am not saying this is your issue necessarily, seems like Ned might have some other symptoms, but once the weather got cold the fuel supply lines in my cars don't stay primed when they are parked for a while (I don't drive much). My hatch has a Hitachi carb, but I have found that it helps to let the key sit in the RUN position in the ignition for a bit to let the pump prime the line and fill the carb bowl. My hatch was starting, running great for a bit, then dying after about 30 seconds. What it was doing was running out the fuel in the bowl before the fuel supply caught up with it. If I let it prime, it starts and runs perfectly.

 

I have the "advantage" of having my fuel pump in the exceptionally dangerous location near the firewall directly in front of the driver's side windshield, so I can listen to the pump prime and can tell when the fuel reaches the pump.

There's no ECU in those cars. There's a fuel pump control unit that runs the fuel pump for 1.5 second when the key is turned to run and then waits for a tach signal before turning on the pump again. They don't fail often - unless they get wet and corrode inside.

 

I suspect you really need to clean out the carb - probably something floating around in the bowl and intermittently clogging a jet.

 

GD

You did not mention if you performed any work on or around the engine before the problem showed up. Check the vacuum lines and caps on the intake manifold for leaks.

No engine work was done before it started, my sister was the one driving it when the problem first showed up... When the car came back into my possession I drove it for about 3 weeks without the problem coming, and now its back and has gotten worse.