I finally got my car running, and took it for a drive. Here's what my problem is:

* My car idles really low, and it will die unless I give it gas.

* Sometimes, when I press the gas pedal, it will stick. 

* It backfires at higher rpms when I'm cruising. 

* The ECS light is on.

I've replaced the spark plug wires and both the main and secondary fuel filters. 

What should I check next? 

 

My .02

 

You can adjust your idle speed at the carb, I don't know what you have done to your car prior, but it sounds like you have something wrong with your accelerator cable or your carb. I would determine why your gas pedal is sticking and go from there. 

 

On my 84 DL the ECS light is always on now that I put a hitachi carb on and removed all the vac lines.  A tiny bit of black tape fixed that  

 

Your backfire issues "could" be your timing out of adjustment, spark plugs, or plug wires not playing nice. 

 

I guess it is important to consider what you have done to the car prior to this and see if any of those things could have resulted in a negative effect.  

 

Is the idle sloppy as well? 

"* My car idles really low, and it will die unless I give it gas."

Idle adjustment, vacuum leak/s, retarded timing.... As stated, and are easy places to start. Also could be due to your ecs failure.

 

"* Sometimes, when I press the gas pedal, it will stick. "

Potentially unsafe condition. Check for frays and wear in the cable where it exits the cable sheathing behind the carb and gas pedal. Often they are at a bad angle near the carb and the cable is worn into the exit point.

 

"* It backfires at higher rpms when I'm cruising."

Float setting, egr issue, timing, vac leaks or the highspeed solenoid is outa wack.

 

"* The ECS light is on."

Been so long since ive messed with the feedback crap, but i do remeber if the system is intact when in fault mode it goes full rich.

Ill look for the code reading link. Its a little more involved than the spfi ea82s. Honestly trying to salvage a feedback system unless you have no choice is far too much trouble. Trust me ive tried.

Do you have 2 feedback solenoids?

Edited March 13, 201511 yr by ihscout54