Ok...here's the deal. I'm wokring on the 83. Completely stock...ton o' miles. 270 kilomiles, to be a bit more precise. Couple days ago, running just fine one minute, then acting like its running out of gas the next. Hacks, coughs and sputters under 3k rpm, but runs like a scalded cat above 3000. Put it in the garage and found the carb puking gas everywhere. Swapped out the carb with the one from the 81 (which actually has an 83 motor). When I started it, it ran and idled fine for a while. Let it run for over 15 minutes out in the yard. Took it for a test drive and got less than a 1/4 mile down the road before the same behaviour returned.

 

I have spark. I have fuel. I have air...what is going on here?

 

I suppose iginition timing could be off, but I can't check it at this point because I can't seem to keep it running long enough. Could the disty have suddenly skipped a tooth or something? I wouldn't think so, but I suppose I've heard of stranger things. Something odd is going on here and I don't know what it is.

 

Thanks in advance...

try replacing your fuel filter. ive seen many time where people will have carb work done and it turns out to be the fuel filter. you might try checking the timing when its running like crap and see if its variing back and forth just have somone step on the gas and watch what happens with the sputtering.

 

could be a lose wire or a bad fuel pump to i guess.... good luck

 

tailgatewagon

Remember you have a fuel filter and a water seperator. The seperator is under the hood and the filter is on the rear passenger side just in front of the tire attached to the floorboard. Also for the take off problems check the plate under the pickup coil in the dist. if it gets dry sometimes the balls get rusty and they stick so on advance they jump .

Many years ago my 80 wagon had simular troubles. The car ran like crap at low RPM, but was great at high RPM, found out the distributor shaft was worn out/loose.

 

Good luck,

Chris

Something else to do is check for vacuum leaks. I am more willing to bet that your fuel filter is plugged but a vacuum leak could cause some of the same type of problems too. Try checking vacuum lines and spray starting fluid at the base of the carb and where the intake attaches to the heads and if it speeds up your idle, you have a vacuum leak. It's always good to check for vacuum leaks anyway, even if that isn't the specific problem you are having. Good luck!