BrianLaverty Posted November 1, 2004 Share Posted November 1, 2004 Hi guys. Im' new to the board. Actually, I've lurked here quite a bit from time to time in the past. I've even recommended a couple of Subaru friends to the site, since a lot of you guys know your shiznit, as far as Subarus are concerned. But I don't think I ever signed on with a screenname. Although I'm not sure about that, since I did hook up with a couple of locals here from the board last winter. Anyway, I just wanted to introduce myself. Usually, I'm the one giving advice, but this car has me stumped for some reason. Hey Jerry. This is Brian from Yakima. You know, the long-haired guy who came out to meet you guys a couple of times in Moxee last winter. I bought the Weber 2-barrel from you. Friend of Rick Enbody.... (don't say that too loud-He might show up:grin: ) Anyway, I was wondering if you guys are going to be out there some time soon that I can drop by. I have a friend with a Legacy who would also like to meet you guys. Also, I dunno if you remember my 82 GL 4WD with a EA81 I was telling you about. (I was driving my white Nissan) A few years ago, I ported the heads since I had them off and the engine out of the car, but I was never able to get the car running right for some reason. I thought the cam was flat, so I decieded to possibly scrap the car if I didn't get it right soon. So I bought that carb from you and rebuilt it(Actually it's the Italian Holley/Weber-I forget the model number), fabricated a 2-barrel adapter and sculpted the intake to accept the 2-barrel adapter. Got a Weber chrome K&N for it too.I did manage to get it running. It starts up without even touching the gas, even after sitting for 2 weeks. Not bad. But I think the carb is a bit much for that little engine. My problem is that it sometimes, actually often, stumbles off-idle, and wont rev past 2 grand. It bogs out. But not all the time. When it runs well, it runs great. I mean it'll put you back in your seat and spin all four tires. And it revs like crazy through the gears. But then it bogs down and I have to pull over to the side of the road and let it idle for a minute, and then I limp home and park the damn thing and scratch my head. I have replaced both fuel filters, it has new gas (which I suspect is more important now than it ever has been), good vacuum, a gutted catalytic converter (cause I thought that might be the problem). It seems to run great in the driveway, but once I close the hood and drive off, the problems begin. So I don't go much farther than a block from home. Any ideas, please let me know. I've been meaning to head out there and show you guys my subaru, but I don't really want to get stuck out between here and Moxee (or Selah, for that matter). Any ideas, please let me know. Thanks in advance for any help. Brian in Yakima Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northguy Posted November 1, 2004 Share Posted November 1, 2004 Brian, welcome to the board. Please explain what it does after you close the hood and start to drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoobywagon Posted November 1, 2004 Share Posted November 1, 2004 My 83 had that problem. I'd be driving along and all of a sudden, power would just go away. the car would start bucking, like it wasn't getting fuel. But if I let off the gas, it would go back to idle very nicely. Sometimes, it would just up and die. It turned out to be a combination of a dying fuel pump and low voltage at the connector for the pump. Things got a little weird here, but I replaced the pump and went looking for my voltage drop. Turns out that the connector on the fusible link box was loose. The copper wire had corroded to the point where the connector wouldn't hold it any more. That has a tendency to exchange amps for voltage, which caused my fusible links to start burning. And with the car running, it was drawing enough power across this mess that voltage would drop to between 6 and 8 volts at the pump. I bought a set of marine battery terminals and ran 4ga to the starter, 8ga to the fusible link box. Problem solved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bajavwnsoobnut Posted November 1, 2004 Share Posted November 1, 2004 did you rejet the carb when you rebuilt it? cause it sounds like jetting and too much fuel to burn or not enough lol so might get that straight (I will be posting a question on jetting on the Webers right now) and possibly a higher output pump is prolly in order now too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianLaverty Posted November 1, 2004 Author Share Posted November 1, 2004 Thanks for the thoughtful inputs, guys. I'll be checking out the voltage to the pump today. Let you know how it goes. It acted kind of similar to that BEFORE I exchanged carburetors, but back then it seemed to be continuous, so much so that I thought the cam was flat. I seem to remember re-adjusting the valves a bunch of times. (But I think maybe I did it wrong the first time-hard to remember three years ago) I do suspect the fuel pump at this point. If that checks out, I will be pulling the carb back off and see if I got something wrong. I've rebuilt dozens of carbs, but I guess eventually one of them is bound to be problematic. (although I would have figured it to be on a Quadrajet) I would say that if anything, the jet is too large. I can see the splash of fuel it gets easily with a flashlight. But the jetting wouldn't explain why it does run great some of the time. BYW, Scoobywagon, your description of what happens is spot on. Maybe I have your old car? Was it a yellow 83? he he Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianLaverty Posted November 2, 2004 Author Share Posted November 2, 2004 2 psi at the fuel line. I imagine that's at least part of the problem. But it is a steady 2 psi, so that still doesn't account for the intermittent part of the equation. Even when it was bogging out, the gauge still read 2 psi. And even revved, but starting to bog out, there is still quite a bit of fuel coming out of the annular booster. I also measured voltage at the pump, but only while cranking (since I didn't want to tap into the insulation of the wire-I disconnected the connector at the pump and measured there) 9 1/2 or so volts-I'm sure that is sufficient voltage considering the voltage drop at the starter. Anyone think I'm wrong? Of course, voltage to the pump shuts off if the engine is not running, so you can't just turn on the ignition and check voltage at the connector. And you can't have it running without the pump connected. It's interesting to note that I didn't even get momentary voltage when I turn on the ignition, like I expected. But once again, I DO have a CONSTANT 2 psi, regardless of all conditions while the car is running. Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bajavwnsoobnut Posted November 2, 2004 Share Posted November 2, 2004 yeah it should be more than 2 psi and also be at 12 volts power going to that pump so might try rewireing the fuelpump from another power source with the ignition on and see if that works and usualy it's good to see from 4psi to 6psi from the pump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.