thedoctor Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 83 dl 1.8 I am having a no start in cold condition (10 degrees) new plugs, rebuilt dist, new cap and rotor, new fuel filter, gas to the carb OK, timing OK. With the ignition on, there is a rapid clicking sound coming from the vicinity of the carb. Does anyone know what that is? This is a Weber carb. I don't know what to do next. I will try using a hair dryer to heat up the carb / air cleaner. If it starts I will add dry gas. I have not checked the vacuum hoses yet. What else? And could that clicking noise have anything to do with my problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudboat Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 ??? Automatic choke going out, maybe? Fuel pump?.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 It most likely is a solenoid. It may have to deal with the choke adjustment but I'm not sure. It's just a guess on my part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85Sub4WD Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 May be the purge control solinoid, but I don't think it would cause a no-start. Are you pumping the gas before you start it? Do you have good spark? Check with a timing light to be sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedoctor Posted January 24, 2005 Author Share Posted January 24, 2005 This sound is like a real fast wrist watch and of course louder than a wrist watch. The engine cranks over vigorously. I definitely have spark, but thank you for the suggestion about the timing light... i will use that to double check. The choke does activate in cold temperatures. The metal plate will be open, then I step on the gas and I go look ... and it is closed. The car can sit for two hours in single digit temps and start right up. But let it sit overnight and it won't fire up. An older thread suggested ether spray followed by dry gas. Any cautions about using ether? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoobdude Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 after letting it sit, if you pump the gas before starting, does any gas come out? could be the gas is drainig back and there is no fuel to help start it right away. Is this one of them injecta-carbs or the good ol' mechanical pump carbs. how did you check fuel? Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 Scoobdude has a good point. There may be a check valve that is sticking while temperatures are cold and letting the gas drain back after setting awhile. I know the injected models have the valve but I don't know if that is the case for carb models. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedoctor Posted January 24, 2005 Author Share Posted January 24, 2005 My current secondary fuel filter is transparant. I can see that it is full of fuel, but it is empty sometimes. The car has already started in the shop even when that filter is empty. I then watch it fill up. Is it supposed to hold at full? It has that third tube coming out the top. Re the carb: I can look down the barrel and pull the throttle cable and see a good stream of gas shoot out. How can I tell if it is an injecta-carb or a mechical pump. Would an injecta-carb have something that sounds like a wristwatch on steroids and amphetamines? Scoobdude has a good point. There may be a check valve that is sticking while temperatures are cold and letting the gas drain back after setting awhile. I know the injected models have the valve but I don't know if that is the case for carb models. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 The filter should stay full I believe. This problem may very well be due to a backflow problem. I would get a service manual for your car to show you more details about it. The sound you hear may be something for the carb. I would try to find the actual device that is making the clicking. You should be able to locate it fairly easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naru Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 There is NO WAY the carb bowl is going to "drainback" no matter what else is wrong.(maybe if you turned the car upside down overnight) I presume you`re talking about the stock Carter-Weber rather than an aftermarket DGV series Weber. If so,the clicking is the air bleed duty solenoid and is normal and required. From your description,it sounds like the choke pull-off is non-functional.It should open the choke slightly when the engine is cranked even in very cold weather. If I was you,I would observe the choke to make sure it goes from fully closed to slightly open while someone cranks the engine. Best of luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jefvos Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 when it's cold i have to give a couple of pumps for a quick startup (thats carburation for ya') but the only time i've had a no start and clicking is with a near dead battery, which doesn't sound like your problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedoctor Posted January 25, 2005 Author Share Posted January 25, 2005 Yes it must be a Carter-Weber because this car has not been modified as far as I can tell. I will double check the choke functioning tomorrow morning. Would a choke pull-off problem only occur when it is really cold. I guess if it was warm, the choke wouldn't come on in the first place, is that it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedoctor Posted January 25, 2005 Author Share Posted January 25, 2005 I checked the choke pull-off while someone was cranking the engine and I verified that the plate opened a little. I also checked to be sure a stream of gas got pumped into the carb when the throttle cable is pulled. BTW the secondary fuel filter was dead empty. Then I sprayed some ether into the carb and the engine started right up. I poured some dry gas in the gas tank. Could this have all been bad gas? I have been using regular with ethanol, usually from a Hess station. What would be recommended? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85Sub4WD Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 Subarus usually recommend plus or premium anyway (I know this for EA82 and later engines). You should be fine as long as you fill the tank all the way each time you fill it and have a good gas cap. I really don't know how the ethanol would affect the fuel system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedoctor Posted February 1, 2005 Author Share Posted February 1, 2005 Just an update on my incredibly frustrating:banghead: no start in cold weather. I was faced with a carb rebuild on a Carter-Weber --who would even want to do that-- so I tried Chevron Techron Concentrate -- and so far I've had immediate starts, that surging at cruising speed is gone, and the dieseling stopped. I'm ready for some single digit nights now. Thanks for the great information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85Sub4WD Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 Glad to hear it worked, that Techron stuff is great. Hope it keeps going well for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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