1983 Brat, hitachi 2bbl

 

 

So: the carb has a stumble at low throttle and perhaps a moderate power loss, noticeable when going up hills. Enough that I have to go up -loud- in 2nd instead of politely in 3rd.

 

It feels like the primary circuit isn't doing much.

 

When I start the car (engine cold), it starts with absolutely no problem and it has loads of power for a couple of minutes. Then when something kicks in, it gets lazy and when I start to pedal it, it'll stumble and then pick up if I rev it more than I should need to. It does that in connection with the engine RPMs, regardless of if it's idling or driving in any gear.

 

After the car is fully warmed up (needle on the gauge's middle-mark), it will respond without the stumble but still with what feels like a mild power loss. The power loss could be timing but it doesn't ping (it did a little when at high RPMS while it was hot out, I figure that's pretty normal)

 

The problem is less significant now, with the cold weather, than it was in the summer. It was REALLY bad then.

 

I don't know what the crap is wrong with it and I'm selling the brat very soon. I know that the Weber is a great solution but there's no way I'm going to make that happen to a car I'm about to sell.

 

I would appreciate any help with this...

 

I also should disclose:

When I got the free 85k mile hydro motor and 4speed, the motor of course still had the carb on it, and that would be this carb.

I put the new driveline in the brat and found that the wiring harnesses were different between the '86 engine and the '83 body.

I swapped all of the '83 doodads and wiring off of the old engine onto the '86, and as I have a FSM, I had the proper vacuum diagrams. I am very certain that the vacuum is all routed correctly.

Also, after the motor swap but before the doodad swap-back, I didn't have the engine wiring harness plugged in. The car would die if I didn't feed it gas, but the throttle had No Hesitation Whatsoever. I highly doubt that the carb is "bad" either.

 

thanks.

 

edit 10/24 re: starts with no problem

Maybe it works well until the choke comes off?

I don't know... last time I had a choke spring break on a subaru, I couldn't start the darn thing (in cold weather)... I'll pull the air cleaner off and tap on the choke assembly and see if it twangs...

 

This car starts with no problems at all...

 

:confused::confused:

Might need a new accelerator pump plunger. The stumble sounds like the accelerator pump isn't enriching the mixture on quick throttle openenings.

 

I would check the choke as well of course - it's usually the EA82 choke springs that break, but anything is possible. The end of the spring where it rubs on the plate lever can wear through and just fall off. I've seen it *way* too many times.

 

Also, after the motor swap but before the doodad swap-back, I didn't have the engine wiring harness plugged in. The car would die if I didn't feed it gas, but the throttle had No Hesitation Whatsoever. I highly doubt that the carb is "bad" either.

 

That's just the idle cut solenoid doing it's job. Without power it thinks the key is off, and cuts the idle fuel to prevent dieseling.

 

GD

Hmmm youre not the only person with this odd carb problem. I am experiencing the exact same thing.

I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM!!! and fixed it. lets chat and ill tell you how.

 

1983 Brat, hitachi 2bbl

 

 

So: the carb has a stumble at low throttle and perhaps a moderate power loss, noticeable when going up hills. Enough that I have to go up -loud- in 2nd instead of politely in 3rd.

 

It feels like the primary circuit isn't doing much.

 

When I start the car (engine cold), it starts with absolutely no problem and it has loads of power for a couple of minutes. Then when something kicks in, it gets lazy and when I start to pedal it, it'll stumble and then pick up if I rev it more than I should need to. It does that in connection with the engine RPMs, regardless of if it's idling or driving in any gear.

 

After the car is fully warmed up (needle on the gauge's middle-mark), it will respond without the stumble but still with what feels like a mild power loss. The power loss could be timing but it doesn't ping (it did a little when at high RPMS while it was hot out, I figure that's pretty normal)

 

The problem is less significant now, with the cold weather, than it was in the summer. It was REALLY bad then.

 

I don't know what the crap is wrong with it and I'm selling the brat very soon. I know that the Weber is a great solution but there's no way I'm going to make that happen to a car I'm about to sell.

 

I would appreciate any help with this...

 

I also should disclose:

When I got the free 85k mile hydro motor and 4speed, the motor of course still had the carb on it, and that would be this carb.

I put the new driveline in the brat and found that the wiring harnesses were different between the '86 engine and the '83 body.

I swapped all of the '83 doodads and wiring off of the old engine onto the '86, and as I have a FSM, I had the proper vacuum diagrams. I am very certain that the vacuum is all routed correctly.

Also, after the motor swap but before the doodad swap-back, I didn't have the engine wiring harness plugged in. The car would die if I didn't feed it gas, but the throttle had No Hesitation Whatsoever. I highly doubt that the carb is "bad" either.

 

thanks.

 

edit 10/24 re: starts with no problem

Rick:

nice. it *was* an EA82 that needed the choke fix!

and it sure isn't accelerating... i'll search up on accelerator pumps... thanks

and I'd figured that the carb dying while unplugged was caused by being unplugged.. man that was annoying though!

thanks.

 

Kody: PM sent, let's talk! thanks.

Do you still have the 86 carb? Should be a pretty straightforward swap. I can help you out if you give me some pics. Is the 83 a feedback unit or something?

 

Might solve your problems to just swap em out. I've had pretty decent luck with rebuilding the Hitachi's except for the one with the sticky float. Usually they aren't too bad if you pop the top off, blow them out with compressed air, replace the top gasket, and the accelerator pump plunger.

 

Just don't lose the small cotter pins.

 

GD

nah, it's gone. And I don't know what constitutes a feedback carb... I also don't have an extra $50 for a rebuild kit, and as I'm in "sell the car" mode, I don't want to invest any more money into it if I'm selling it soon and can possibly fix the symptoms...

Well - you mentioned that the connectors were different, and the only way that would really be the case between the 83 and the 86 was if the one was a feedback computer controlled carb..... or the 83 was a carter weber?? But that's not likely I wouldn't think.

 

If there's a computer under the dash..... that changes stuff in a lot of not-so-fun ways.

 

GD

+1 for carbs suck. can i put my FI EA82 in my lawn mower?

Well... I don´t hate Carburetors, Just the Hitachi Craps on Subarus Yes, I hate those...

Why don´t you Swap your Craptachi for a Weber? I have done that on my White EA82 Wagon, and with the Weber the EA82 Performs a lot Better.

Good Luck!

Both carbs are/were 2bbl Hitachis.The '83 has two plugs, one plug has 1 pin off of the engine (3 receivers on the chassis side of the harness) and the other has 8 pins off of the engine. There's some sort of computer-like box under the dash as well. I'm going to see what happens if I service the accelerator pump. Thanks!

 

 

Well - you mentioned that the connectors were different, and the only way that would really be the case between the 83 and the 86 was if the one was a feedback computer controlled carb..... or the 83 was a carter weber?? But that's not likely I wouldn't think.

 

If there's a computer under the dash..... that changes stuff in a lot of not-so-fun ways.

 

GD