EA82, '85, 1.8, carburated

 

After a year with this car, and having had about 25 other cars in as many years, I'm coming to the conclusion that these Soobs are weird. I'd appreciate it if someone could help me troubleshoot this maybe serious problem beyond just "weird."

 

Twice on separate days, after starting the car cold (no thermostat. 13 psi cap.), in 65+ degree weather, it sputters as if bad fuel or electric so badly I wonder if there isn't a dead cylinder, and I can't go more than 35 mph on the flat. First day, I revved the motor and it disappeared. Today, revving didn't help. The passenger cylinders felt hotter than the others, and, I think, hotter than usual. I'd only driven about 10 miles, mostly flat. I let it sit half an hour, and then it was EXCELLENT. I drove up and down a 20 mile canyon, and I barely had to shift into lower gears. But, there was something, like fuel or electric, that was trying to break down, but it was so subtle, it was easy to ignore, and someone not worrying about the car surely wouldn't even have noticed.

 

I broke down in Denver a few weeks ago. The temperature gauge always looks fine (dead center with the thermostat in), and so I never suspected overheating. In fact, it blew a hole in an exhaust valve it got so hot. The mechanic did a leak down test and looked at the pistons and I gave him the green light to redo the head. He didn't touch the other side. I just wasn't in the mood to buy another car. He also ran a 24 hour engine flush on it.

 

I changed the cap and rotor and plugs. I don't have any pressure gauges or electrical test equipment, and I have a minimum of tools. The car was running like ************ not far outside of Denver. I pulled the thermostat on the road, and it was much, much better. The distributor looks like it's still far advanced (where I had it before). The advance is plugged directly into the carburator.

 

I haven't lost radiator fluid since the cylinder head work. I took off the cap and jumped up and down on the bumper, but the level didn't go down. I watch the oil. The tailpipe feels dry, but it's full of carbon. I haven't noticed white smoke coming out of the tailpipe. The odometer shows 200k.

 

Ideas?

I just tightened up a vacuum connection. So far so good, after maybe 20 miles.

If the problem comes back you might look into fuel system for a problem. Repllace the filter if that hasn't been done. Then look at the fuel pump. It may be intermittent.

I was wondering about the fuel pump. I replaced the filter last winter. But the motor seems fine now. Drove the canyon today, and nothing seemed to be breaking down. Seems it was a vacuum leak. That'll teach me to be too cavalier about plugging holes.