engine and drivetrain Car Misfire/idle/fuelling Issue

[SA2002Guy]

Hi all.

Before I get berated for not scouring the forums first, I have done so and have read many of the threads that sound like they are similar to my problem…I still haven't been able to fix the issue.

So my car is a stock 1971 2002. The ignition system is no longer a points and condenser system but a normal electronic distributor (I hope that's correct…forgive me..I'm still quite new to this all). It is worth mentioning that about a year ago I took the car on a long road trip (+- 1200 miles roundtrip) and on the way back, the car would splutter which would get worse and then it would die and only really run again once cooled down. Some of the smarter gentlemen that were with me (in Fords) figured out that it was my distributor overheating, and they assumed it was the insulation that was fading away inside as things got too hot. Anyway…winter came and I never addressed the issue and it never cropped up again. 

 

This current issue is in no way similar to that one, I just thought it would be worth mentioning in case it was related.

So my car has been running smoothly ever since then (except for that issue). The other night I decided to give it a bit of stick, as I do every so often, and after having come off the throttle, the car was all of a sudden idling quite roughly. On the overrun it was spluttering quite heavily.

 

Now, it doesn't want to start properly..it starts, but dies immediately, unless I give it some throttle. Once it's warm, it'll keep itself running, but idles very roughly. 

I've checked for spark and all of the HT leads are sending spark and all of the plugs look OK (cylinder 2 plug had a few tiny green dots on it…?) Also unplugging all of them made a big change to the engine's idle, so not one of them was showing signs of being the culprit.

 

I sent an entire can of carb cleaner through the carb today…no help. I've checked a few of the things I saw in other threads and there is nothing I can readily see.

 

One thing I noticed when I had the filter off was that one chamber of the carb seemed to be a lot cleaner than the other. Also, while it was idling, if I put my hand over one of the chambers (the clean one) (restricting airflow somewhat, obviously not cutting it off) it would idle a lot faster, it didn't do that when I put my hand over the other chamber.  Here is a video of what I mean (sorry about the video orientation):

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8gsvhpt6jt4jphj/2002%20Motor.mp4

 

In the video the idle screw has been turned up quite a bit to keep the car alive while I'm trying things on it.

 

The fue was relatively low the other night when I drove the car hard, but not lower than it has previously been, so I'm not sure if I may have picked up some gunk from the bottom of the tank…? Fuel filter has fuel in it and looks clean.

 

Any ideas of what I can look at before I send the car off to be looked at by someone who is going to take a lot of my money?

 

Thanks in advance for any info!!

 

Cheers

 

Oliver

[Guest_anonymous]

What carb? 38/38

Have you checked for vacuum leaks around the carb and manifold?

Have you physically checked the jets for blockage?

The assumption here is the throttle plates are set correct, and apart from a fast idle adjust the carb "was" set for best lean idle.

Edited February 3, 2014 by daron_in_Va

[Guest_anonymous]

FYI: If this is a DCD series carb, it is not the typical carb for our application. Although a different fuel progression, the concepts will be similar. Please post the carb model

[eurotrash]

Sounds to me like a dirty fuel system.  The old issue sounds like the screen in the tank is filling with silt.  And the new one sounds like a progressive carb operating normal. 

 

1.  What fuel pump is that.  Never seen that one before.

2.  Is the car a Tii with the injection stripped out?  Brake booster looks to be Tii. 

3.  Look at the base of the carb, over by the battery, and see if there is a stamping stating the type of carb you have. Or even on the pedal linkage side (firewall) and tell us if there are gears there. Appears to be something other than the typical Weber 32/36.

[SA2002Guy]

Thanks for the reply guys!!
 I meant to get back to you yesterday already, but it had gotten dark outside, so I went out first thing this morning. 

 

Ok, first things first, the carb is a Weber 28/36 DCD 43 carb. I hope that helps.

 

eurotrash, nope, the car is a normal 2002. It could very well be that the brake booster was changed (as I said, I'm somewhat of a layman when it comes to these cars).

 

daron_in_VA, how do I check for vacuum leaks? Do you mean if any of the gaskets are torn or have space that air might move through?
I haven't checked the jets for blockage. I was worried of disassembling the carb and then putting it back together and somehow messing up any settings. As long as I put it all back together as I took it apart, is it OK for me to pull the carb apart to take the jets out and check for blockage?
And yes, the car was set for best lean idle.

Here's a picture of the base of the carb, where it sits on the manifold. Could that be an issue?

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mg8a17kud558wfu/Carb.jpg

I'll wait for the next round of responses and then see what I can do. 

I have to do a few miles of driving with the car. Is that something I can get away with, or could that end up with horrible results?

Thanks again!!

 

Oliver

[SA2002Guy]

Hi guys,

I figured I'd add some more info if it helps you...

WHen the car idles low and then dies, it dies with a bit of a sucking sounds. Like a whooshing sound. Hope that makes sense.

 

Also (with the idle acre turned high as it is right now) when I drive it, it's either idling super rough and chunky, on the verge of dying (which it sometimes does), or even if I touch the throttle super gently, the revs shoot up. There is no real in-between.

 

Hope that helps a little.

 

Thanks! Cheers

 

Oliver

[Guest_anonymous]

You might have a few issues at hand, but will be difficult to sort out until you can achieve a smooth running condition. While the DCD is installed and the assumption is that it was running fine for someone else, I might investigate picking up.a.DGV series carb that came off of another 02. If you are determined to use the DCD, contact Pierce Manifolds and buy a rebuild kit if available. Stephen can also suggest reference material for working with your carb

Edited February 4, 2014 by daron_in_Va

[Hans]

The pic of the base appears to show a gap which might explain some of your issues. I'd get a new base gasket, and while ordering that, might as well get a rebuild kit. Then take the top off the carb and see what's floating in the bowl. You may have accumulated gunk that gets stuck in the jets. Have you checked fuel filter? Rebuild videos on Youtube.

[GreenSwede]

"Here's a picture of the base of the carb, where it sits on the manifold. Could that be an issue?

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mg8a17kud558wfu/Carb.jpg

I'll wait for the next round of responses and then see what I can do." 
----

 

Your base gasket seems to be toast, looking at that picture. It could possibly just be outer parts of the gasket that has fallen off, but.. If you´ve got a can of starter spray at home, have the car idle and gently spray some at the parts shown on the pic. If idle changes, you´ll know. The gasket is rather easy to replace, buy two paper ones, and a thicker that isolates. As there is on the car.

 

Seems about right, when you blocked one port it revved up. By doing that you probably evened out the mixture closer to normal.

 

Hope that helps!

Edited February 4, 2014 by GreenSwede

[SA2002Guy]

Hi guys.

Ok, so after long up and down and trying this and that, it turns out it was that base gasket that had given way. It looked like it was all mushy anyway and then the spirited driving the other night must have sucked that mushy portion in towards the base of the carb. At least that's what it looked like.

 

Took the carb off, replaced the gaskets….all sorted. Car is running like a boss again!

 

Thanks for all the input!

 

Oliver