Car runs like crap suddenly.

[mephi]

I got everything working great on my 87. Idle was a little high, but I just needed to adjust the cable out a little bit more.

Last night that all changed. I ran it a little low on gas, had trouble idling, filled it up, and suddenly the thing won't idle at all. It misses like crazy when it drives down the road too. I can't even shift it without keeping my foot on the gas. It will stall in between shifts. Made for some interesting braking maneuvers that kinda freaked the girl out a bit.

I have done a stage 1 vacuum removal and recently changed both fuel filters.

Any ideas or past experiences would be helpful.

Oh...carbureted a20a1

[cygnus x-1]

I got everything working great on my 87. Idle was a little high, but I just needed to adjust the cable out a little bit more.

Last night that all changed. I ran it a little low on gas, had trouble idling, filled it up, and suddenly the thing won't idle at all. It misses like crazy when it drives down the road too. I can't even shift it without keeping my foot on the gas. It will stall in between shifts. Made for some interesting braking maneuvers that kinda freaked the girl out a bit.

I have done a stage 1 vacuum removal and recently changed both fuel filters.

Any ideas or past experiences would be helpful.

Oh...carbureted a20a1


Hmm, the Accords have in tank pumps right? Is there a filter sock or something over the pick up? Maybe something happened with that. Air trapped in the line maybe?

C|

[mephi]

I managed to drive it about 5-8 miles in this condition. I would think all of the air would be out of it by now.

[mephi]

I went out to take another look at it just now in the dark cold that is Washington winter (I know...it's not really winter). I was wondering what position the choke should be in after the car sits over night.

My choke was completely closed, and I don't think it is operating properly, because the engine would try to stall out unless I held the thing open to let more air in. After it warmed up it idled just fine this time.

Again, this is my first carbureted vehicle, and honestly the things are a little bit like magic to me. I am slowly getting the hang of it though.

[cygnus x-1]

I went out to take another look at it just now in the dark cold that is Washington winter (I know...it's not really winter). I was wondering what position the choke should be in after the car sits over night.

My choke was completely closed, and I don't think it is operating properly, because the engine would try to stall out unless I held the thing open to let more air in. After it warmed up it idled just fine this time.

Again, this is my first carbureted vehicle, and honestly the things are a little bit like magic to me. I am slowly getting the hang of it though.


Oh, the choke is probably sticky then, or needs to be adjusted. Get a can of carb cleaner and blast the choke linkages and the plate. Be careful with that stuff though, it's massively flammable and eats paint in no time. Evaporates quick though.

The choke plate should probably be closed all the way if it's cold out. Is this the stock carb or a Weber?

C|

[mephi]

It's still the stock carb. I'm going to change over to the weber 38 I found in my brother's garage in a couple of weeks...waiting for some money to come in. Until then I have to deal with the stock thing.

I ran the car for a while tonight and didn't have any problems with it at all. This is after I sprayed the thing down with carb cleaner. The only issue it seems to have is when the secondary opens up while the choke is still engaged. Causes problems similar to what I was having the other night, plus a area of lost power at around 3000 rpm. This only happens when it is cold and the choke is on.

[2oodoor]

ahhh you will learn from this grasshopper and when you can take the idle jets from my hand you will be ready for the Land of Webuuur

[Low_Rida]

There is only 3 things that can make a car to not function.
-Air
-Feul
-Fire [Ignition]
Figure out which it is and go from there and just keep narrowing it.

[mephi]

Yes, that is true. Ignition is not a problem. Fuel was my first suspicion. However, since the car ran so well yesterday, I have begun to to think it was air. My real problem is that I am currently running a 22 year old carburetor and I only have a vague idea of its operation, hence the initial question.

If my 87 was fuel injected, the first thing I would have done would be to screw on my fuel pressure gage and see what was going on there. I don't really have that option though since there is no port ( I know, I could put in line) and the gage wouldn't read anything of importance since there is a max of 3 psi running through these lines.

[mephi]

Pulled the choke plate out and the problem is gone. Any body know how to get the starting warm up idle down? :D

[POS carb]

if you mean the fast idle, look here:
http://images16.fotki.com/v283/fileH6Ul/7c4f4/9/947379/3755907/1133.jpg

[mephi]

oh, so it's supposed to idle at about 2500 rpm when cold? But it doesn't stop until I've driven it for 25 minutes, and its already well warmed up by then.