87 dx wont start

[pratman]

I just recently bought a 1987 dx hatchback with around 200,000 miles on it. At the time, lastweek, it started up and drove, but it would be hard to start sometimes and would idle at 1000 rpm, slowly creeping up to 3000 after a few minutes of driving. It also would smoke a little at idle but not while driving. At stop lights the car idles at around 1300 while in gear and the brakes act like it cant hold it, so I would have to shift into neutral, when it would hit 3000. So, i left it alone for a while until I had time to check it out. Today, I just unplugged the spark plug cables and plugged them back in, all in the correct order, then opened the air filter to clean it out, but it was already clean. I put back everything like it was, but now the car wont start. It turns over, and when I apply the gas (yes the tank is full) for a few seconds it starts to crank to about 100-200 rpm and theres the familiar gas smell, but after I take my foot off the pedal it dies. I have no idea why it wont start. Also, How do I check to see if there are any error codes. I was told the ecu was under the seat, but where are the led lights ?

[Mac]

Under the drivers seat you will see a box. There is a little square door (right in the middle) that flips open. Inside there you will see the light flash codes.

[Mac]

Make sure that all your plug wires are on tight. If it doesn't start after you pulled wires and checked the air filter, you should look at what you did first before looking else where. Look around where you were working and make sure that you didn't accidently knock something loose.

[shepherd79]

Originally posted by Mac
Under the drivers seat you will see a box. There is a little square door (right in the middle) that flips open. Inside there you will see the light flash codes.

HE HAS DX MODEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! he won't see any lights because there are none.

check your vacuum lines. if there is a vacuum leak it will give you problems just like that.
the other thing, diconnect the fuel line from the carb and point into the fuel can, now turn the ignition on. do you see fuel comming out?

the problem with your idle can be in your carb or your vacuum lines. Most likely it is your vacuum lines.

[Don87LX]

Your funky idle is a maladjusted carb or a vacuum leak. As for not starting I would Double check those spark leads, and check to make sure you didnt knock the ciol wire loose. If you are dead sure you got the plugs right, you can check the spark but pulling a lead off and placing a spare plug in the lead, then having a friend crank the motor. dont be touching the plug while you chack and make sure its away from anything flammable, if it sparks, then you're ignition is ok, if not, you need to look over your distributor cap, rotor, and coil.

[pratman]

I will check to see if the unit sparks, but I did forget to mention that I removed a cap on the air intake right beside the air filter casing, and when I tried to put it back on it did not fit as tight as it was.

[A20A1]

hmm make sure nothing is touching or clogging the metal brass tube protruding from the carb... the tube is hidden underneath the brass colored screen that holds down the air cleaner.

Also if you did whipe at all on the interior of the aircleaner you could have snagged one of the brass clips and the Air bleed valve underneth causig it to remain open and bleed vacuum.

If you've changed the fuel filter make sure it's facing the right way.

[Vinny]

Originally posted by shepherd79
HE HAS DX MODEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! he won't see any lights because there are none.

I was thinkin the same thing

But if you did lookunder your seat and do have a box that blinks, you car has SERIOUS issues

Th brakes not holding would lead me to think vacuum leak, as far as the not starting after the things you did, go back and retrace your steps and triple check that everything is in order

[shepherd79]

the reason his brakes don't hold is because his idle is at 1300.

[pratman]

I did a spark plug test and found out #4 wasnt firing, so I went ahead and replaced all plugs and wires for about 15 bucks. Engine now starts again, ill be overhauling the carburetor and replacing vacuum lines this weak. But I noticed today after 5 minutes of driving theres was a white smoke, possibly steam, cming from under the engine head right under the spark plug row, where it meets the intake manifold. Whats goin on?

[Don87LX]

Probably oil burning on the EXAUST manifold. If your spark plugs are on the intake side of your engine you have REALLY serious problems ;-)

Seriously, your valve cover gasket is probably shot, cheap ($10), and it only takes like five minutes to swap. Just go get a Haynes manual from your local auto parts store and the gasket and you'll be in good shape. This is a rubber seal between that big square black bucket on top the motor and the head.

Before you go needlessly swapping vac lines though, you should do a leak check. Real easy to do. GO get a big can of carb cleaner (reminds me is around time for me to clean my weber and air filter....hmm) and with the engine idling, give it short squirts around the carb base, and the vac lines and maybe at the INTAKE manifold base where it meets the head (this is on the BACK of your engine!!!! Spraying the exaust manifold you could end up with a bargin basement flame thrower in your hands!!) After you squirt, listen very carefully for the engine to surge (run a little harder) if it does, the leak is where you squirted. if its a hose, find the hose and replace it, if its around the carb base, you need new gaskets. If its at the head, you will need a new manifold gasket. NOt fun if you've never done it and dont have experienced help, you mingt want a shop to double check you and fix it if nessassary.

(keep in mind anything you arent comfotable doing is best left to the pros! It sucks to learn the hard way. Really sucks to have to explain what you did to the shop and watch them try really hard not to laugh at you while you do. I'll tell you about a buddy of mine and I's first attempt at swapping his ford's head gasket ...when you see coolant spraying out the muffler after you "fix" the car, you begin to wonder if it was a bad idea...)