Carb, opinions, experiences, and advices, please!

[visionguru]

My car (89, carb) is sometimes acting up lately. Twice this year, this happened:
I warmed up the car (5~10 minutes, temperature reaches middle), the fast idle won't unload, stays at 2100rpm. If I turn off the car, it cannot restart until after a couple of hours. But in most times, when the car warmed up, the idle will go to 1500rmp-ish, and the car runs fine.

Any suggestion? Need to look into the Carb?

Thanks in advance,

[ghettogeddy]

time for a rebuld id beat but if its only happened twice in a year thats not bad u would go nuts with my car lil i have to choke no fast ideal it sits at 2000 all the time lol

[MessyHonda]

i had my uncle rebuild my carb like 2 times....and it still wont idel right. i cant complain because i only paid 75 bucks just to cover the rebuild kits but we cleaned every vac line....also use some seafoam to clean out the carb...it makes a major diference

[ghettogeddy]

i think i ned to run some sea foam to lol
what did u run it trough messy the gas tank or at the carb

[MessyHonda]

i think i ned to run some sea foam to lol
what did u run it trough messy the gas tank or at the carb

well it says to pour it down the carb after the car is already warmed up..then shut it off and pour some more.. and wait for like 5 mins and then start it up.....beware.....lots and lots of smoke comes out...i had to get out of the car cuz it was also coming from my air vents....but you can feel an instant difference right after i took it for a test drive.

[ghettogeddy]

so take the filter and housing off and just pour it in the carb or how much do u have to use

[MessyHonda]

so take the filter and housing off and just pour it in the carb or how much do u have to use

yeah i took off the cover and the filter..and i poured it in....do it man....for 6 bucks it makes a hell of a diference...the dx felt quicker too.

[russiankid]

When was the last time your fuel filters were replaced? Check for any vacuum leaks and check for any linkages that are binding up. You can use carb cleaner to clean them up.

[visionguru]

Here is what happened:
(1) Today is 37 degree F here in Chicago. I press the gas padel to close choke, start the engine. I have to hold the gas padel because the car idles very rough. 3 minutes later, the fast idle kicked in. I remove my foot on the gas padel and let the car warm up.

Another 3 mintuies later, the coolant temperature reaches normal, but the idle didn't go down (2000rpm).

(2) I started driving it on the high way (not exactly high way, 40mph limit). I feel that the car is driving by ITSELF! I remove foot from the gas padle, the speed is still 50mph.

Don't want to go too far, I know it will die when I get off the high way. I got off at the next exit. EXACTLY like last time, the car died at the first stop sign. It won't start until 10minutes later. When I crank the engine, it seems that there is no fuel in the carb.

(3) On my way back, the car is running pretty normal again.

This really puzzles me. What could cause this?

From previous input of you guys, the suggestions are:
(1) Carb needs cleaning,
(2) Carb needs rebuilding,
(3) Fuel filter needs replacing. (the main filter is about 2 years old.)

Well, I probably need to do all of them. But most of the times, if I can bring the idle down after warming up, it drive normally. What could be the possible explanation of this?

Thank you in advance for your input,

[A20A1]

somethings up with the fast idle... check power to the choke wire, maybe the fast idle needs adjustment or needs to be replaced.

Other things could be stick throttle plates or throttle cable.

Icing can cause problems with the barrels closing.

Make sure the carb coolant heater is working, the coolant is flowing and the valve beneath the intake manifold is good. Also that the thermostat is working.

[visionguru]

somethings up with the fast idle... check power to the choke wire, maybe the fast idle needs adjustment or needs to be replaced.

Other things could be stick throttle plates or throttle cable.

Icing can cause problems with the barrels closing.

Make sure the carb coolant heater is working, the coolant is flowing and the valve beneath the intake manifold is good. Also that the thermostat is working.

Thanks for the input, A20A1.

By fast idle, do you mean fast idle unloader? From the long warm-up time, it indeed looks like something else unloaded the fast idle, instead of the unloader diaphragm.

As for checking the power to the choke wire, do you mean measuring the voltage using a multimeter?

Also, after starting, I have to hold the gas padel to keep the car running until the fast idle kicks in. Does this related to choke pull-off? I tried to replace it last year, but didn't finish because of a stripped screw.

I believe my throttle cable is a little sluggish. It's been that way for quite some time. Mostly during the summer, when the weather was hot, sometimes I have to put my foot under the gas padel to pull. Time for a new cable?

I'm pretty sure the thermalstat is working.

Thanks again.

[StressSolutions]

I too have this problem. The fast idle not kicking down, the driving as if on cruise control, or...

Sometimes it won't go to fast idle, it'll stay choked and really run bad. I have been able at times to put a pen or a screwdriver into the carb to open the choke, but it does not always work. When this happens, it'll burn a 1/4 tank of gas in just a few minutes. As a test, I kept it running for 30 minutes, it never did straighten up. It did/or will if I shut it off and leave it for a couple hours, usually. Not always, though.

How do I check, short of removing the thermovalve, the flow of coolant, etc. I suppose if it goes from cold to warm that would tell me. A little more info regarding testing would be great.

I only have problems in the cooler months, didn't have a single problem all summer, into fall. High 20's into the 32.5 mpg range.

Appreciate all help....thanks!