Carb Issue

[Karhoot]

Took the car for a drive, its wonderful now. Things that bothered me;

Dizzy is turned all the way to the left, which is advanced if I'm not mistaken. That's the only way the car will run. When I come to a spot, she sputters bad, then stalls. The only way it won't stall is if I stay on the gas. Also, its sputtering a lot at idle, and I smell gas all the time.
Anyway to help out with this? I can post pictures tomorrow when there's light out.

[Dr_Snooz]

Check to make sure that your timing belt hasn't skipped a tooth. If it has, then you probably want to do a major timing belt service and replacement. Beyond that, it sounds like the carb needle valves might be pooping out. If they are, then you'll need to rebuild the carb or do a Weber swap if your smog laws allow that.

[Karhoot]

Ah shit. How would I know?

[Karhoot]

Scratch that: Timing belt is fine. Both crank and cam gears line up perfect. I need to know how to adjust this hell of a Carb.

[Dr_Snooz]

That's the $64 trillion question, isn't it? Get your timing sorted first of all by setting it to factory spec. Then worry about the carb from there. If you're smelling gas all the time, then I would suspect your needle valves are faulty and the only way to fix that is with a complete overhaul. Before doing that, however, download the shop manual and start testing all the electric solenoids and vacuum pots that control the carb. Shop manual is here: 1989 USDM Honda Accord Factory Service Manual (I'm assuming you have an '89). Make sure all the vacuum devices hold vacuum and aren't hanging up on things. Follow the tests for each electric solenoid in the manual, starting on p. 11-3. Fix what's broken and hope it isn't your needle valves. If it is the needle valves, consider a Weber swap.

[Karhoot]

Big help Dr, thanks a bunch. As for TDC, I believe its set up properly. Two notches on the cam gear line up with the head while the "Up" inscription on the spokes is pointing north. Dizzy only goes in one way. Yet doing so fully advances my timing, which is how the car has always run, for whatver reason.
Any specific tools I'd need to continue this menace?
Possible to be done w/o a timing light? And is all of my info I need in the shop manual? Sorry, intermediate mechanic. Timing is one of my downfalls.

[Dr_Snooz]

You absolutely have to have a timing light. I think you can borrow one from Autozone though. Spend some time in the manual. It's everything you could possibly need. It's one of the things that makes these cars so great.

[Karhoot]

How would I know when my cab went bad? During decelleration, it sputters like hell. If I come to a stop, she stalls. My timing is fine. When it comes to idling, she doesn't idle. Just stalls if I'm not on the gas.

[2oodoor]

So, it's a girl.

Have you replaced the fuel filter?
Does it start right back up with no trouble?

[Karhoot]

LOL. It is a girl. I haven't. And yes it starts right back up

[Dr_Snooz]

Also check to make sure that the choke is opening completely.

[Karhoot]

One thing I have noticed under normal operating conditions, the choke is almost shut

[g.frost]

The choke opener attaches to a vacuum port on the carb. Lots of gas on the diapragm, it degrades and starts leaking. This vacuum circuit also feeds the high idle unloader, so it fails to step down too. Diagnose this area.

[Dr_Snooz]

Yeah, fix that choke first and see where you are.

[g.frost]

Running the car rich with the choke closed like that will cause all kinds of problems:
* ruin the cat. converter, rapid carbon deposits, fouled plugs, fuel dilute the oil, rapid ring wear. 8-10 more things I can't think of off the top of my head. ie; Stop driving it until you get it fixed. At least bailing wire the choke open (it's almost summer)....

[Karhoot]

Headed outside to start toying with it. About 45 degrees over in CT. Seems like it's been doing a little better. Still sputtering at idle though. Should I start diagnosing my choke linkage? And is it suppose to be fully open all the time when the car is at operating temp?

[Dr_Snooz]

Correct.

[SharkyX]

You absolutely have to have a timing light. I think you can borrow one from Autozone though. Spend some time in the manual. It's everything you could possibly need. It's one of the things that makes these cars so great.

The auto zones and advance stores out my way no longer lone out timing lights, I just went through this issue myself when replacmening my dizzy o ring. So not sure if this is a country wide thing.

I ended up buying one for $30 at harbor freight a d tools that advance dial on it that worked (incase anyone needs a decent cheepo)

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk 2

[Dr_Snooz]

The auto zones and advance stores out my way no longer lone out timing lights

Good to know. Thanks!