Engine Probs

[list@cemetery.homeunix.org (Andrew Basterfield)]

On Mon, 10 Feb 2003 10:46:40 +0100
Ian Shaw <ian.shaw@martin.dk> wrote:
 
> Can anyone help, i have a couple of probs with my 1.8l carb scala
> 
> 1, after about 10 or so miles at around about 50 - 60 mph, my car will
> start to jerk and lose power and speed, sounds like the engine is
> spitting, if i rev through it the engine will pick up and the prob is
> gone.

are you hitting the rev limiter in 2nd? just kidding

> 2, when i first start the car (which is a little hard to do), the idle
> speed will rev upto 2-3 thousand rpm and then drop to about 1 and then
> will stall.
> 
> I have changed the fuel filter, spark plugs, HT leads, rotor arm,
> distributer cap, fuel pump and air filter.

check vacuum lines - make sure they are all plugged in and none of them
have holes, also try wiggling carb while engine is running to make sure
intake manifold gaskets are not leaking.

put a strobe on the ignition and make sure both centrifugal and vacuum
advance works. If you can find one in a scrap yard try a new coil, but
it's probably mixture not spark.

Carefully check the electrical connections on the carb. A wire broken by
the rocking of the engine here causes all kinds of nasty behaviour.

Take off your carb, take it to pieces and make sure there is no rust
from the tank/fuel filler neck in the float chamber or in the jets. Blow
the jets out with compressed air, don't poke anything in them or you
will affect the mixture. Make sure all the levers work. I use a Haynes
manual for this.

The Pierburg 2E2 (is that the one from memory?) was one of the worst
late 80s overcomplicated emissions-friendly carbs ever produced. This is
why new cars have EFi. I usually find sacrificing chickens helps, as a
last resort threaten your carb with a large hammer.

--Andrew