'82 Brat: Severe hesitation and bucking

[patinabrat]

Just bought an '82 Brat GL off E-bay. Don't know anything about the history of the car. Got manuals on the way. In the meantime, the car will start (gotta pump pedal a few times, then feather it until it warms up before it idles), but smells very rich. I attempt to drive it around the block and it hesitates and bogs and bucks violently.

 

I have done the following:

Changed the oil/filter

New fuel filter

New air filter

New wiper blades and pins (lol)

New battery (seems too small for tray, but then again, it's missing the hold-down bracket and tray may not be stock)

 

I intend to:

Rebuild/adjust Hitachi carb

Change dizzy cap/rotor

Change plugs/wires

Check and set timing

Replace the cat

 

Seems various hoses may be disconnected and whatnot, maybe vacuum leaks. Really waiting on my two books to arrive (factory manual and How to Keep your Subaru Alive). Anything I can mess with otherwise?

 

Any ideas are appreciated.

['84 Flat-Four]

congrats on the purchase, and welcome!

 

Is this a manual trans? If so, check that your clutch cable is routed properly (under heater hoses). Seems insignificant but it makes an enormous difference.

Then adjust it with the two nuts that tighten the cable to the fork.

 

Also, there are two FFs,... engine bay and under the car passenger side in front of the rear tire.

[MTSuby]

Yeah, other than fuel filter, there can be a lot of things...The carb could need adjusting/rebuilding. If there are vacuum leaks, that sure won't help. Look around for open ports. Spray carb cleaner or starting fluid around the carb to see if hitting any area makes the idle speed up. That's always a sure sign of a vacuum leak.

 

Check the timing. But if you smell gas, it's likely running rich. I don't have too much experience (yet) with Subarus, but I'm sure there's a float adjustment on the carb, and if you can, depending on where the car came from, find out if it's jetted correctly for your elevation. My car experience it with Toyota carbs so some of this might not relate, but that's the stuff I check on my truck when I have issues. If there's an idle cut solenoid on these carbs (anti-deiseling), sometimes if that goes out it will flood the carb and stall the vehicle.

[patinabrat]

It's a 4-speed/dual-range. I sort of suspected this may have something to do with the clutch linkage because it seemed to begin rolling way too soon when I just slightly release the clutch (such as in first gear). I will definitely check that.

 

And yeah, regardless, it's running rich anyway. I see a giant black knob on the side of the carb that reads "Rich/Lean" with indicator marks and it seems to be adjustable, but can't figure out how to turn it. Is the float adjustment the only real way? I will order a carb kit and new float regardless.

 

Did not know about the second fuel filter. Thanks, will get that also.

 

 

congrats on the purchase' date=' and welcome!

 

Is this a manual trans? If so, check that your clutch cable is routed properly (under heater hoses). Seems insignificant but it makes an enormous difference.

Then adjust it with the two nuts that tighten the cable to the fork.

 

Also, there are two FFs,... engine bay and under the car passenger side in front of the rear tire.[/quote']

[Fenix747]

My Brat had been sitting for a few years when i picked it up. It hesitated bucked and bogged just as yours is. Turns out there was a clog in the fuel line. That would help explain why you have to pump the gas a few times, and it hesitates and bucks because its starving from fuel for a moment.

 

What i would try is to pull the fuel line at a couple different spots (like in the engine bay and also by the fuel pump) and blow through it. You should be able to blow easily and if you blow towards the tank you should hear bubbles, if its hard you probably have a clog. (Be aware gas might come back at you after blowing)

I had a clog in one of the lines inside my tank, to clear it out i took some compressed air and shot it through. Been running fine ever since

 

Hope this helps

 

-Andy

[patinabrat]

You're kidding..? That simple? I'm definitely going to try blowing out the fuel lines, and probably replacing the soft pieces altogether.

 

Also, the clutch is routed improperly, near the spare tire, with a bunch of zip ties. Definitely can't wait till the shop manual gets here so I can route it properly. While I was under the pedals, noticed the brake pedal's return cable was one of those ball-bearing type chains you wear around your neck (well, at least the guys that wear Affliction shirts or huge V-necks do)! Grrr... How cheap can you get?

 

 

 

My Brat had been sitting for a few years when i picked it up. It hesitated bucked and bogged just as yours is. Turns out there was a clog in the fuel line. That would help explain why you have to pump the gas a few times, and it hesitates and bucks because its starving from fuel for a moment.

 

What i would try is to pull the fuel line at a couple different spots (like in the engine bay and also by the fuel pump) and blow through it. You should be able to blow easily and if you blow towards the tank you should hear bubbles, if its hard you probably have a clog. (Be aware gas might come back at you after blowing)

I had a clog in one of the lines inside my tank, to clear it out i took some compressed air and shot it through. Been running fine ever since

 

Hope this helps

 

-Andy

['84 Flat-Four]

While I was under the pedals, noticed the brake pedal's return cable was one of those ball-bearing type chains you wear around your neck (well, at least the guys that wear Affliction shirts or huge V-necks do)! Grrr... How cheap can you get?

 

That ball-chain is for the cruise control iirc.

[Yo'J]

If its been sitting try some seafoam too. it should help absorb old bad gas.

[Yo'J]

If its been sitting try some seafoam too. it should help absorb old bad gas.

 

Nice score!

[brat82]

Howdy,

I've done the blowback thing and also have drained my tank a few times. I hook a small hose underneath, at the fuel pump/fuel filter link. Find the right hose, hook a long tube(I use a clear so I can see the fuel comin, and I stand higher than the tank), blow back through till I hear the bubbles. Since I question the gas I get sometimes, I've also run some carb/fuel line cleaners through the system, when I've been on the road(brat starts to hesitate/gets slower) and haven't been able to stop and check out anything else(fuel filters), and this has improved the running. I do it when I have near a full tank. My brat has 293,000 miles on the original engine, with one change of headgaskets. Still getting 31+mpg. and it seems to come out to 34mpg on hwys. There is a fuel filter in front of the drivers rear tire(under the car). This is where the electric fuel pump is. See whats in it, if you can. These BRATS are funn.

[patinabrat]

Turns out the issue was the fuel pump. Old one failed bench test; new one didn't. Installed, and now it will squirt gas all the way to the carb where previously it wouldn't. But it won't start. If I put gas down the Hitachi carb, it will start right up until it runs out of gas. What would prevent the carb from processing gas from the line? The idle stop solenoid wire broke off RIGHT at the solenoid, so it's impossible to reconnect, and I know that this may affect it; HOWEVER, should I remove the plunger or keep it in in order for gas to flow? Reason being, I can't find a replacement anywhere. I also have the choke off, but seeing as how it will start right up when I pour gas down it, I doubt its that. Plus, it's very hot out (95F+).

[patinabrat]

Full carb rebuild is in process. Got my can of Berryman's. I'll keep you lurkers posted.

[patinabrat]

Plugged a single vacuum port and adjusted the idle speed screw and now it starts right up and idles on its own. Of course, anything within 50 feet of it would die of affixation from the fumes. But it's progress...

[TomRhere]

Sounds to me like the choke isn't working right.

 

Check for smooth movement of the choke butterfly and linkage.

Check to see if you're getting 12 volts to the choke heater with key on.

Check for continuity of the choke heater. (Connection on choke housing to ground).

The spring inside the choke housing can break also. That may allow the choke to close, but not open.

 

Just some thoughts.....

[patinabrat]

Interesting you say that because I actually had the choke off while running it due to damage. I had to drill out the mounting rivets just to remove it. Just got a new factory one, and just acquired some screws since I can't get a riveter in there. Should be good to go as far as installation soon. I wouldn't think a choke would make it run "smelly"? I just assumed it was in the "opened up all the way" zone (it's really hot here in Cali, like 90 degrees).

[ferox]

The idle stop solenoid wire broke off RIGHT at the solenoid, so it's impossible to reconnect, and I know that this may affect it

 

If you haven't fixed this and adjusted your idle speed screw until the car idles on its own then you probably are not running on the idle circuit of the carb. Which is really not that good. I have done it to get my car home when my idle circuit has gotten clogged, but it is more of a temporary thing.

 

 

Where the wire broke off at the solenoid (this happens all the time) there should be about 3/16" of black rubber insulation. Carefully shave some of that down until you have a bit of wire exposed to solder the other end of the wire back to it. At some point along that wire cut it and attach mated electrical connectors like spades, so in the future you can disconnect the wire when you want to unscrew the solenoid.

 

Once you have that done you can adjust your carb properly.

[patinabrat]

If you haven't fixed this and adjusted your idle speed screw until the car idles on its own then you probably are not running on the idle circuit of the carb. Which is really not that good. I have done it to get my car home when my idle circuit has gotten clogged, but it is more of a temporary thing.

 

 

Where the wire broke off at the solenoid (this happens all the time) there should be about 3/16" of black rubber insulation. Carefully shave some of that down until you have a bit of wire exposed to solder the other end of the wire back to it. At some point along that wire cut it and attach mated electrical connectors like spades, so in the future you can disconnect the wire when you want to unscrew the solenoid.

 

Once you have that done you can adjust your carb properly.

 

You described my idle-stop solenoid exactly: Single wire and black rubber insulation. I thought the only point of the idle-stop solenoid was to cut off fuel to the carb when the key is off to prevent dieseling on hot days? I removed the innards of the solenoid and screwed it back on (no wire attached), but I will go and do what you recommend because I hate jury-rigged stuff.

 

I really wish this part was not so hard to come by, though! It's the single-wire solenoid. I know they sell the double-wire on E-bay.

 

Per your post, I believe I could easily disconnect the wire anyway because it just slips into a three-prong connector (where the electric choke and something else goes into as well).

 

I have a carb rebuild kit. I think I'm going to attack this carb this weekend!