Hardly Idles/Misfiring

[hackasubaru]

So i pulled my engine out of my 87 gl wagon and replaced the head gaskets, front main seal, water pump, timing belts, oil pump seals, spark plugs and wires, cap/rotor, v belts, etc, etc. After putting it back in my car and getting everything hooked up i have a misfire. I checked cam timing and ignition timing and both looked fine. When i first fired it up i had to get ignition timing good but after that it idled fine but had a misfire. Double checked cam timing and it seemed fine. After running for about 10 minutes the plug that goes to the choke has a solenoid valve that seemed to burn up because the wires started smoking. I unplugged the choke for now and it didn't seem to effect much; just cold starting up. It idled fine the next day but working on it later on it won't idle now. I am wondering if i hooked up some vacuum lines wrong or something. Anyone got some good diagrams/pics or any ideas of where to start? I am thinking the carb might need to be tuned but i haven't ever worked with carbs. :-\ maybe a bad fuel pump?

[idosubaru]

if you have a smoking wire i would look there for your issues. get that working right and go from there.

 

i'd also suspect a vacuum leak, though not necessarily just at the carb. maybe as simple as a brake booster or something. spray some starting fluid/carb cleaner around the engine bay while someone is cranking it and see if it starts...location of the spraying will isolate a leak (make sure your smoking wire isn't flaming when you do this )

 

i got nothing on the carb. my tractor doesn't have one and that was intentional. always starts after sitting for long periods of time, it's awesome.

[Yo'J]

Check your grounds as well. Are you sure your not off a tooth on your timing?

[hackasubaru]

ill check for vacuum leaks when i get home. im at work right now It misfired before the choke plug burned up. I am pretty sure timing is good. I put it to TDC put the left belt on. Turned it over 360 degress and then put the right side on. All the marks line up. Although if i hit the timing belts with a timing light when it is running the marks don't match up with the TDC marks; although they are an even amount apart. Should they line up when hitting it with a timing light while it is running? It starts and runs just doesn't want to stay idleing any more. Although, it was idleing before and after the choke burned up. It just sat for a day and now it doesn't want to idle

[GeneralDisorder]

If you want to bring it by sometime I could take a look at it. It's very hard to diagnose EA carb issues like that over the internet. Give me an hour (my rate is $35 an hour) and I can probably tell you what's wrong, how to fix it, and maybe even fix it for you if it's a relatively simple issue.

 

The best vacuum diagram is going to be the one under the hood - there are so many variations in years/models/etc and it sounds like you may have some wiring issues as you are burning up wires. Wireing (properly ) is one of my specialties.

 

PM me if you are interested in dropping over. Today would be good actually - I'm in the shop all day.

 

GD

[GeneralDisorder]

I put it to TDC put the left belt on. Turned it over 360 degress and then put the right side on.

 

The TDC mark is not for the timing belts. There are three hash marks specifically for "valve timing" that are used when installing the belts. The TDC marks are for ignition timing only. Though I suspect that if you were that far off it wouldn't even run. So you probably meant that you used the center of the three valve timing marks right?

 

GD

[hackasubaru]

The TDC mark is not for the timing belts. There are three hash marks specifically for "valve timing" that are used when installing the belts. The TDC marks are for ignition timing only. Though I suspect that if you were that far off it wouldn't even run. So you probably meant that you used the center of the three valve timing marks right?

GD

 

Ya i used the center of the three hash marks in conjunction with the TDC marks. Perhaps it is something to do with ignition timing or cam timing and i am doing it wrong. Im gonna read up on some posts and my chiltons/hanes and see what i can come up with. I'll double check my vacuum hoses too. thanks for the good info I'll try to get some photos of everything tonight and get them posted.

Edited September 6, 2010 by hackasubaru

[hackasubaru]

I took some pictures but the quality was bad and you couldnt' really tell much with the carb still on the car. My buddy found me a weber though for real cheap. Gonna rip all that other stuff off and start with the weber; check timing again and vacuum leaks. Thanks for your help GD i'm sure ill have some more questions.

[GeneralDisorder]

Right on - Weber is the way to go if you can swing it. Drop by when you get it mounted and I'll help you tune it right.

 

GD

[hackasubaru]

I got my weber mounted and starts up and runs great i still gotta do a couple things and go for a test drive and make sure the tranny is all good. Thanks for all the help! I'll probably be stopping by pretty soon GD

 

 

 

[subi dude]

i took my EA82 engine and gave it a new tune up, but when i try starting it after i installed everything it misfired and wont idle. now im getting a Weber carb and need some help on what to do to install.

 

please let me know if i can ask some questions as i work on it.

 

also if you know of any web sites i can find a whole Weber kit?

 

subi_dude@yahoo.com

 

thanks