1986 Carbed EA82 Idle/Running Issues

[alaskaloyale]

I've got an 86 carbed (Hitachi) EA82 Wagon that's got a few issues. It intermittently (more often than not) will die if you let off the gas pedal, and acts like it is not getting enough gas at lower rpms. In addition is doesn't seem to have a high idle when started cold, and runs on low idle all the time when it can idle at all. This has been going on for quite some time, but was merely annoying and didn't impact the drivability. Now it seems to drive fine (although perhaps not as smoothly as it should and still no idle), until the engine fully warms up, at which point it suddenly develops a misfire/stumble so bad as to be almost undriveable, and if it dies becomes very difficult to start. When the engine has cooled, it once again fires up effortlessly and drives fine until warmed all the way up.

 

I figure that the idle issue is most likely the carburetor, and it probably needs either a new anti-diesel valve or a carb rebuild. It also maybe could be a weak fuel pump or plugged filter. However, the fuel system wouldn't explain my more serious running issue when the engine is hot.

I also think it needs a timing adjustment, as the running got noticeably worse after I replaced the clutch, which could mean that I accidentally moved the distributor off by a tooth when putting the flywheel back on.

 

If you guys have any other troubleshooting ideas they would be greatly appreciated, my other car is an 88 GL so I'm not accustomed to carburetors. This was a pretty reliable car before all of this started and is in otherwise great shape with only 135K on it (the dash clock even works!), which is pretty much brand new for these things (my beat-to-hell 88 is still driving at 389K). Unfortunately the money isn't there right now to do a weber or TBI swap, so I'm stuck with this fuel system till summer.

Edited March 6, 2015 by alaskaloyale

[two85s]

My carbed 85 was having similar symptoms.  I tried a bunch of bunch of attempts to solve the problem without success.  I found out almost by accident the problem was a vacuum leak.  Sometime I must have bumped one of the rubber caps off a vaccuum line.  And that was all it was.  I put a new/used rubber cap on from my parts wagon and.....bingo.  The issue was solved.  I'm not a mechanic, but this is probably a simple thing to test and isn't very expense I don't think.  I had already adjusted my carburator, changed my wires, plugs, rotor, and distributor before I discovered the missing cap.  I hope your issue is similar to what mine turned out to be.  After that... my idle (with some re-adjusting) was great and my wagon was purring (same original Hitachi carb). 

 

Then, even though it looked clean, I put on a fresh and new air filter and....boom....my power boosted like I added a turbo or something wild.  It was very noticeable.  Hope this helps you.  All the best.  Aaron

[l75eya]

Funny, I'm having very similar problems with my 87 GL, though my car has a Weber on it.

 

It started off intermittently, car would stall every now and then, then it began struggling to idle and now it's not running at all.

 

My issues got worse after changing my clutch too, I'm removing (permanently) the timing belt covers tomorrow to check the timing. I've put a new pump in, new filter, adjusted the carb to no end, I'm lost.

 

Checked all my vac plugs and one was missing on the intake but that didn't fix it, though it did help it run smoother.

 

Hope you get yours figured out, if/when I get mine I'll let you know what helped me in my situation.

[alaskaloyale]

I think I may have figured out my issue. I opened my distributor, and my rotor has over an inch of slop. Super super loose. I'm going to replace that and reset my timing and see where that lands me.

[two85s]

Gloyale is a Subaru wizard.  I hope his instructions help with your situation.  Good luck.

[alaskaloyale]

Hmm, totally lost on the idle issue. I replaced my rotor and got the car running again recently, and it idled fine for about a week before abruptly stopping again. The Anti-diesel solenoid clicks when power is applied. I'm skeptical that it would be a plugged passage in the carb because the problem comes and goes intermittently.

[ferox]

If it runs worse when warm, then I would also suspect a vacuum leak or leaks.  It sounds like when your choke fully opens, the A/F ratio leans out too much which could be enhanced by a vacuum leak.  Could be a million other things, but the choke is the main A/F regulation device that is coupled to temp like that.  The vacuum valve on the charcoal canister is often overlooked as a potential vacuum leak, but I would suspect a carb rebuild is also needed.  Make sure the carb base is tight on the mani.  I have had the screws that attach the throttle body to the main body of the carb loosen up as well.

[alaskaloyale]

Sorry, I should have posted a more detailed update. The running worse when warm issue turned out to be a loose distributor rotor, when I replaced that the car started behaving the same cold as warm, runs much smoother, and no longer dies completely when it warms up. Unfortunately it still won't idle most of the time. When the car isn't idling, it typically will not idle cold or warm.  I'll check the valve on the charcoal canister, but I am suspecting that a carb rebuild is probably the only solution at this point. I sprayed starter fluid around the intake and all the hoses and it didn't seem to affect the idle. It's just odd because sometimes it will idle just fine for days or weeks at a time, then go back to this for another month. I'm getting great at driving with two feet, but it's pretty frustrating.

Edited May 1, 2015 by alaskaloyale

[alaskaloyale]

Also, weirdly enough, the car now sometimes diesels when I turn it off. So it won't idle, but it also doesn't want to turn off? Totally weird, especially because the anti-diesel valve clicks when I apply power to it.