1981 Subaru FWD won't start.

[subaru1988]

1 hour ago, spamanon said:

So that butterfly valve in the picture I shared is called choke valve?  I do not think this car has a manual choke, at least I have not ever seen one.  I understand the point of the test, I just don't want to put gasoline down the wrong side of the carb. The two sides look totally different and so I am not sure what will happen with gasoline down the wrong side, if anything.

I made it simpler: 

Here is a picture looking down the carb throat.  <Click To See Picture>

Do I put gas in the side with the red rectangle or the side with the blue oval?  Thanks!

Yes. That's the choke. It's for starting the car. The process is to set it by pressing the gas pedal, take foot off the gas, and crank. Repeat until start without feathering the gas like was being done in one of your videos. All you do when you do that is flood it out. This is NOT like starting a modern car.

When you check for a burst of fuel, which gets sprayed at cold start from hitting the gas pedal and also setting the choke, it goes into the PRIMARY bore- the bore with the choke valve, red rectangle side in your pic.

Edited October 4, 2020 by subaru1988

[spamanon]

Thanks!  I will do that and report back.  I appreciate your patience with me!

[spamanon]

Update:

Pouring a spoonful of gas got it started, and it stayed started. I noticed that it is pushing out quite a bit of black smoke. The front bumper on the car parked behind the Subaru turned black with soot. This makes me think I was right about that guy adjusting the wrong screw.  And this would explain why the plugs were so overcarbonated. Now to figure out how to undo what he did. (And keep looking for the fuel filter.)

<Luckily, I found this in the trunk so that may help Click to See Image>

The car was my wife's grandmother's - she bought it new off the lot in ~1982 - and apparently she bought that book somewhere along the way.

Thanks again to everyone.

Edited October 4, 2020 by spamanon

[Step-a-toe]

WHOO HOO !

Black smoke is from a richer than 14.7 lbs of air to one pound of fuel ....14.7:1 Air Fuel ratio

We often need richer to get them started first thing each day or once engine has cooled down to ambient

Closing the top valve, butterfly, choke plate either by pull cable, E!ectric element, bimetal coil spring reduces the air going in, increases the fuel ratio so number goes down say 10.5:1 air to fuel

Black smoke from rich mix could just be from all the fuel sitting in the manifold (inlet) floor.

Does it continue to run like it is now drawing on metered fuel via tank, pump,filter, carby? Or will it?

Will it restart for you without chucking fuel down either carb barrel?

[Step-a-toe]

The screw is an idle speed air fuel ratio fine adjustment

I think it would only cause things to carbon up if you did a lot of idle speed in traffic.

If all the other circuits are delivering their required ratios, all other driving should really clean things up inside combustion chamber

 

Usual first step to set a basic for idle mixture screw is to screw gently in until it stops, then a predetermined number of full turns out. It may be 1.5 turns out to get running and up to operating temps then adjust by ear or vacuum gauge reading off intake manifold port.

Or go get the parts interpreter to have another go.

Something else must or might have been going wrong to improve it after his fiddle.

Ready to learn more? Buy a carby rebuild kit, take lots of measures and photos as to how things look, get some waX and grease remover or carby cleaner and start a new thread

Edited October 4, 2020 by Step-a-toe

[Step-a-toe]

2 hours ago, subaru1988 said:

Yes. That's the choke. It's for starting the car. The process is to set it by pressing the gas pedal, take foot off the gas, and crank. Repeat until start without feathering the gas like was being done in one of your videos. All you do when you do that is flood it out. This is NOT like starting a modern car.

When you check for a burst of fuel, which gets sprayed at cold start from hitting the gas pedal and also setting the choke, it goes into the PRIMARY bore- the bore with the choke valve, red rectangle side in your pic.

This post mentions primary barrel. I actually like to use the secondary barrel to dribble the teaspoon measure of fuel down for this kind of start.

I feel if pour down primary, the wet fuel falls to floor of a cold manifold as soon as foot goes on ACC pedal.

I imagine if poured down secondary of these cars with vacuum governed opening, wet fuel will dribble through the fine closed gaps of secondary butterfly and it's bore and more likely to assist agonising the wet fuel more gradually than if poured down primary

[Step-a-toe]

2 hours ago, spamanon said:

Thanks!  I will do that and report back.  I appreciate your patience with me!

Consider it a challenge !

[Dee2]

By chance, did you buy fuel just before it stopped running ?  It's rare but you may have gotten some bad gas.  Or possibly gas with too high of an ethanol level ? 

 

 

[Step-a-toe]

I don't recall what carby was on 1984 Suzuki Sierra 1.0 litre 4SP 4WD, but gosh it must have been designed with bad fuel in mind. How easy was it to pull the jet plug it may have been ( bit like 60s Stromberg BV1), drain the water and fuel from, drain the full tank purchased not too far away in the middle of nowhere, method with fresh fuel and off and away !!

[pa9213]

I have a 1981 DL 1.6 motor.  The fuel filter on this car is under the car behind the rear driver side.  The fuel pump is under the hood.  It is on the right side as you stand in front of the car next to the fire wall at the windshield.  You may want to check the carburetor.  I had this fuel problem.  I found that two black small hoses that go to the carburetor on the right back had come loose from the carburetor body.  If this has happened you cannot get fuel.  You have at least 8 PSI which is lost if these are not sealed in the body of the carburetor.  I will have to glue or something else to make my work.  I am checking to see what is best.  Good Luck

Paul

[pa9213]

Your fuel filter is located in front of the Drivers side rear tire under the car.  Your fuel pump in under the hood under the wiper motor.  Good luck.

Paul

[Silverbull3t]

Seems to me like there may have been more than one issue going on here. I would put money on it though that your fuel filter (wherever it is) is blocked and needs replaced. Maybe even the fuel lines are blocked too or the pump is faulty. If it was me I would remove the fuel hose from the carburettor, put it in a jug/bottle to catch anything and then turn the key to "ON" make the fuel pump run, see if anything comes out, it should be healthy flow rate. It having sat for so long and then suddenly run regularly again has a tendency to wreak havoc on the fuel system. 

I must have missed it along the line somewhere, did you do a compression test through all this? 

[pa9213]

The fuel filter is located at the back drivers side wheel.  Under the body.  The fuel pump is located under the hood on drivers side just in front of the steering wheel. You can check the fuel pump by unplugging the pump and connect a wire to the positive battery to the multicolored wire. The ground is black connect it to any ground and you should feel the pump and hear the pump run. If the pump runs their is a fuse somewhere.  I am looking for it on mine.  When I find it I will let you know where it is.  Good luck. Paul