gkowen Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 Ok, so this is my first post. Thanks to this message board I have been able to keep my Wagon running. It seems I have a carb problem now. The throttle seems sticky and the idle can be anywhere from 1000 - 2000 rpm. I tap the gas pedal and it stays. I plan to disconnect the throttle cable and see if it is still sticking when moved by hand. I think it is just that the thing is worn out. It has 230K miles on it and I suspect the throttle actuations are wearing out the metal. How do I check for this and how much 'play' should I expect when I unhook my throttle cable? Also, if this is the problem, I suspect that a rebuild kit won't do anything. Do you trust junk yard carbs or should I just get a complete rebuild from someone? Also, I read a post here where someone said that rebuilding the carb solved a problem I have. If I am turning a tight radius say on an exit ramp on the freeway, when I straighten out I leave behind a large puff of smoke. I thought some oil was getting by the valves or something. Could this be a carb problem? Thanks for your time and help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85Sub4WD Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 The puff of smoke while turning issue is exclusive to certain fuel injection cars with their PCV system and a faulty PCV valve; if it is a carb car, you have other issues. - I really can't think of what could cause it off the top of my head - what color is the smoke??? I suspect cleaning the carb (on vehicle) by spraying carb cleaner down the throat of the car should help your problem. It sounds to me like it is mainly an adjustment problem/linkage problem, that should be solveable. - there should be no play in the mechanism, other than as pivot points, which will probably be pretty obvious to you Depending on what you plan to do with it, you might consiter converting to SPFI (fuel injection), or a Weber coversion - I prefer FI, and you get more, smoother power from it than from a Weber, but it is a more difficult conversion to do than the Weber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbone Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 Use some carb cleaner on the linkage also, it might free it up some. When you remove the throttle cable, inspect the cable good, look for any frayed pieces. This will cause it to hang up. Another point is the bracket that holds the cable sheath end. If its tweaked it will cause the cable to bind, make sure its straight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gkowen Posted February 10, 2006 Author Share Posted February 10, 2006 I forgot to say I replaced the cable about a month ago. So it is new. I also have cleaned the carb and the surrounding area. It all looks clean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbone Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 Was it sticking before you replaced the cable? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zyewdall Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 The smoke after a tight curve could be from oil getting into the cylinders. I know that if you lay a subaru over at a sharp angle for a while, it'll blow blue smoke for a few minutes when you start it up again (don't ask how I know...). Perhaps the centripital force going around the curve is enough to burn some oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gkowen Posted February 11, 2006 Author Share Posted February 11, 2006 Yes it was sticking so thats why I replaced the cable. When I took the old cable out it was so sticky that when I held it vertical the cable wouldn't slide in the sheath by itself. I had to pull it to move it. It was better but not fixed after the cable change. I have cleaned inside and out good. I will know more when I get the cable off and try the linkage by hand. Thanks for all the replies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gkowen Posted February 12, 2006 Author Share Posted February 12, 2006 The linkages all seem tight so I am going to clean them with carb cleaner again and replace the spring with a slightly stronger one (if I can find one). Is there anything else I should check before I put the air cleaner back on? The car always did idle high at 1200rpm or so but I suspect that could be the grime problem. If I pull the linkage by hand it will go below 1000 and idle there. Should I use WD40 after the cleaning to lubricate the linkage parts? Seems like this might leave dirt catching residue that will cause the problem to come back. I do appreciate all the help. Just wish I knew more about these engines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoodsWagon Posted February 12, 2006 Share Posted February 12, 2006 If you are careful and make sure not to get anything in the carb, I would use white lithium grease in a spray can to coat all the linkages. Move theme through their ranges and spray any part that moves. Then go to the throat of the carb and use carb cleaner and a rag to clean off any gum that may have built up on the throttle plate. I use white lith on all the little moving parts, like door hinges and hood latches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbone Posted February 12, 2006 Share Posted February 12, 2006 Lithium grease attracts dirt like a magnet. Dont recco it for external purposes at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPGsuperchargedBrumby Posted February 12, 2006 Share Posted February 12, 2006 get a silicone dry film spray can....its perfect for what you want Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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