ADFA Carb in a 1978 Spider. The carb sticks closed at idle and I had to actually take it apart to free it up. Put it back together and it still sticks... but less of a stick, I can kick it free. What could this be?
Thanks,
Dave
Carb Sticks Closed at Idle
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dsnyder
- Posts: 118
- Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2009 11:56 am
- Your car is a: 1978 Spider
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racydave
Re: Carb Sticks Closed at Idle
Last edited by racydave on Mon Nov 23, 2009 7:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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mbouse
Re: Carb Sticks Closed at Idle
no chance that it is the water choke that is malfunctioning?
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dsnyder
- Posts: 118
- Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2009 11:56 am
- Your car is a: 1978 Spider
Re: Carb Sticks Closed at Idle
Could be the water choke... this is the carb I'm having those fast idle issues with. I have the new carb ordered that you recommended. I'm just trying to keep it driveable until it arrives. Is there a way to disable the water choke and have no choke/no fast idle? Also this is the car I'm taking the emissions off of. I just removed the smog pump and the related large black tubes that run from the pump to the top of the head.
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majicwrench
Re: Carb Sticks Closed at Idle
Dave.
Just what sticks?? The carb itself cannot "stick" unless you chuck it really hard at the wall, and then only if you have nice soft drywall.. Is it the throttle plates?? The choke plate?? And sticks how?? sticks open, sticks closed??
I would not recommend disabling the choke, I would fix it. If indeed it is a water heated choke, is the unit getting hot water to it?? If not, new carb is gonna do the same thing.
Keith
Just what sticks?? The carb itself cannot "stick" unless you chuck it really hard at the wall, and then only if you have nice soft drywall.. Is it the throttle plates?? The choke plate?? And sticks how?? sticks open, sticks closed??
I would not recommend disabling the choke, I would fix it. If indeed it is a water heated choke, is the unit getting hot water to it?? If not, new carb is gonna do the same thing.
Keith
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dsnyder
- Posts: 118
- Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2009 11:56 am
- Your car is a: 1978 Spider
Re: Carb Sticks Closed at Idle
The new carb is an electric choke- So I'm really just hoping for a temporary fix until next week. I can't tell exactly what sticks because once it is all out and apart, it frees up and works. It is cold right now and it is very free and working fine.
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mbouse
Re: Carb Sticks Closed at Idle
alright. that is a horse of a different color. the electric choke spring is not set correctly.
sorry to be elementary, but for the sake of anyone that doesn't know... the choke should close the butterfly when the engine is cold and thus make the air/fuel mixture richer. then, as the engine warms up, the butterfly should open, leaning the mixture out.
if you remove the spring from the electric choke, that should immediately free up the choke. in this picture...
the choke spring is inside the white housing. the white housing is held in position by the zinc plated bracket, which is held on by three screws. remove the bracket, remove the spring housing. that should free the choke.
then, with the engine cold and in need of choke... put the spring housing back on the choke shaft and rotate the spring housing until the choke JUST closes. re-apply the plated bracket and screws. tighten the screws and test. you will prolly need a couple of tries to get the choke spring set correctly.
easy peasy
sorry to be elementary, but for the sake of anyone that doesn't know... the choke should close the butterfly when the engine is cold and thus make the air/fuel mixture richer. then, as the engine warms up, the butterfly should open, leaning the mixture out.
if you remove the spring from the electric choke, that should immediately free up the choke. in this picture...
the choke spring is inside the white housing. the white housing is held in position by the zinc plated bracket, which is held on by three screws. remove the bracket, remove the spring housing. that should free the choke.
then, with the engine cold and in need of choke... put the spring housing back on the choke shaft and rotate the spring housing until the choke JUST closes. re-apply the plated bracket and screws. tighten the screws and test. you will prolly need a couple of tries to get the choke spring set correctly.
easy peasy
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manoa matt
- Posts: 3442
- Joined: Thu Oct 26, 2006 4:28 pm
- Your car is a: 1978 Fiat 124 Spider 1800
- Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
Re: Carb Sticks Closed at Idle
What type of air cleaner is on the car, and where is the crankcase emissions tube routed?
With performance "lunch box" air filter housings owners typically route the crankcase emissions to a seperate breather. The oily fumes help to lubricate the throttle shafts and the choke butterfly shaft.
I have noticed on my 78 that I drive daily, if I run a lunch box air cleaner for over a month the throttle shaft will start to stick at a higher idle when I come to a stop. Usually sticks around 1500-2000 RPM's If I nudge the pedal with my foot it will drop back down to normal. I know its not lack of return springs or binding in the linkages as all springs are there and pivot points are lubed.
Once I re-install the original air cleaner with the crankcase emissions hose routed into the carb, the oily emissions will free up the shaft and when I come to a stop I never have to nudge the pedal.
I think anyone who has an air cleaner without an intregal crankcase routing, and who drives the car on a regular basis should periodically reinstall their stock air cleaner to keep the shafts lubed, Once the shafts or shaft bushings are damaged the carb will never perform as it should.
With performance "lunch box" air filter housings owners typically route the crankcase emissions to a seperate breather. The oily fumes help to lubricate the throttle shafts and the choke butterfly shaft.
I have noticed on my 78 that I drive daily, if I run a lunch box air cleaner for over a month the throttle shaft will start to stick at a higher idle when I come to a stop. Usually sticks around 1500-2000 RPM's If I nudge the pedal with my foot it will drop back down to normal. I know its not lack of return springs or binding in the linkages as all springs are there and pivot points are lubed.
Once I re-install the original air cleaner with the crankcase emissions hose routed into the carb, the oily emissions will free up the shaft and when I come to a stop I never have to nudge the pedal.
I think anyone who has an air cleaner without an intregal crankcase routing, and who drives the car on a regular basis should periodically reinstall their stock air cleaner to keep the shafts lubed, Once the shafts or shaft bushings are damaged the carb will never perform as it should.
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dsnyder
- Posts: 118
- Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2009 11:56 am
- Your car is a: 1978 Spider
Re: Carb Sticks Closed at Idle
Nope.. sorry for the confusion. It has a water choke on it right now. The new electric choke carb is in the mail on its way to me right now. If I pull up on the linkage when it is stuck, the carb frees up.
Dave
Dave
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racydave
Re: Carb Sticks Closed at Idle
Last edited by racydave on Mon Nov 23, 2009 7:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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majicwrench
Re: Carb Sticks Closed at Idle
Dave, I'm gonna get a ittle picky, Phrases like "If I pull up on the linkage when IT is stuck, the carb frees up" are really to vague to do us, or you, much good.
What is "IT"?? And what linkage are you pulling up on?? The throttle linkage?? The choke linkage?? The missing linkage??
Also, "The carb frees up" means nothing, what part of the carb?? The fast idle cam?? The choke plate?? The throttle plates??
This is a lot like they used to say about computers, garbage in garbage out. Hence all the wild guesses.
Keith
What is "IT"?? And what linkage are you pulling up on?? The throttle linkage?? The choke linkage?? The missing linkage??
Also, "The carb frees up" means nothing, what part of the carb?? The fast idle cam?? The choke plate?? The throttle plates??
This is a lot like they used to say about computers, garbage in garbage out. Hence all the wild guesses.
Keith
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racydave
Re: Carb Sticks Closed at Idle
Youre correct, it was a terrible answer. So shoot me, im a looser...
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majicwrench
Re: Carb Sticks Closed at Idle
Racydave,
I hope you didn't think I was picking on your answers, I was refering to dsnyder's post, I can see where having two Dave's posting could get confusing.
The day is done, I've got a cold one, calming down. Sorry to be so uncouth.
Keith
I hope you didn't think I was picking on your answers, I was refering to dsnyder's post, I can see where having two Dave's posting could get confusing.
The day is done, I've got a cold one, calming down. Sorry to be so uncouth.
Keith
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So Cal Mark
Re: Carb Sticks Closed at Idle
exactly why I hadn't replied. I have no idea which parts are being described
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mbouse
Re: Carb Sticks Closed at Idle
i thought we discussed the definition of "it" in another post... maybe i was wrong 
Good theory Matt... in reply, the above lunchbox cleaner has a port for the crankcase breather; some come with that port, some do not. the port is in the corner nearest the cam cover on the firewall side of the setup. i have not experienced linkage sticking that did not relate directly to either a maladjusted choke or a clearance issue when installing new linkage on a different setup.
except...
when i discovered the throttle cable on a recently acquired vehicle had a cut on the plastic sheath. this allowed moisture to seep into the cable assembly and was rusting the cable to the inner sheath. the rust was binding the cable and causing the throttle to stick. no amount of pedal kickdown would clear the sticking, i had to pull the pedal off the floor with my toe to get the BASSturd to idle sometimes.
Dsynder--- is your throttle cable freely moving? is it kinked (or kinky?) and binding? if so, that issue won't be solved by a new carb. but, you will know really soon when that new carb comes in the mail and you swap the thing in.
Good theory Matt... in reply, the above lunchbox cleaner has a port for the crankcase breather; some come with that port, some do not. the port is in the corner nearest the cam cover on the firewall side of the setup. i have not experienced linkage sticking that did not relate directly to either a maladjusted choke or a clearance issue when installing new linkage on a different setup.
except...
when i discovered the throttle cable on a recently acquired vehicle had a cut on the plastic sheath. this allowed moisture to seep into the cable assembly and was rusting the cable to the inner sheath. the rust was binding the cable and causing the throttle to stick. no amount of pedal kickdown would clear the sticking, i had to pull the pedal off the floor with my toe to get the BASSturd to idle sometimes.
Dsynder--- is your throttle cable freely moving? is it kinked (or kinky?) and binding? if so, that issue won't be solved by a new carb. but, you will know really soon when that new carb comes in the mail and you swap the thing in.