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So the old beast wouldn't start for my girlfriend this morning, well at first it started but then it just died. Idle from cold in the morning has been rough the last while, once running and warm it runs fine although the idle is eratic (floats from 7000 to 1100, then calms down to 1000 after full warm). The battery is charged up and I went out to try and start it tonight, the old guy tried to get going but just wouldn't get going. It's pissing gas out of the rear float onto the exhaust manifold nothing out of the front. Pulled the plugs this morning and they were black and wet with gas, dried them off and put them back in. Not sure if it helped any.
I tuned the carbs the other day but this seemed to do nothing for the idle or clod start problem, the carbs are in sync and the mixture is right where it should be. Am I looking at a carb issue or an ignition problem, last year when I picked it up I had a new set of points and condenser put in. As well as new volvo dizzy cap and plug wires, all last winter the old beast fired up strong as hell in the cold and snow.
Any thoughts?
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No disrespect to you or your girlfriend.. but I'm going with 'operator error'... You're fouling spark plugs, and that's an incredibly easy thing to do when using chokes on SU carbs on a cold morning. And some cars worse than others.
Start by checking points and all that stuff... then replace plugs. Try using a little less choke on those cold mornings. And when it does start.. Do not let it die until it's warmed up.
THat your idle wanders so much leads me to believe your carbs are not properly adjusted, or need work other than adjustment.
But the bottom line is that you're fouling plugs. When it does start, it's un-fouling them after it warms up. Best to buy a new set or two, and have the tools handy to change them out next time this happens. And new plugs can foul real quick as well, so maybe get two sets. drying plugs does not necessarily un-foul them. It usually does not. They need to be properly cleaned... burn them with a torch, wire brush the black stuff off, and scrap the enamel center thoroughly and as deep as you can (dental instrument probably best). Even that does not always work.
Good luck with it.. and again, no disrespect. I've done it myself hundreds of times on dozens of Volvos and other SU equipped cars.
--
-Matt I ♥ my ♂
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None taken Matt :)
I never have a problem with starting it in the mornings, but as of late its been more finiky. But my girl has never had to start it on a cold morning, I'm pretty sure she had too much choke and fouled the plugs. Once it died even I couldn't get it going. Up until the last month the idle was rock solid it never changed, even when I'd fiddle with the carbs or adjust them. Although I've had my problems with the carbs in the beginning when I first picked up the car.
I pulled the float apart and now no leaks so thats good, pulled and dried the plugs again and I almost had it going but no go. Called the tow truck, its pissing rain and I don't have a set of feeler guages so my mechanic will take care of it for now.
I need it running a.s.a.p. so I don't have the time to deal with it now, next time.
Thanks for the advice.
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well.. lets hope you have AAA... fouled plugs hardly warrants a tow truck. Tell your mechanic to replace the plugs. It'll run fine.
A few years back I bought a 164 from a doctor.. he was meticulous with the records he kept. Every receipt going back 30 years. Twice there were incidents where he'd called his shop to have the car towed for 'no start condition'.. Both times, the repair work entailed cleaning battery posts and terminals.
Good luck with it.. it'll be fine.
--
-Matt I ♥ my ♂
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I concur with the others here:
-Replace the plugs with a fresh set--they are fouled (I agree that they foul easily with the choke on these cars--do not use to much). If a fresh set of plugs is not available from the local NAPA, pick up a good wire brush and clean them. A bit of help from a #2 pencil on the electrode is also an old trick to help get them going again. I always keep a spare set of plugs in the car, and the necessary tools, just in case. Make sure they are gapped correctly, as noted.
-Check the points gap. If you have not adjusted it in the last year than it is most certainly too small, and you were tuning the carbs in vain. A couple thousandths of an inch makes a big difference.
-Once the ignition is back in tune, you may need to resort your carbs, including the idle speed adjustment.
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As Derek says, check the points gap. The gas on the plugs and the carb overflowing says that the needle and seat is not working and thus not controlling the fuel level in the float bowl. I would also just open the carb float bowl and check the needle and seat at the same time - it is easy enough. It could also be your float that has sprung a leak and is full of fuel and is now "sinking and not floating".
Good luck.
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Well you've got to sort out the flooding problem but you might like to check the points gap first. If you haven't checked it since the new points were fitted, they could have closed up a lot as the fibre pad bedded in. This will mean you get a weak spark.
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Thanks all, what do I use to check the points gap with? How much of a gap should there be, haven't had to do this yet.
I'll check the float and see if i can get the leak under control as well.
Cheers.
Chris
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The point gap should be 0.016" and the plug electrode gap 0.028 - 0.032".
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Feeler gauges to check points gap. Or about the thickness of a credit card. I don't have exact specs.
As for that leaky float.. start by tapping on the top of it with a small hammer, rock, handle of a screwdriver.. that usually cures it if only temporarily.
--
-Matt I ♥ my ♂
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posted by
someone claiming to be sdewolfe
on
Thu Oct 16 04:30 CST 2008 [ RELATED]
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Howdy,
I would say the first order of business is take care of the flooding carburetor. If you already know all this, just ignore it.
Remove the fuel supply hose. Take the top off the float bowl (three screws) taking care not to tear the paper gasket. The float and needle assembly will come out with the top of the bowl. You will probably find some tiny trash in the bowl. If so, the most likely problem is trash trapped between the needle and seat. Hold the float assembly gently, shake it a bit while listening for fuel sloshing inside. If you don't hear any, good. If you hear liquid, the float is leaking and will need to be replaced. Check the end of the needle for deformation. It should be a cone with no indents. With the needle out, blow through the fuel inlet to clear any trash or debris. Reassemble.
Now you can address spark, air, and fuel issues. ;-)
--sd
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