More in the continuing saga of trying to get my '74 144 to run well.

I replaced the vacuum hose between the intake manifold and the brake booster yesterday. The brake power is more consistent now. Takes a second for it to kick in, but it is strong once it does. So I think I must have had a small vacuum leak before, because it could take a long time after starting to have consistent brakes.

But the car still exhibits this strange behaviour: When it is cold, starts fine. If it has been running and I shut it off, it will start again immediately. But leave it for five minutes, and there is no way it will start until it cools off again, takes a number of hours.

I looked in my Haynes manual under the 'hot start device', but if that were malfunctioning it shouldn't idle well, but it does.

Any ideas?

Also, can anyone recommend a good beginner's book on the principles of car engines. I don't have a mechanic to hang around with, so I am trying to learn these things on my own, and with help from this website. But a book which goes back to basics, explains how everything works, with enough focus on the principles of physics so that I can guess about causes from the visible effects would be very interesting to get.

Thanks.

Greg MacIsaac
gregory_macisaac@carleton.ca