[Infini_IV]

I have a 1987 Tracer with a 1.6L carb, and automatic tranny (yuck). When I bought it, the idle was turned up to 2K rpm to prevent most of the stalling, and it overheated on long drives. I didn´t have enough money to fix the problems, so it still overheats.

The main problem was the stalling (I turned the idle down because it was annoying) but it would be okay as long as I shifted into neutral every time I came to a stop. Today I just noticed that the problem has gotten a lot worse. I came to a set of lights, traffic was slow, and I shifted back into drive (as usual) to start accelerating. Immediately the idle dropped and the car was trying to stall, even though my foot was on the gas pedal.

A few lights came on as the idle went down to about 50-100rpm or something, so I hit the gas hard. Every stop, all the way home, I had to put the pedal to the floor to avoid stalling when shifting back into drive.

Neutral is fine, the car idles well, but when in any drive gear it will try to stall until the temp needle is at least 1/3 up.

Any help would be great, as this car is my daily driver and I can´t get anywhere without it running.

-Infini_IV

 

[Pimp_scort_89_GT]

I´m not too farmilliar with FWD Ford auto trannies, but it sounds like the torque converter clutch (if it has one) may be staying engaged. I recomend at the verry least getting your tranny flushed and putting new fluid in it. It may have sludge built up in it. But if that doesn´t help take it to a tranny shop and see if the can check the various fluid pressures. If it is the torque converter cluth, you may need a new torque converter, but like I said get it flushed first.

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[ Edited by Pimp_scort_89_GT On Date 09-16-2002 ]

 

[Infini_IV]

I hadn´t thought of that. I´ll change my tranny fluid as soon as I can. I somehow got the idea that it had something to do with my carbuerator(sp?) or my ignition system or something. I´ve always driven fuel injected cars, so the carb confuses me -- although the metal pan-type thing is a great place to put tools if you´re working under the hood.

-Infini_IV

 

[Infini_IV]

100 posts! Yay!

 

[91sleeper]

It does sound like the carb to me. BTW the 87 tracer is a mazda engine and tranny, not ford. It´s just a rebadged 323. As far as carbs go, I have never really worked on one, but I do know that if even one small adjustment is off it will run like crap. Have you rebuilt the carb yet? If you haven´t and know it hasn´t been rebuilt for a while then you should go for that. I am no carb specialist though so maybe someone else could help you out more. But the symptoms do sound like a carb problem to me.

 

[Infini_IV]

I already know about the mazda thing.

that´s why I bought the car.

I BARELY made it home today, and I don´t have any free time, and the car needs to be able to make it up the road to my work, so I´m taking it to a shop now.

The problem is much worse today. I could barely get it to accelerate, and it was weird running even when at 80km/hr. Kind of like it was missing, or shaky. Who knows...

 

[Black_Knight]

AHHHH not a CARB!!!!
Alright I´m done now.

I had an 89 YJ (Jeep for those who don´t know

), with a very annoying carb.
From what I remember, stalling is cause by a few things:
1) Vaccum leaks(especially Auto trans cars), either intake tube, or any other tube in the engine bay.
2) TOO much fuel, basically flooding the engine out- if you smell gas out the exhaust your running rich(not always bad)
3) Timming-which will affect the "computer" and make it do all sorts of weird things
4) Finally, carb is POS

What you doing this weekend(sept 21-22)? I´ll be in Guelph so I could drop by and show you what I know.

Pat

 

[Infini_IV]

Hey, I want to know about all engines so I bought a carby! Okay, it was only $275.

There is only 1 vacuum hose that isn´t attached, and there is nowhere to attach it to. Took it to CT tonight so that they can run a scope on it. Maybe it´s a clogged fuel filter? Broken tranny? It was kind of jumping between gears all the way to work.

On the saturday I am working 8-6, and on sunday I´m probably not doing anything. I finally have a day off work!

 

[Infini_IV]

Oh yeah, it recently went for an e-test and came out with perfect results. It´s only been the last 2 days that it has given me problems. It also still overheats after 10 minutes of driving too. Maybe I broke my engine!

 

[Pimp_scort_89_GT]

What´s the big deal about Carbs? There is nothing to be afraid of. They are 100 time less complicated than fuel injection, and 200 times easier to modify. My Mustang has a carb and I wouldn´t trade it for the world. Granted its a Holley Carb, and not a factory stock Carb, but they all work the same. The post about vacuum is 100% true though when it come to Carbed cars. Sine a carb cant adjust for the extra air they will run way worse than an FI car with a vacuum leak. By the way if it comes down to rebuuilding it, do it yourself. They are remakably simple.

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[ Edited by Pimp_scort_89_GT On Date 09-17-2002 ]

[ Edited by Pimp_scort_89_GT On Date 09-17-2002 ]

 

[Black_Knight]

I agree with Pimp89, a carb is SO very easy to work on(or just play with). After I had a Holley put on the YJ is ran so very nice. I actually miss it.

So, Lisa if you want my help on Sunday let me know(either private message or just post here). The GF likes to kick me out so she can actually get some work done.

 

[Infini_IV]

Hehe, I will let you know. They´re doing the scope&code tomorrow morning, so I should know by the afternoon or something. Then I´m working for the next 3 days.

If it´s something easily fixable, feel free to come help on sunday. If my tranny´s shot or something horrible like that, then I am in a great deal of trouble.

(hm...maybe if the tranny´s gone, I can put in a 5-spd! hehehe...)

 

[StevieJ]

This same exact thing happened to my 95 LX when I first got it...and the damn mechanics did the same thing and turned up the idle to fix the the problem..well after a week of that it still stalled so I just turned the idle back down only to hear this horrible knocking...turns out the high idle completely ate one of the bearing in my engine...I never did figure out what the hell was wrong so sorry this post doesnt help but I just wanted to tell my story..

 

[Infini_IV]

I think that started happening on my car, but isn´t completely gone yet. Here´s what the mechanic said:

-Vacuum advance not working

-Carb needs overhauled

-Timing was @ 10 degrees, supposed to be at 2.

-P/S hose is leaking fluid onto the cat

-Suspicions of transmission problems, but not sure yet.

 

[Pimp_scort_89_GT]

Well that´s a good start. The vaccume advance not working would be a good cause for stalling. I would definatly get that taken care of, and reset the timing. And if nothing else atleast get some carb cleaner and spray the hell out of it to clean up venturis, and other parts. A rebuild would be the best though. Down here you can buy a kit for about $10-15 US, and taking them apart is pretty simple too.

 

[Infini_IV]

How do I fix the vacuum advance? I really don´t know much about carbs at all (I´ll have to do some research soon). The timing has been fixed (the guy who looked at the car did it for free), and I need to replace a p/s hose, which is dripping fluids onto my cat, apparently.

What is involved in a carb rebuild? Is there a site anyone knows of that explains the basics of it?

 

[Infini_IV]

oh, and fuel level in the carb was too high, and the choke was staying on too long, or something like that.

 

[Infini_IV]

*ahem*

Anyone want to help with the carb rebuild? I´ve taken it out, looked at it, and decided that I have no IDEA what I´m doing. I can´t figure out where any of the new rebuild parts go!