Problems in the Morning!

[rossyboyblue]

I need help! A few weeks ago in the morning, or if i left my Nova for longer than about 8 hours i would pull the choke out and start the engine. It would start up like a dream but after about a mile or 5 minutes it would slowly die on me and sound like it was running on 3 cylinders and then cut out when i came 2 stand still or apply the clutch. It will junder when driving along and then once it has got to temperture just before the thermostat has open or after it has opened it will be fine and run like normal. then the problem went away. Then 4 a few weeks it has been fine but the other day it has started again. Also if the problem is happening and i turn the engine off while it isn't running right then leave the engine for 10 minutes or more and then go back the it and start it, it will be fine and run fine.
I has checked if there was a air leak form the gasket between carb and manifold. I took my carb apart and cleaned it out but that hasn't worked. I was wondering if it could be a weak fuel pump or something like that.
Any body have any answers? :)

[Shaun_O'Donnell]

After a mile or 5 minutes have you pushed the choke back in?

[Shaun_O'Donnell]

Also what size of engine is it?

[rossyboyblue]

i push it in a bit but not all the way. When it is running normal i never put the choke in by then anyway. and it is a 1196cc

[Shaun_O'Donnell]

Do you still have the dustbin lid airfilter fitted and is the warm air feed still intact?

After a mile or 5 minutes driving, you should have the choke fully in.

[rossyboyblue]

yea still dustbin lind and i found the valve that lets the hot air in fromt the manifold stuck shut but i made it so it was stuck open but that hasn't helped.

[Shaun_O'Donnell]

That valve is a valve for a reason, could be your problem.

If it runs fine warm, you've only a few places to look.

[tom reid]

Can you get the fuel mixture checked?, could be the problem.

[rossyboyblue]

so shall i just free the valve up so it moves freely? but if i made it so that it is always open so the hot air can flow through shouldn't have helped?

[rossyboyblue]

out the exhaust when it is running fine it is showing 14.5 which is nice and heathly.

[Welsh Dan]

Pics of spark plug tips please :).

[rossyboyblue]

tips of the spark plugs are fine. really good colour. its all burning well :)

[Welsh Dan]

What condition are the contacts on the dizzy cap and rotor arm in?

[mowgli]

I had one of those & the choke cable slipped on the clamp on the carb, so it needed tons of choke to run normal, there is an outer rubber sleeve on the choke cable & it gets loose. its worth a look

[rossyboyblue]

havn't bothered to check the contacts yet as the dizzy n rotor were new 4,000 miles ago. and they were genuine parts. the choke cable is fine i have checked that.

[rossyboyblue]

Well i have just changed the dustbin lid so that the valve that lets the hot air from the manifold actually moves freely. hopefully this will help coz i am running out of ideas of what it could be. please keep ur ideas coming in. cheers guys. :)

[AlexW]

Could be the timing is just slighly out?

[mowgli]

the distributor advance retard mechanism can fail, causing poor running

[rossyboyblue]

its a new distributor on there and i have checked the timing it is bang on. This is y i am really scratching my head over this 1. Its wierd. I will see how it is in the morning after changing the valve in the air box what connects to the exhaust manifold. took it for a run earlier and it seemed to be a bit better after changing that so fingers crossed. :)

[Welsh Dan]

HT leads+king lead?

[rossyboyblue]

it also advances and retards perfectly. the diapram and bob weights are all good. its also had new leads plugs. distributor as i sad and dizzy cap n rotor. confused? i am

[rossyboyblue]

o and a new coil. well a spare 1 i had in my garage.

[mowgli]

could be blocked up fuel pump gauze.....

[rossyboyblue]

yea i am going to stick a pair fuel pump on it if it dosn't work in the morning. my next resort. cheers

[burgo]

unless i read it wrong you said you dont push the choke all the way back in??? with mine i pull the choke out about half an inch and give it abit of throttle and it'll fire straight up. by the time im at the end of the road its warm enough to push the choke all the way back in.

also when you say the timing is spot on i assume you mean its correct to the timing marks?? if so i always find they run alot better with abit more advance

[rossyboyblue]

i have to pull mine out about an inch then push it in about half n inch push it in till the temp gauge has moved into the blue. and that is wen it is running normally. and yea by running spot on i mean slightly advanced only 2 or 3 degrees advanced.

[rossyboyblue]

the changing of the air box with the new vavle in it which joins the exhaust manifold seemed to help this morning but not sort out the problem completly.

[rossyboyblue]

Sorry what i keep on forgetting to add to the thread is that the pipe from the bottom of the carb 2 the chole vacum unit it block off with screws. was like it wen i bought the car and i have not thought it was 2 do with this as it has not givin me any trouble. Could this b the problem? what is confusing me bout this problem is that it came n went by itself n now has come back.