1.4 SR running problem

[roblings]

My 1.4 SR is having trouble running properly at the moment.

When I start it up, it idles crap and I need to rev it through a little bit to get the choke in, which seems quite normal on these cars.

Once I'm a couple of miles down the road, the choke seems to come off and then when stopping, the engine dies. It starts easily enough again though, but needs revving to keep it alive.

Over the last two days, the engine has been losing power even well after it has warmed up. Driving on the motorway yesterday I had to put my foot well down to get 70mph and it struggled where it doesn't normally.

I don't know if the problems are linked or what the cause is. I'm guessing maybe the carb. Does anyone have any ideas??

Rob

[rgv_stu]

classic symptoms of carb icing im afraid

try changing your thermostat
if you have a k+n fit the factory airbox as this will help
cover up part of the rad so that it stays a bit warmer

i get it every year and it does my head in tbh

[courtenaynova]

Yep. I used to get the same, but mine never struggled for power. Mine used to love the cold air :D ...but I covered my rad up with a piece of card board.

You may have a sticking choke as well. Common on the Pierburg 2E3 carb

[Barn]

Yep. I used to get the same, but mine never struggled for power. Mine used to love the cold air :D ...but I covered my rad up with a piece of card board.

You may have a sticking choke as well. Common on the Pierburg 2E3 carb
sounds very similiar to the problems I'm having tbh.

started my car up yesterday....died about 4 times before it actually kept an idle engine speed! thought it might be the choke sticking....

is this easy to fix?

[rgv_stu]

more likely to be carb freezing imo

[Aragorn]

carb will normally only freeze up in exteme cold or extreme wind chill - ie driving at 60+mph or -5C temps

driving along the street and it dieing could simply be the choke giving out - whats the idle like when its doin this ?? really low? if so either overhaul the choke or replace it with a manual one

as a temp measure u could turn the idle speed up a bit for both normal and cold running

[rgv_stu]

you would be suprised aragorn at how easily they do freeze up

once its fully warmed up ie 15min plus of driving then there fine in town but until that point they can be a right arse. i know ive been there every year for the last 8 in various carbed novas

[Ste_Nova]

fully depress acc pedle twice prior to starting

[Ste_Nova]

fully depress acc pedle twice prior to starting

[Aragorn]

ach well fair enough - i vowed i'd never run a carb thru winter - which is why i spent all the money building the engine i have now

[roblings]

Ok, so I've just done my weekly dual-carriageway/motorway trip...

Was freezing cold this morning and the car did its usual stuff not running well even when temperature up. This time it got so bad I had to pull over (35mph max up a hill!!) and then i just warmed up the engine for 5 mins till it got to half temperature and it was fine after that.

I guess it's probably the carb freezing then. Im running completely standard set-up (so i have switching hot/cold feed). What can I do to solve it? How would changing the thermostat help? Wouldn't covering the radiator just make the engine temp warmer (and not the air into the carb)?

Rob

[rgv_stu]

yeah that sounds like freezing
mine does exactly the same
if you can get the engine temp up a bit then the inlet is warmer too which will help keep the carb warmer.
im running a numberplate behind my grill and the temp is no higher than it is in the summer plus the fan should kick in if it gets too hot. thermostats can get a little slow when they are old and that will lower the engine temp a bit. if the temp gauge sits at about 1/3 then thats about normal. last year i had loads of probs and the temp was at about 1/4 mark changed the stat, temp stabled at about 1/3 and most of the probs were sorted except for really cold days

[roblings]

Ok. Thanks for the advice.

Will probably fit a new thermostst tomorrow then and see if that helps.

Rob