Wont Idle!

[Outshine2]

Went to drive the Bronco home from work this afternoon and it's having problems. It idles very poorly (though doesn't die on idle) and hesitates 1-2 seconds after pushing the throttle before responding.<br><br>After it climbs over around 1K it revs just fine. I drove it home and about 3 miles into the drive I was going about 55 and it slowly sputtered out and died. Pulled off to the side of the road and tried to crank it over and it wouldn't start till about the 5th try... usually it starts on the 1st.<br><br>It doesn't seem like a fuel problem to me but I'm going to go and check the output at the carb. I checked and plugs/wires/cap/rotor look fine so far. <br><br>It drove perfectly about 8 hours ago when I went to woork....<br><br>Anything else I should check?

 

[71bronco]

hmm what carb. had much the same prob with my stock carb. it ended up being a combination of loose idle screw that backed out on its own and the float was going slowly bad. i put some flourescent marker on the screw to see if it was moving or if i was adding to the problems.

 

[Outshine2]

It's got a Carter 4bbl on it. I just checked that the idle screws were still correct and checked the accelerator pump...

 

[Explore74]

have you checked the metering rods? Maybe one of them is sticking, or a spring broke.

 

[76Broncofromhell]

Sounds like the timing might have slipped or you have a module problem. That's what mine had, poor starting and wouldn't rev at all. You could have a vacuum leak as well or a carb problem. Worse case scenario ou have all three.

 

[Outshine2]

Well I just replaced the module and it didn't help. I bumped up the idle to about 700 and it seems to idle much better, but when I put it into gear it shakes really bad and still hesitates. <br><br>Next I'll pull of the top of the carb and check what was suggested... also check for a vaccum leak somewhere and check my timing.<br><br>Could it be the coil? <br><br>It couldn't be the transmission could it? Since it's idling alright now it would almost seem like it, but before when driving it home it idled very poorly even in park.

 

[wildbill]

You mite look for a vac. leak ect that can cause what you are haveing trouble with also the fuel filter good luck. : : : Bill 8) :

 

[72bronco]

Use a voltmeter and check your voltage to the coil. I had a similar issue once and it turned out to be a wiring problem. You never know with a 30 year old wiring harness.

 

[flint_knapper]

I Vote vac. leak!

 

[howiebilt]

How did you "check the accelorater pump" ? Did you remove it and visually inspect to make sure that the rubber diaphram wasn't flipped over ? This will cause exactly the same symptoms as you describe . My vote is on the AP Carter/Eddybrock/Weber ...same same

 

[Outshine2]

Ok, I did a little more today and here is what happened: Tried starting it this morning and noticed it was not getting fuel to the filter, tried cranking for about 10 seconds and nothing. Waited a bit and tried again and it would get fuel for a while and then run out again (tank is over half full). At the times where it go fuel it was running well again, I could even put it in gear and it would do just fine, no shaking and no hesistation. After doing this a few times now it's getting constant fuel? Now it seems to idle alright, but it still hesitates a bit when punching the throttle in neutral. If I put the tranny in gear it shakes like crazy and acts like it did yesterday...

I checked for vaccum leaks and could find nothing, checked the timing, checked the voltage at the coil and it was constant, pulled out all the plugs and they looked fine, checked each plug wire with my timing light and they were getting constant voltage, traced all the wiring I could in the engine compartment and it all seemed fine, adjusted the idle screws...

Since it's idling decently now and getting fuel could this be a tranny problem? It's still under warranty so I could take it back in if so...

 

[edjolly]

Don't see how it could be the transmission.<br><br>Do you think you might have some debris in the fuel tank which is intermittently plugging the pickup?<br>Just a thought.<br><br>Ed<br>

 

[SteveL]

that's how my old carter runs. It has a vac. leak on the carb. it's along one of the gaskets. It sounds like a nice cam at idle. spray some soapy water around the carb and look for bubbles. I have a new q-jet waiting for the new motor.

 

[Jeepster]

[quote author=SteveL link=board=5;threadid=12793;start=0#96548 date=1041529114]<br>. spray some soapy water around the carb and look for bubbles.<br>[/quote]<br><br>huh?<br><br>carbs suck.....how you gonna get bubbles?<br><br>if you suspect a vac leak wouldn't you want to spray maybe starter fluid around the suspected leak and note a surge in idle?

 

[Allen_69]

Yes jeepster believe it or not a vacuum leak when sprayed with soapy water will produce bubble, much in the same way a pressure leak will. I've had better luck spraying ether (or carb cleaner) around the vacuum lines and listening for an increase in RPM when sprayed near the leak.

 

[ken75ranger]

[quote author=Allen_69 link=board=5;threadid=12793;start=0#96566 date=1041533252]<br>Yes jeepster believe it or not a vacuum leak when sprayed with soapy water will produce bubble, much in the same way a pressure leak will. I've had better luck spraying ether (or carb cleaner) around the vacuum lines and listening for an increase in RPM when sprayed near the leak.<br>[/quote]<br>I learned something new. Thanks guys. You can also us propane to find vacuum leaks