Idle Problem

[Guest smac1221]

Please help a novice solve this idling problem.

I started the B2B the other day with some effort. Had not been started in several month. The thing that bothers me, is that in order to keep it running, I have to have the choke pulled out 1/2 to 3/4. If I push it in, it will die. It has always idled just fine without doing this.

Plugs are new, wires are new, coil and dist are new, battery new, battery cables are new, gas was drained last fall and filters cleaned. It use to idle fine after warming up 3-5 minutes. I have left it idle/choked for 15-20 and it will die as soon as I push the choke in.

I dont have the tools most of you folks do, no way to check compression, timing light, vacume gauge and so on.

I called a guy today about the carb and he wanted $150 to "rebuild". Are there some simple test for a simple guy to do before I spend that kind of money? I have set the idle screw 1 turn from close. It is a Carter BB DTG1 carburetor.

Any comments are welcome.

smac1221

[Don Coatney]

Where are you located? Your profile does not tell us much?

[Guest jtw3749c]

From the sounds of it, I would pull the carb and give it a real good cleaning. the idle circuit may have dirt in it. Spray can of carb cleaner and an air hose will do it. Oh! and ditto. Where you located?

[Guest P15-D24]

Shouldn't be that hard to find if you having to use that much choke.

[grey beard]

In my experience, the symptoms you outlined are in keeping with what shows up when there is a vacuum leak between the carburetor and the engine. Air is getting into the intake that is not mixing with fuel, hence the need for the choke enrichening the mixture more than usual to compensate for this extra air.

The rule of diagnosing anything is always to do the easiest things first. I would first see if the carb is tight at the manifold. Just check the two bolts. If they are indeed secure. you might pull the carb off and look at the gasket. Once you have eliminated these basic things, what you are left with is the likelihood of a loose manifold-to-block gasket. You can check for this by spraying WD40 at the gasket area with it running and listen for a change in engine rpm at idle.

Chances are by the time you get this far you will have found the problem. Let us know if you strike out again. LOL

[Guest smac1221]

I did not find any vacume leaks.

Took carb off and apart for cleaning. That took care of the idle problem.

Thanks for your input.

smac1221