88 LX high idle-3000max rpm, what the heck?

[Morvia99]

Hey guys!

I have been searching for a few days and haven't been able to find a solution to my problems. This car has been sitting for 5years. I changed the fluids, seafomed the engine, and replaced the sparkplugs. The car will start and immediately idle at 1500-2000rpm, idle adjustment screw is no help. To make things worse the car will not rev above 3000rpm, I had the air cleaner top off and noticed fuel spraying out the carb when the accel pedal was floored and the engine bogged at 4000rpm.

Vac. readings are 10-12, I unplugged the single wire connector and upper vac. hose to check timing as per hood decal but the dist didn't have enough adjustment so I couldn't set timing to 1deg, is this an indication timing belt slippage or am I disconnecting the wrong wires/hoses? I was unable to check DTC's at the time (couldn't remember the jumper settings ) and it will be a few days before I can get back out there to mess with it, hoping somebody might know what to look for.

Any info greatly appreciated!
-Curt

[FestYboy]

find your vac leak first, everything else should fall into place.

[Morvia99]

Got it, a line under the carb was cracked. However this didn't help much, vac now at 17 steady but still can't time it or rev above 4000, fuel sprays out of the carb while it bogs.

[GenevaDirt]

need a carb rebuild...been sitting so long I am sure that it is all varnished up inside

[Morvia99]

Oh man lets hope not, I really don't want to try and remove that vacuum haired Medusa!
I will run the seafoam thru the fuel system till it fills the floats and such then let it sit over night. *crosses fingers*

Any ideas on the timing issue, I pulled the dizzy out to check and its not 180 out. The timing belt is tight so I wouldn't suspect a tooth jump. Used 4 of my 9mm FMS plug wires and my MSD coil from my Mustang to see if it was a spark issue, didn't make much of a diff.

Watch, its going to end up being a field mouse stuck in the intake

[Morvia99]

Oh yeah I forgot to mention in the previous post that I had also changed the fuel filter and PCV when I did the spark plugs.

Ive seen a few posts about O2 and intake temp sensors being a problem, anybody have the recommended resistances of these sensors so I can ensure proper function?

Can't buy a book till payday

Thanks!
-Curt

[FestYboy]

those sensors won't affect your ability to rev the engine. keep looking for vac leaks, you should have 22"Hg at idle (700 rpm). also, is the vac gauge jumping at all? is there any sign of miss at any rpm?

[Morvia99]

Well its idling at around 2000 warm, idle speed screws do nothing but kill the engine when it gets down around 1000. Runs really rough between 1000 and 2000. I made sure the cable was tight and the butterfly was fully seated. I will have to get some starter fluid and check for leaks again next time I get out there.

You don't think its timing related?

[FestYboy]

nope, not yet... remember, it's been sitting for years, no one has touched the timing.

[Lil-Red]

Sorta thing happend to Red. I found that the linkage for the secondary was sticking if I hit the gas hard. I then had to pop the hood and giggle the link to bring the idle back down. I used a bunch of PB to free things up. look for any missing springs, or any thing out of place. Things are all better now. It may be work the look!

B

[Morvia99]

I'll check the carb for proper function and starter fluid vacc test it again next time I'm out there. I'll keep y'all updated, thanks again for the ideas!

-Curt

[WmWatt]

Are there Festiva jokes to make the links giggle?

[Morvia99]

eh?