No idle, sputters misses on fast idle

[rpickle]

Hi. Me again. My '88 sat for a week while I was out of town and it hasn't been happy since i returned. It was running fine when I parked it. When I got back, it started after pumping the gas pedal a few times, but I noticed it was sputtering and missing. Thought maybe my cap got some moisture in. Pulled it and wpied it out with a dry rag. No help. Still not convinced my fusable links were making good contact. Pulled original wires, cleaned contacts and installed new plastic fusible links. No help. Pulled air cleaner off. Found one vac line off and also noticed that my carb was loose at the base. Tightened and reassembled air cleaner. Slight help, in between misses, it runs very smoothly. If I kick it out of fast idle, it will attempt to run then "load up" and konk out if I don't feather the gas pedal. I poured a can of dry gas in tank thinking there may be water there, even though I left it with a full tank. Tomorrow, I am going to pull the plugs and check their condition. I will also check the cap again. I will also make sure I am getting good fuel flow. Need her on the road.....

Anybody have anything else I can check? Has had the following changed in the last 4 months: fule pump, fule filter (2), plugs, wires, cap/rotor, battery, fusible links, alternator belt, air filter and misc. vac hoses.

Thanks in advance.

Rick

[David88]

Why was your carb loose? Maybe its getting air in that point. If the gasket was damaged, no amount of tightening will seal it. May have to remove it and put a new gasket on. A way to tell is leave your air cleaner on and every thing like it should be and start it. Run it as best you can at a steady speed. Take a can starting fluid and spray it at the base of the carb on the ouside of the carb and where you think it may be sucking in air. If there is a leak the engine will speed up from the ether.

[rpickle]

Thanks for the reply. I had the carb off many times last year trying to get the car to run at all. I may not have tightened it as well as it should have been. If I can keep it running long enough, I'll definately try the ether trick.

Thanks again.


Rick

[WmWatt]

To determine if it's missing due to ignition pull the PCV or the distributor advance hose and plug in a hand held vaccum guage. If the needle is vibrating it's the ignition. The vaccum guage will cost about $20, quite a bit less than you've spent on the list of parts that have been replaced.

Look at the top of the repair forum screen for information on vacuum guage diagnosis.

[miami man]

i had two festivas that the coil wire corrode inside the center terminal on the distibuter cap. take the wire all the way out and inspect it
and the cap and if it is that.

[rpickle]

Good suggestions. My new parts list is not necessarily for this problem. Car had not been on the road since 2001 and replaced these items as normal maint. I do have a vac gage, the Mite Vac for brakes. So when the weather is cooperating (no garage sucks!!!) I'll give that a try. I'll also pull the wires off of the coil and give them a close look.

Really appreciate the help.


Rick

[rpickle]

I took a peek at the plugs, not fouled, but the insulators were orange or rust colored!? Is that telling me my gas tank is full of rust? The last time I had it open, it didn't look that cruddy.

I've gotten it to run w/o me playing with the gas pedal. Had to crank the idle knob up. This enabled me to spray the vac hoses. Didn't appear to be any obvious change in RPM's.

I'll keep digging.


Rick

[rpickle]

Well, I have some work cut out for me. Took a good look inside the gas tank, mucho rust floating around! NOT what I wanted to see. I plan on draining the FULL tank, letting it dry out then vac'ing out the crust. I will also replace the fule lines from the tank to the carb. Also will pull the top off of the carb and dousch that real well. Any pointers on getting all of the rust out of the tank and keeping it out?


Thanks

Rick