hi guys. My 1985 1.4 dl went from running fine to having real problems overnight. its hard to get started and when you do get it going it stuggles to idle and its really shakey and rough. if the revs aren't kept high the car cuts out. i took the air filter off and tightend eveything up. this didn't fix it. i started it up with the air filter off and the carb backfires. i have taken the carb apart and the jets and float all seem fine. any help with whats wrong and how to fix it would be really appreciated. thanks

i'd say the mixtures wrong.

As it has been quite sudden I would think there is more to it than mixture.

Have you tried spaying carb cleaner or simiar over the inlet manifold while ticking over. If the revs change while you do this that would suggest a air leak on the carb or manifold.

Check your distributor cap for condensation, my dads car did this a few weeks ago and once the damp was removed it ran perfectly again.

morgan105

thanks for the advise. i've had a look today and it seems to be getting harder and harder to start. sparying carb cleaner aroung the manifold doesn't change it. dist. cap is fine. the mixture does seem to be wrong. when i first had the problem i changed the spark plugs, this didn't help at all and the old spark plugs seemed fine when i took them out. the new ones that i put in are now covered in black soot. and they have only been in the car 5 minutes! to make the mixture leaner which way should i turn the mixture screw?

Turn the screw clockwise to lean the mixture.

If you still have starting problems after the mixture is set then take out and look at and clean the crank position sensor located on the bellhousing at the rear of the engine (passenger side, 1 star screw holds it in place). These can get a bit fouled up and cause starting problems, i've had it on 3 of the cars in the family so far. It's worth a check to be sure it's clean if nothing else.

morgan105

I've also has problems with the crank sesor muching up. This can be a big problem when the rear cam seal is leaking as the oil runs down the back of the engine onto the sensor and also all over the clutch!

Well...it's running rich. Check the above, plus float height. You might also want to check the idle solenoid.

cheers

James

check the 5 bolts that hold together the two halves of the carburettor!!!

Just a thought, I wonder if it could be the 2 screws that hold the base plate to the carb have come loose (located underneath the carb)? Had this happen to one of the cars here when it was first bought and could easily be overlooked.

What does anyone else think?

morgan105

Vacuüm leak??

Vacuüm hose[s] broke/torn this can cause real problems overnight,
had to replace the hose comming from the valve cover [with the orifice in it] because it tore open side ways.
Check for a abnormal hissing sound.

vacuum does it without the " in English, Erick

the advice is sound, though... its a thing you should check by default if there is any trouble under the hood.

antiekeradio wrote: vacuum does it without the " in English, Erick

zal er aan denken

antiekeradio wrote: the advice is sound, though... its a thing you should check by default if there is any trouble under the hood.

That is the thing I don't like about the 1400 with the CVT, to much depends on vacuum system, what results in more chance of leakage.