Van hard to start and poor idle when engine cold. Choke?

[jswagger]

Agreed, whilst the choke isn't right it's not causing the current problems.

Could the fuel sitting around for a while cause problems like mine?

[irishbruce]

Hope you don't mind me resurrecting this thread. I have a 1.9 DG (1990) which has been giving problems, mostly due to water in the fuel from a perished filler cuff - now replaced and cleaned up. However, on investigations, I discovered the pull down unit wasn't working at all, so I replaced it. The new unit holds a vacuum, and there is obvious movement of lever in an out. However, now that it is installed on the carb, the choke flap does not move when I test it by sucking on the pipe.

The choke flap moves freely, and is properly attached to the linkages. It seems that the coiled spring which holds the flap linkage against the notch or cam on the pull down unit is pretty weak - and not doing its job. Is there something simple I am missing?

Also, there is a screw at the end of the Pull down unit inserted using a small allen key. What purpose does this serve? It doesn't appear to do anything on mine.

[kevtherev]

It wont move as your sucking isn't powerful enough
There is a restrictor in the pipe which actuates an accumulative effect, so that the choke flap does not snap open when the acc. pedal is depressed, causing a stall

Working correctly the flap should gently open and close when the acc pedal is pressed and released.

the screw is an adjust ment to get the arm in the correct position (3mm gap between flap and carb throat)

see haynes.

[what2do]

It wont move as your sucking isn't powerful enough.

This statement is true with me, I'm absolutely rubbish at sucking. I'm going to try and write this carefully or it could end up in the take it out of context thread. When testing my vac advance unit (being shown how by Itchyfeet), we discovered that I don't have the lungs to create enough vacuum which is annoying as I like running and don't smoke!!! Don't discount the result of the suck test until you've had a second person try or after you've tried on a known good unit.

[irishbruce]

Until reading this I thought I could suck with the best of them. Still not sure if there is any range of movement left in the unit, but I am happy to submit to the counsel of those with more experience.

Now with the carb reinstalled and fresh fuel in the tank and all the lines connected I tried to get things going again this afternoon. Very reluctant to start, which I put down to fuel starvation until the carb was primed. After about six efforts the engine fired up. Took the van for a run, and things were going OK. Then with the van at working temperature and under load coming up a hill, everything stopped. Hazards on, Side of the road. Tried to start her up. No joy. Smell of petrol. The engine did attempt to fire, but wouldn't really catch. Noticed that when I switched off at the ignition to try again, the engine rumbled on for a couple of cycles before stopping. Is this timing?
What I have done in the last couple of days:
1. Diagnosed water in the fuel because of rotted cuff at filler cap. Replaced cuff, drained and flushed tank, replaced in-line filter and checked condition of cone filter on carb, removed and split carb. Cleaned and reassembled, having previously serviced with Brickwerks kit.
2. Allowed the fuel pump to expel old petrol before reconnecting.
3. Noticed that pull down unit was faulty. (Replaced unit, with the comments about sucking etc above.)
4. Tested vacuum advance. (Sucked on tube and observed significant rotation movement in distributor.)

I don't have a timing light - and in any case I now can't get the van to start. Given that my wife and I are supposed to be heading off to west Cork in the van next week, I'm thinking the mechanic might be the best option.