Club 80-90 Forums

on starting up - the van seems hesitant -
takes 2 or 3 goes to get going -
then doesn't retain its idle speed -
so have to keep the accelerator pedal on the go - to keep it from stalling -

continues like this for a few minutes - til the engine starts to warm up -
then runs absolutely fine for - until the next time i try and start with a cold engine -

correct starting procedure? - yep
flap on varb opening and closing - yep
new fuel filters and pump n push rod - yep
no blockages in fuel tank or lines -
spray w carb cleaner round hoses n carb doesn't produce any change in engine speed -

any other ideas?

What's it like mechanically? If the usual suspects (plugs/leads/dizzy cap/rotor arm) have been checked, then maybe do a compression test to see what the motor's like.

edoh wrote: new fuel filters

There should only be the one filter near the tank on the offside (RHD vans)

thanks for the quick responses gents -
van has an 'extra' (yep i know - dangerous and unnecessary) filter leaving the fuel pump in engine bay -
on the list of things to sort out - wonder why people put them in - in the first place?
compression test sounds useful -
replaced most of the ignition side over last few months -
would a blowing gasket (joining exhaust to engine) produce similar symptoms?
any easy way of checking?

Replace the engine bay fuel hose and leave just the correct inline filter and report back.

Ian

will give it a go

Must be the time of year for this to happen, my van which has been running faultlessly for ages has started doing this as well I wonder whether it could be an air leak I replaced the vacuum pipes from carb to dizzy and airbox before xmas as one of them was completely shot but the only replacements I could find weren't very good quality (standard pearly wotnots) and the plastic pipe seemed a bit loose in the rubber ends.
I saw some straight vacuum pipe in halfords at the weekend so might try replacing with that.

continues like this for a few minutes - til the engine starts to warm up -
then runs absolutely fine for - until the next time i try and start with a cold engine

says to me that you have either an air leak weakening the enrichment or the opposite and it's over-fueling

try the gaskets at the head and the servo hose
does the shut choke have a 3mm gap when cold?

does the manifold heater and choke heater work ok?

Because they are unaware of the one after the tank.

wonder why people put them in - in the first place?

edoh wrote: van has an 'extra' (yep i know - dangerous and unnecessary) filter leaving the fuel pump in engine bay

Ok maybe a dumb question but why. Mine has a fuel filter between pump and carb. Was on there when I got it and I have just replaced it when I did the other one by the tank. Should it not be there. AA man told me it's a much better idea to have one than not.

Worried now. Sorry to hijack your thread.

Dave307 wrote:

edoh wrote: van has an 'extra' (yep i know - dangerous and unnecessary) filter leaving the fuel pump in engine bay

Ok maybe a dumb question but why. Mine has a fuel filter between pump and carb. Was on there when I got it and I have just replaced it when I did the other one by the tank. Should it not be there. AA man told me it's a much better idea to have one than not.

Worried now. Sorry to hijack your thread.

The AA man's talking out of his ar$€, the engine bay is full of heat sources ... there is a filter IN the carb designed that way. Why add to the number of breaks in the pipework to and from the carb.

Ian

Logic tells me after the first tank filter there is no possibility of contamination until the pump, after the pump is the carb filter

'says to me that you have either an air leak weakening the enrichment or the opposite and it's over-fueling

try the gaskets at the head and the servo hose
does the shut choke have a 3mm gap when cold?

does the manifold heater and choke heater work ok?'

cheers for that -
will have a look - if/when the rain lets up -

that second filter question - i too had been told by previous owner "useful to see that your fuel is clean" when i brought the van -
enough scare stories and information on the wiki have convinced me otherwise.....

thanks again for your comments everyone -