Club 80-90 Forums

Hi all, I've just replaces my broken 1.9 engine with a 2.1 (watercooled petrol pre 85 engine)

We cannot get the engine to run on idle.

When the choke is on it runs, when comes off the choke to normal idle it dies.

Soleniod works, new vacuum hoses, idle jet looks clean.

We are at a loss

Any ideas????

My guess would be either a leak from the carb or manifold gaskets or the mixture is incorrect. Does it rum off the choke if you give it some revs ? Fairley obvious but have you adjusted the idle ?

Have you checked that you've still got power to the solenoid once the choke comes off? It's not unknown for the wires to be reconnected incorrectly (e.g. after an engine swap ) - the solenoid needs a constant live, but if it's accidentally been wired to the choke heater then this will go off once the water gets up to temperature.

It does run with extra revs, but not on idle.

Adjusted the idle screw but it ran at Hogh revs, but we think that was then running off main jets and not on idle circuit.

As far as I am aware the wires are in the right place, I can hear clicking in the idle cut off when ignition in, would it do this if I had connected incorrectly?

Buggin1966 wrote: As far as I am aware the wires are in the right place, I can hear clicking in the idle cut off when ignition in, would it do this if I had connected incorrectly?

It could do, yes. The clicking is a good sign - it means it's opening to let fuel through when you apply power. When the engine's cold, the wires that supply the choke and idle cut-off solenoid should both be live. Once the engine warms up, the power to the choke is cut (or at least it is on some models), while the power to the solenoid stays live. So you can see what the problem would be if those wires were switched over.

What I can't tell from what you've written is whether the solenoid still clicks once you get to the point where the choke has come off and the engine dies. If it does, then your problem is elsewhere.

Aye, its going to be that or an as-yet undiscovered air leak.

I have checked the wiring and that is collect, so it's not that causing the issue.

So if it's possibly an air leak, there are 2 new gaskets on the manifold and I've changes the breather pipe poses to new ones.

I did but the old o ring gasket back on the carb to manifold connection, but have ordered a new one to fit tomorrow.

Is there anything else I need to check for an air leak?

I've been corresponding with Emma on Face book.
I've also asked her to clean the pilot jet & pilot circuit, as it also would be causing this.

cheers fellas