Darn Its The Carburator Again! Help Please...

megatron · April 23, 2009

Dear experts,

I drive a '87 Toyota Starlet EP71. I have done a overhaul on the engine (which is in absolute stunning condition now) but I seem to have a ongoing prob with the carburator. Through what I have heard the EP71 uses a quite 'complicated' carb.

The engine hardly runs when its on idle (i.e - it just runs as if its out of breath, varying the rpm up and down and then the jerks and stops). Also I've noticed that the engine runs for a couple of seconds after it has been turned off!

Now I've shown this to a couple of mechs and they basically tell me that the carb is clogged, since the EP71 has some 101 lines and nozzles. A temp clean up always works but is there any permanent solution for this?

I have my own three and I need a bit of advice..

1. Change the carb, which might be a good option, but I've had no luck finding one. (How much will one cost? if there is one)

2. One mech said that I can swap it with the normal carb... Will this work? or would it have any side effects of my cars performance?

3. Could I do an EFI conversion? (is it complicated and costly?)

Hope someone could help me!

Cheers!

Apart from this could I install a turbo kit whilst attending to my carb issue - how practical is that?

miniace · April 24, 2009

Sounds like a vaccume problem and ignition timing along with a possible rich mixture and fuel starvation issue.

It the engine runs a few cycles after ignition is turned off, could result of carbon build up inside your combustion chamber creates hot spots, which could be the result of running rich starting gradually.

Further will cause the combustion chamber tempreatures too high, the result of spark timing too far advanced.

Check the exhaust on idle,if puffs of black smoke coming out that would confirm rich status. Is it hard to start, feels a kick back while turning ? That would confirm the timing too far advanced.

Take you babe to the best mechanic you heard of.

Recommend you ask mechanic to check your float level adjustments and ignition timing

Ask to inspect the fuel cut solenoid and the fuel pump.A weak pump may cause fuel starvation at idle speed.Checking the fuel cut off solenoid circuit is easy & DIY.will post it here if your knowlege level helps that.

Ask him to check the vacuum lines are routed correctly.Incorrect routing is one of the main culprits.

Not a big issue to a good mechanic.

Keep us posted.

Good luck!

MINIACE

miniace · April 24, 2009

BTW dont try your steps 1,2 & 3

A link to try Madz magic and to give you a little EP71 boost!!

MINIACE

Saturn · April 24, 2009

Hi guys

Apologies for butting in here.. but I have a similar problem. I have a mitsubishi with a 4G15 engine and the carb is mostly dead. Took it to the agents, they gave it a whack and had no luck. They did say they can get down a new carb for 140,000 which seems a tad on the high side.

I tried with two other popular garages here, both tried cleanups with no luck, both said they can't find me a replacement carb either.

If anyone knows a place which has one of these carbs on stock, please let me know

Basically the carb runs lean usually, and on accelerating the engine loses power (not enough fuel) and the mixture get ultra lean..

the agents hooked up an exhaust meter and tried to tune it up a few times... no luck there.. when the carb is tweaked a bit it runs perfectly for about an hour then slowly returns to bad as usual

@ original poster: theres a mechanic called mr. dharmasena who lives in wellampitiya.. hes an expert on Toyotas, especially old toyotas.. maybe you should see if he can fix your carb

Edited April 24, 2009 by Saturn

megatron · April 25, 2009

miniace said:
Sounds like a vaccume problem and ignition timing along with a possible rich mixture and fuel starvation issue.
It the engine runs a few cycles after ignition is turned off, could result of carbon build up inside your combustion chamber creates hot spots, which could be the result of running rich starting gradually.

Further will cause the combustion chamber tempreatures too high, the result of spark timing too far advanced.

Check the exhaust on idle,if puffs of black smoke coming out that would confirm rich status. Is it hard to start, feels a kick back while turning ? That would confirm the timing too far advanced.

Take you babe to the best mechanic you heard of.

Recommend you ask mechanic to check your float level adjustments and ignition timing

Ask to inspect the fuel cut solenoid and the fuel pump.A weak pump may cause fuel starvation at idle speed.Checking the fuel cut off solenoid circuit is easy & DIY.will post it here if your knowlege level helps that.

Ask him to check the vacuum lines are routed correctly.Incorrect routing is one of the main culprits.

Not a big issue to a good mechanic.

Keep us posted.

Good luck!

MINIACE

Thanks thats pretty compreshensive!

It used to run rich but the mech adjusted the 'jet' and its now pretty much in order, and the black smoke is sorted out. Well a kick back is not that apparent, I think its safe to assume the timing is pretty much on the dot.

Now the vaccum lines are a bit tricky..! as in a good half of them are missing and exposed, and both my mechanics with the looks of it have no clue whatsoever how the vaccum lines 'interrelate' if i may. Is there any place/ book/ site which will tell me how the lines work and how it should be connected?

Yup i've done a bit of DIY (used a valvoline carb and throttle body cleaner) so I hopefully think i can pretty much get around any bit of advice.

Thanks again! This advice is simply great!

miniace · April 25, 2009

megatron said:
Thanks thats pretty compreshensive!
It used to run rich but the mech adjusted the 'jet' and its now pretty much in order, and the black smoke is sorted out. Well a kick back is not that apparent, I think its safe to assume the timing is pretty much on the dot.

Now the vaccum lines are a bit tricky..! as in a good half of them are missing and exposed, and both my mechanics with the looks of it have no clue whatsoever how the vaccum lines 'interrelate' if i may. Is there any place/ book/ site which will tell me how the lines work and how it should be connected?

Yup i've done a bit of DIY (used a valvoline carb and throttle body cleaner) so I hopefully think i can pretty much get around any bit of advice.

Thanks again! This advice is simply great!

Advice you take the car to a good mechanic before trying Carb DIYs.You'll regret if not.But do spend yout time with mechanic and follow through all steps during the healing process.

Carb Banda jr -Grandpass is good I heard.If you are in Colombo north Roadstar-Seeduwa is good (but I know one of our members came all the way from Malabe to Roadstar for a carb job-He is a happy customer now).

MINIACE

Mani · April 25, 2009

miniace said:
Sounds like a vaccume problem and ignition timing along with a possible rich mixture and fuel starvation issue.
It the engine runs a few cycles after ignition is turned off, could result of carbon build up inside your combustion chamber creates hot spots, which could be the result of running rich starting gradually.

Further will cause the combustion chamber tempreatures too high, the result of spark timing too far advanced.

Check the exhaust on idle,if puffs of black smoke coming out that would confirm rich status. Is it hard to start, feels a kick back while turning ? That would confirm the timing too far advanced.

Take you babe to the best mechanic you heard of.

Recommend you ask mechanic to check your float level adjustments and ignition timing

Ask to inspect the fuel cut solenoid and the fuel pump.A weak pump may cause fuel starvation at idle speed.Checking the fuel cut off solenoid circuit is easy & DIY.will post it here if your knowlege level helps that.

Ask him to check the vacuum lines are routed correctly.Incorrect routing is one of the main culprits.

Not a big issue to a good mechanic.

Keep us posted.

Good luck!

MINIACE

Good advise.

In addition to above, if the car has been running rich it would create a lot of carbon deposits on top of the pistons and the combustion chamber. A good and easy way to clean that up is to fully warm your engine and run a bit of automatic transmission fluid though it to clean up the combustion chamber so you don't run into any hot spots and create detonation.

The process is to get a new quart of automatic transmission fluid [no matter which kind as long as it's new auto trans fluid]. Remove the air cleaner and while the engine is running introduce little auto fluid through the carb opening while the engine is running and work the throttle manually. Repeat this for several times. You will see a lot of smoke out of the tail pipe and that is normal. This will clean up the combustion chamber of most of the carbon build up and you should have no hot spot issues.

After this is done, you will have to change out your spark plugs to a new set.

On older cars some of the seals and O rings may be damaged in the carburetor. You may be able to take the carb apart and rebuild it which should also take care of the issues that you're having. This will allow you to address all the parts, in the carburetor, including the jets to make sure that everything is clean, and with new seals and O rings, your carb will be good as new and should give you years of trouble free operation.

Good luck.

Devinda_Z · April 26, 2009

Mani said:
Good advise.
In addition to above, if the car has been running rich it would create a lot of carbon deposits on top of the pistons and the combustion chamber. A good and easy way to clean that up is to fully warm your engine and run a bit of automatic transmission fluid though it to clean up the combustion chamber so you don't run into any hot spots and create detonation.

The process is to get a new quart of automatic transmission fluid [no matter which kind as long as it's new auto trans fluid]. Remove the air cleaner and while the engine is running introduce little auto fluid through the carb opening while the engine is running and work the throttle manually. Repeat this for several times. You will see a lot of smoke out of the tail pipe and that is normal. This will clean up the combustion chamber of most of the carbon build up and you should have no hot spot issues.

After this is done, you will have to change out your spark plugs to a new set.

On older cars some of the seals and O rings may be damaged in the carburetor. You may be able to take the carb apart and rebuild it which should also take care of the issues that you're having. This will allow you to address all the parts, in the carburetor, including the jets to make sure that everything is clean, and with new seals and O rings, your carb will be good as new and should give you years of trouble free operation.

Good luck.

wow interesting piece of info that!

first i heard of it , but more than willing to experiment on someone elses car

volunteers : S_N ?

2F2F · May 3, 2009

miniace said:
Advice you take the car to a good mechanic before trying Carb DIYs.You'll regret if not.But do spend yout time with mechanic and follow through all steps during the healing process.
Carb Banda jr -Grandpass is good I heard.If you are in Colombo north Roadstar-Seeduwa is good (but I know one of our members came all the way from Malabe to Roadstar for a carb job-He is a happy customer now).

MINIACE

wud u mind posting Ajiths number if u hav?

miniace · May 4, 2009

2F2F said:
wud u mind posting Ajiths number if u hav?

0777 383526...stick to the point...he is also not a mobile phone fan

MINIACE

2F2F · May 4, 2009

miniace said:
0777 383526...stick to the point...he is also not a mobile phone fan
MINIACE

Thanks mate...Hope u saw wht had happnd wit my car in othr thread...After gettin dat fixed im plannin to get a tuneup done...

miniace · May 4, 2009

2F2F said:
Thanks mate...Hope u saw wht had happnd wit my car in othr thread...After gettin dat fixed im plannin to get a tuneup done...

Nope what happened?? What other thread??

MINIACE

2F2F · May 4, 2009

miniace said:
Nope what happened?? What other thread??
MINIACE

Disappointing A*W Collision Repair Service,datz the thread...mines gt hit by a tuc...tuc fellow didnt even had a DL ...anwys i was lukin for a place to get it done...was waiting for a reply from u for abt 2 days...i gt a place from a frnd of mine...Hope they'l do a gud job...wil let u knw...