Carburettor needs a service (And now the dizzy)

[Edweird]

Okay, dizzy's put back together with the new bits, and the engine seems better. It will at least idle and warm up without cutting out, but still cuts out when you start trying to make it work. Working being, for example, 25mph in 3rd up what I'd estimate to be a 1 in 2 slope (1 foot up to 2 feet along).

[Henry]

When did it last have a full service?


If it was me,

New cap arm leads (is yours points?) plugs oils filters water. After ALL WITH OUT A SPARK, YOU HAVE NO COMBUSTION

[Edweird]

My Dizzy's had new points, new rotor arm, new cap and a new condenser.

It it that bits still need to bed in or something. Could the leads have gone too? change plugs?

[Henry]

The points shouldnt need to bed in, have you had a plug out and seen what the spark is like?

If it was mine i would do the lot

[ScottieJ]

the gap on the point is set up correctly yes? and timing not been moved?

might be worth dropping the tank, cleaning it, blowing the fuel lines through, fitting a new filter and then cleaning the carb one more time that way you know there is no shit left in the fuel system

[Edweird]

Okay. Gave everything a thourough check. Points gap is good. Cleaned and gapped my plugs. Cleaned jets again. Sprayed carb cleaner through the main bit of the carb.

Initially, she seemed better, though still lost power up hill. Stepdad suggested enriching the fuel mix. Did that, and it seemed to get worse. Made it leaner again and it appeared a little better, but it continued to deteriorate quickly, and is now almost as bad as it was before I started doing anything to it. i.e. cutting out when going uphill, lack of power if you try to accelerate hard.

I'm starting to lose faith in my truck, and folks keep teasing me about it.

There's a few things people have suggested that're still to try.
New plugs and leads,
Clean out or replace fuel lines, tank, filter etc.

Could it be a dodgey pump too? Is there a filter in the pump? Also, my stepdad said he had trouble with an advance/retard system on his A35. What's the SJ got for an advance/retard system.

I've also got a headlight problem now too. Dip beam's out on the drivers side. The bulb is fine, and if I take out the fuse for the passenger side, both lights come on, but very dim. If I take out the driver's side fuse, nothing changes, passenger on, driver off. High beams work fine. Any ideas there?

[Edweird]

Replaced the fuel lines from the filter to the pump today and cleaned out the pump with the carb cleaner stuff. Initially, what came out the pump was orange with metal filings in. Not sure it it's the pump that might be buggered too now, though it's still pumping fluid.

Once I'd put it all back together I went out for a run, letting it get hot before I left. She ran beautifully for a while, but then I came round a bend and had to brake hard (as is I locked at least one wheel) to avoid a friggin road sign that'd blown over. After that she started spluttering again and refused to climb hills properly.

What's it like to drop the tank? I think there's some nasty shit in there.

[ferris]

It's only 4 bolts to take the tank out, but a couple of the bolts can be a pain in the arse to get out. There is a drain bolt in the bottom of the tank, best to drain it from there first and see if anything interesting comes out.

[ScottieJ]

Not All sj tanks have a drain bolt unfortunately, its easy to remove though

[Edweird]

Mine does have a drain plug. Are you sure it'll come out easily? I was worried it might shear.

I put a small disposable in-line see-through filter between the carb and pump to see that that did. I was hoping it might act a bit like a capacitor in an electrical circuit, but it's not filling up properly. Engine ran alright when I first put it in, and it eventually filled about a third of the way up, though the flow from the pump seemed, to me, a little pitiful. I tried pinching the return hose, and this helped a little, but it dropped that little bit again when I released it.
Went out for a run, and when it stopped the level in the filter had dropped very low. Towed it home after that.

I'm thinking blockage or pump, but I'm running out of the time, patience and self-esteem to fiddle with it myself. I've got exams, an interview and my Police driver improvement course all coming up, and I need my car for the PDIC as it includes 4 hours of driving under observation.

On top of that I'm pretty sure that Mum's sick of me working on it. She has some kind of phobia against anything but calm driving. Revving engines make her go all fruit loop, so I've been getting an earful every day recently.

Right, rant over. Long short, I'm going schitzo over it, so I'm going to turn it over to MPVS in Caistor as Matt and co. are 4x4 specialists, and Matt's Dad seems to know a fair bit about SJs.