Vehicle hesitates and bogs down in low gears

JGB1971

MEMBER
1988 SUZUKI SAMURAI
1.3L
4 CYL
4WD
MANUAL
150,000 MILES

This vehicle is used off-road for recreational purposes at a hunting lease. The problem seems to occur after the engine heats up, and usually after low gear/high rpm's use such as getting through a muddy area. As I try to run through the gears after getting through the mud, the engine will sometimes stutter and bog down as though the choke is engaged. I can sometimes tap the gas pedal which seems to clear out what appears to be too much fuel in the carburetor. Sometimes the engine will die, and sometimes it will hesitate and then race up in rpm's as though the excess fuel clears out. If it dies, it will immediately re-start without issue. The fuel filter appears to be clean, and the carburetor appears to be a rebuild of the original carburetor. There are several vacuum lines connected to this carburetor, and I am guessing they are not all exactly where they should be. Other than this issue, it runs pretty good for a twenty eight year old vehicle.

1 Reply

CJ MEDEVAC

MECHANIC
11,004 POSTS

I found you a vacuum diagram (below)

Insure unused vacuum ports are capped off (vacuum cap or a short hose and a bolt

Check the carburetor screws, where it bolts to the intake, and the intake bolts for tightness.

Should you fix a vacuum leak

This may affect engine performance, you may have to re-adjust the mix screws to peak it back out.

Keep some WD-40 handy, if you get the underside of the distributor cap wet, remove the cap this will do it. Sweep the cap with the WD-40, let it drain out, you do not even have to dry it out. Then reinstall.

I have cut sections out of an old motorcycle inner tube (free at a motorcycle shop, or just dig in their dumpster) then sort of rolled it down over where the cap meets the distributor, some chopping might be necessary it may not cover 100%, but a little seep is better than a big gush into the goodies.

Jeep wrote the book on four wheel drive!

Including pictures of my two,

The two pretty good to be forty and seventy years young!

Keep us posted on progress, send us a picture of yours!

The Medic

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