Idle very rough then stalls

Tiny
REGGAEGIRL
  • MEMBER
  • 1995 SUBARU JUSTY
  • 4 CYL
  • AWD
  • MANUAL
  • 190,858 MILES
When the choke is pulled out in the morning to warm the engine, the idling is very ragged and then the engine shuts off. Why? For the past year and a half, from time to time, has left me in the road. First, it hesitates when driving, then bucks and then suddenly stops. When I try to start it, the engine cranks even though the usual dashboard lights come on but go off when finished cranking. The points and condenser has been changed three times within the last year but that hasn't rectified the ongoing issue. Up to yesterday morning, I started the car and with the choke pulled out it idled and then shut off. When the choke was pushed back in, it cranked but didn't start. When the car is driven or on and the accelerator is pressed, it sounds irregular. Not sure if this is a distributor or fuel filter issue but I am wary of driving it until this is sorted out and my two mechanics have not sorted it out up to now. Please help!
Tuesday, September 20th, 2011 AT 4:58 PM

12 Replies

Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,814 POSTS
Seems to be a fuel problem and the carburettor is the main suspect. Try pulling the chike half-way and see if the engine stalls upon starting.
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Tuesday, September 20th, 2011 AT 5:10 PM
Tiny
REGGAEGIRL
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I installed a new carburettor kit a month ago. I just started it and pulled out the choke half-way and it's operating normally but when the choke is pushed back in, the idling is making the car shake which is what has been happening as well. The throttle is just below the 1 rpm mark. A while ago it's good but when the choke is pulled out it in the morning it really has a negative impact on it which never used to happen a year or so ago.
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Tuesday, September 20th, 2011 AT 5:30 PM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
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Have the engine compression checked to see if they are within specs.

Check the valve clearances as well.
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Tuesday, September 20th, 2011 AT 5:46 PM
Tiny
REGGAEGIRL
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  • 14 POSTS
Since I can't really drive the car without it acting up, I can't go and get the engine compression or the valves checked. Is this something I can do on my own? I just put petrol in my car and the car started knocking and hesitating on the way home so really wondering if the fuel is affecting something in the car. What do you think? Again, this is not the first time this is happening.
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Wednesday, September 21st, 2011 AT 2:22 PM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
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You would need a compression tester for the job and some parts stores loans them out.

One thing just struck my mind. You could be having a fault with the ignition system and the misfiring is due to mising sparks. At the distributor, check the ground wire for the contact point. If it is broken or missing, it could cause the symptoms described.
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Wednesday, September 21st, 2011 AT 2:34 PM
Tiny
REGGAEGIRL
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  • 14 POSTS
I will see if I can get a compression tester. The condenser and points were changed in july. If the ground wire is broken or missing, would could be causing that? When you mentioned about the valves being checked do you think they could be sticking and which valves were you referring to? The EGR one?
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Wednesday, September 21st, 2011 AT 2:58 PM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
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The engine valves. If the clearances are too tight, compression would not drop much but it sould affect the idling.

At the contact point, there is a separate wire for grounding the contact point plate and the distributor housing. Quite often this is taken for granted and some are even removed and not installed. When you remove the distributor cap and rotor, check for a wire attached between distributor housing abd the central plate where the caontact point is held by a screw. If there are no wires, the contact is only using the bearings of the plate to ground the circuit and this can cause stalling, difficult starting, hesitation, misfiring and lack of accelerating power.
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Wednesday, September 21st, 2011 AT 3:08 PM
Tiny
REGGAEGIRL
  • MEMBER
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Ok. Will have this checked out today. Thanks for your assistance and will come back to Carpros if the issue persists.
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Wednesday, September 21st, 2011 AT 3:23 PM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
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You're welcome. Let me know how it goes.
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Wednesday, September 21st, 2011 AT 4:34 PM
Tiny
REGGAEGIRL
  • MEMBER
  • 14 POSTS
I haven't been able to test the engine compression as can't source a tester from anywhere but I did check for the wire in the distributor and it is there where it's supposed to be. So, what would be the next course of action? You mentioned earlier yesterday about the fuel and carburettor maybe posing the problem but what sort of checks would I have to do for that?
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Thursday, September 22nd, 2011 AT 3:07 PM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
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To verify if it is a fuel problem, when engine could not be started, remove the air cleaner and while opening the throttle, check if the accelerating pump is spraying fuel into the carburettor. If no, spray some starting fluid into the barrel and see if it starts.

If fuel is not the problem, pull off a plug wire and attach a spark plug or plug tester to it and crank the engine. Note if there is any sparks and if it is bright blue or dull yellow.
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Thursday, September 22nd, 2011 AT 3:31 PM
Tiny
CJ MEDEVAC
  • MECHANIC
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DIFFERENT GUY, SORTA WATCHING THIS

SAY IT WORKS BETTER W/ CHOKE PULLED OUT HALFWAY?

WHILE IT'S RUNNING AND MAYBE ACTING UP...TRY STEADY DRIPPING FUEL INTO THE CARB W/ ONE OF THOSE WATER BOTTLES YOU CAN GET WITH A "POP UP SQUIRT TOP"

IF YOU CAN GET THE DRIP JUST RIGHT (TOO MUCH, WILL START FLOODING IT), AND PERFORMANCE IMPROVES, JUST BY ADDING THAT LITTLE BIT OF FUEL, YOU MIGHT LOOK INTO YOUR FLOAT ADJUSTMENT...FLOATS TOO HIGH, USUALLY MAKES IT REAL RICH OR STUMBLING LIKE FLOODING----FLOATS TOO LOW, WILL NOT ALLOW ENOUGH FUEL TO "MIST" OUT OF THE VENTURI, AT THE PROPER BUTTERFLY OPENING.

EVEN THOUGH I'M SORTA JUMPING AROUND ALL OVER THE PLACE, MANY THINGS CAN AFFECT THE RUNNING OF YOUR CAR....IF YOU ARE NOT DOING PROCEDURES EXACT AND BY THE BOOK, YOU MIGHT BE CHASING YOUR TAIL!

INSURE YOUR CARB IS SCREWED TOGETHER WELL, ATTACHED TO THE INTAKE WELL, AND THERE ARE NO OTHER VACUUM LEAKS ARE GOING ON.

MAKE SURE YOU CAN DROP INTO YOUR IDLE CIRCUIT, AND ARE NOT RUNNING OFF OF YOUR MAINS (IDLE SPEED TO HIGH)

YOU ARE TIMING CORRECTLY, AT CORRECT IDLE SPEED, WITH YOUR ADVANCE DISCONNECTED (WHATEVER THE BOOK TELLS YOU TO DO)

INSURE THE SPRINGS ON YOUR MECHANICAL ADVANCE WEIGHTS, ARE NOT BROKEN, AND THE WEIGHTS ARE NOT PERMANENTLY "OUTWARD, ADVANCED" (WHEN YOU DON'T REALIZE THIS HAPPENED, YOU WILL THINK YOUR TIMING IS TOO HIGH, AND YOU WILL READJUST, TO COMPENSATE....NOW IT WILL BE CORRECT AT IDLE, BUT THE WEIGHTS ARE "THROWN OUT", THE WHOLE TIME AND YOU WILL GET ABSOLUTELY NO MECHANICAL ADVANCE)

DO YOU KNOW HOW TO USE THE TIMING LIGHT, AND WATCH YOU MARKS, TO INSURE BOTH MECHANICAL AND VACUUM ADVANCE WORK AS THEY SHOULD?

WHEN INSTALLING POINT'S, ARE YOU STRICTLY GOING BY "GAP", OR ARE YOU CHECKING WITH A DWELL METER TO VERIFY "DWELL" IS CORRECT, SORTA PERFECT "DWELL", IS WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE, "GAP" IS JUST A CLOSE GUIDE TO GET IT THERE

I'M A JEEP KINDA GUY, I DO NOT KNOW YOUR RIG WELL AT ALL, I UNDERSTAND TUNING, PRETTY WELL, AND IF "ALL THINGS" DON'T MESH UP, SOMETHING MIGHT SUFFER!

ON MY 1946 WILLYS JEEP, I FOUND THAT "VENTED POINTS" DO NOT WORK WELL IN MY JEEP (THAT IS, POINTS WITH ANVILS WITH HOLES IN THEM) PLAIN JANE REGULAR OLE POINTS WORK BEST FOR ME!

UNTIL RECENTLY--THIS "POINTS ELIMINATOR SYSTEM", REALLY IMPROVED MY ENGINES PERFORMANCE (I RECKON I MEAN SMOOTHNESS!)---THIS COMPANY MAKES DIFFERENT VERSIONS, FOR DIFFERENT RIGS...I WENT TO THEIR HOME PAGE AND GOT THE #, FOR MINE. THEN I CHECKED EBAY AND OTHERS FOR GOOD PRICES. GOT THE SYSTEM AND 3 OHM COIL FOR ABOUT $120. GOODIES IN THE DISTRIBUTOR, AND THE COIL, IS ALL....NO BRAIN BOXES OR NOTHING! SEE PICS AT BOTTOM.

I'VE BEEN DRIVING JEEPS SINCE '81, WHEN I STARTED DRIVING, ALL CARB, SORTA LEARNED MOSTLY, GUIDED BY REPAIR MANUALS

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/2005-ford-focus-power-steering

IF YOU MIGHT WANT ANOTHER'S OPINION, OR TECHNIQUE ON TUNEUP ON A RIG LIKE YOURS, CHECK OUT "HOW TO" ON "YOU TUBE".......YOU CAN "HOW TO", ANYTHING ON THERE! EXAMPLE, CHANGE MY SEARCH WORDS, MAY GET BETTER RESULTS

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=HOW+TO+TUNE+UP+A+SUBARU+JUSTY&aq=f

YOUR TURN

THE MEDIC
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Thursday, September 22nd, 2011 AT 4:47 PM

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