Still No Idle

[mint 61]

Can't seem to figure this one out. Had my SII running great for about a week, but now it wont idle at all. As soon as I let off the pedal, it sputters and dies.

I'm relatively sure it's not in the ignition, new pertronix, plug wires, dist cap, sparkplugs. Could there be something goofy in the ignition that it wouldn't fire below a certain RPM???

Checked fuel levels in carb bowls, seems to be fine. Recently rebuilt dual Zeniths WIP36's. Needles and seats replaced, appear clean. Tried some mild adjustments in slow running volume control, and mix. No difference.

I don't have a vacuum gauge but I did the carb cleaner spray test, to no avail. What are the usual suspects for a vacuum leak? I checked throttle bodies, intake manifold, vac line to dist. Anywhere I'm not thinking of?

I'm at a loss here, hopefully someone has a great idea. Thanks in advance.

I've tried some timing adjustments to no avail. Turned dist while giving enough throttle to keep it running, no change in idle.

Fuel tank has been cleaned and redcoated, fuel lines blown out. (Thinking about blowing out lines again)

Fuel pump recently gone over, fuel level in glass bowl appears to be keeping up. Should the bowl be full to the top, or just to the filter screen? Possibly a worn diaphragm? I didn't replace it when I went over the fuel pump because it appeared OK about a year ago.

Help!!!!

 

[Acollin]

I would be the first to tell you I am no ones first call for mechanical questions, but I am a pretty good "shade tree " mechanic.

I always look to simple first. Fuel and spark are primary concerns. Are you certain you have both?

In my primitive ways, i would crank the car with the fuel line disconnected ---directing it toward a container of some kind. But given that you say you have fuel to the bowls, fuel in the conventional sense, is probably not your issue. -- but given the eccentricities of these car, there could intermittent disruptions of fuel flow because flaking paint in fuel tanks, etc.

I would look at spark early on too. This is also pretty easy to determine. Pull a spark plug-- while still connected to the plug wire, put it in contact with the engine block and crank the motor again and look to see if the spark is arcing across the plug contacts. Yours would not be the first electronic ignition to fail. In all the years I've been playing with cars and bikes, I never chose electronic ignition over points and condensers. The simply reason was that, if the system crapped out , i could always fix it on the road by carrying a small and inexpensive servicing kit. My understanding is when your electronic system fails, you're stuck.

I recommend simple first --- spark and fuel. Once those are verified , the sunbeam wizards can take over the search.

I would guess spark?

Good luck!!!

 

[mint 61]

Thanks Acollin for the reply. Maybe I should clarify. The car runs like a scalded dog....when my foot is on the gas. As soon as I'm mot pushing on the gas pedal, it sputters and dies. My guess is a fuel delivery problem, but hard to tell. So, I have spark, fuel, and air. Just not enough of one or the other at the right time if that makes any sense. I was just throwing it out there hoping someone could shed some light. Thanks

 

[Tom H]

First thing is to adjust the idle speed screw, to get it to idle at some speed - equiv to stepping on the gas. Then gradually decrease the idle speed and see at what speed it will no longer idle. From your description it seems it could be a simple matter that the idle speed screw got turned out.

Tom

 

[RootesRacer]

Or you lost throttle synch.

It took me a while back when I first got my SII to figure the idiosyncrasies of the WIP/WIA carbs.
My carbs kept loosing synch and eventually I discovered the aluminum coupler has lost its bite on the throttle shaft. A clean up, replaced clamping screw and a bit of sandpaper to roughen the shafts (non axial to the shaft) and it worked till I put in a 1725, which had stroms. But that's another adventure.

 

[mint 61]

Tom and Rootes, I'll be attempting both of these tonight, thx

 

[hartmandm]

Does your car have a PCV valve? If that is not functioning right, the engine can run ok when on the gas, but die at idle.

Mike

 

[mint 61]

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the Series 2 had a PCV, just a vent tube.

 

[RootesRacer]

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the Series 2 had a PCV, just a vent tube.

Lost of cars have a mishmash of different series parts on them.
The only way to know is to look on the manifold for the PCV valve and its requisite hoses.
Later SIII engines had PCV equipped on the twin zenith intake.

 

[buckalpine3]

Idle not

Mint, if you continue to have problems with idle, consider Advanced Carburetor and Ignition in Dayton (937 223 3029). He fixed my SIV with 2.8 V6. Remember the Dayton British Car Show 8/2.

 

[jumpinjan]

The float needle/seat could not be sealing, and flooding the engine at idle. I have seen this problem with the SII, twin Zeniths before.
Jan