1983 2.3L fuel/air issue (i think)

[kimcrwbr1]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AIRTEX-6P10...iter_Display:2.3L&hash=item2eb9af2067&vxp=mtr It is normally in the valve cover not sure on your motor.

 

[FEARTH38EARD]

Compression test results: #1-70, #2-60, #3-70, #4-70. All much lower than im sure they should be. But non of them bled off at all, which I thought was weird since there all low. But I really dont know much about compression tests other than how to physically do one... throttle cable mod worked very well, feels like a race car compared to what is was! Air pump removal went well. Did not discover any vacuum leaks with carb cleaner. Seafoam smoked like crazy, and ill know if it helped any on the next cold start in the morning... thoughts? Concerns? Questions?

EDIT: realized there is no way for the pressure to bleed off on the guage I used.. retard moment sorry.
Also there was oil on all of the plug threads.. didnt smell like oil though, smelled like gasoline.

 

[FEARTH38EARD]

cold start was about the same this morning... im thinking a carb rebuild is in order. or a different (maybe 2bbl) carb while im at it. as for the compression results: what is the compression supposed to be in the 2.3's? im sure mine are way low... wish i could do a leak down to find out more on if its upper or lower engine...

 

[tomw]

Two thoughts. If you didn't hold the throttle wide open when you checked compression, that could limit your readings as reported. As low as they were, I'd be surprised that it ran at all...
If you haven't done so, check your float. The older carbs had black plastic floats for a while that some how decided to absorb fuel, and sink more than they should. If that is the case, and you won't be able to tell without weighing a new float for comparison, you would get poor gas mileage.
If the choke plate is sticking closed, that will cause you to eat gas also, as it limits air flow, and induces much greater fuel flow. Old carbs had a round black housing for the bi-metallic spring that opens & closes the choke plate. Generally they have 3 screws holding them in place. You can loosen the screws, and rotate the housing so the spring becomes a bit weaker relative to the choke linkage, and the choke won't close so 'strong'. Most are marked "richer leaner" with directional arrows. New ones, not so much. Either way, figure out how to lessen the spring tension and your mileage should improve. You can just buy a replacement float, throw it in, and see what happens.
tom

 

[FEARTH38EARD]

Tom: thanks for the input! No i didnt touch the throttle when doing the compression check... So maybe the pressure isnt really that low?? it actually runs pretty good, just really poor idle when cold starting, and then idles kind of rough after warm, and when going up any kind of grade it wont go faster than 40 or 45 mph... i will tinker with the choke spring and put a new float in the carb and see what happens. And i guess i should run another compression check.. So just hold the throttle wide open while cranking?

 

[Mark_88]

Good to hear you got a bit more power out of the cable mod...as for going up hills...well, I've seen me have to shift down to third quite a few times...don't even try 5th...it is not meant for much more than dropping the RPM on flat out highway...gives better gas mileage that way, but I've yet to find a stretch of flat highway longer than a few kilometers.

Edit: Since swapping the head my truck actually accelerates going up slight inclines with a touch of the pedal...so I was losing power due to wonky valves and/or leaky seals fouling plugs.

The choke butterfly may be partially closed and you can actually jam a bolt in there or clamp it open to see if that makes any difference once it is warmed up. They don't usually close after they are opened, but I had a choke that was doing just that...so I disabled it and the truck ran great after that.

I still say the best way to overcome the cold starts is an in-hose block heater. Easy to install and fairly inexpensive to run for three or four months of the year...saves quite a bit of gas on the warm up, but I've not done a comparison of costs between electricity (about $12 a year according to one website) and that of gas burned while high idle and the occasional stall/restart.

I do know that the oil is warmer and the heater blows hotter faster than if I didn't plug it in...only problem would be to figure out the best place to park it and remember to run out and plug it in an hour or so before leaving...or buying one of those timed block heater cords (that I happen to have but have never used it because it is too short).

Hope you find good news on the second compression test...but if the throttle cable mod helped that may be the best you're going to get...a 2 bbl would probably give you a bit more power though...

 

[kimcrwbr1]

It could be the tester also Get the engine hot and do the seafoam and then get a vacuum guage and do a vacuum test. As far as the leakdown you can use your vacuum test fitting. Adapt it to air pressure and then put each cylinder TDC on the compression stroke and pump around 30 psi pressure to the plug hole and listen to where you hear it leaking. if it hisses out the carb it is a intake valve , out the exhaust it`s a exhaust valve. out the crankcase its rings. pull the radiator cap if it bubbles its a head gasket.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/Summer2003/VacuumLeaks.htm A good tool for diagnosing the internals.

 

[Mark_88]

http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/Summer2003/VacuumLeaks.htm A good tool for diagnosing the internals.

Thanks for posting that...I've actually used it before but forgot about it...might give that a shot with the new head to see what's up with mine...still burning oil, but I made the mistake of trying to put regular oil in...rings just aren't good enough for that yet...

 

[FEARTH38EARD]

thanks guys! planning to get some more done this weekend..