erratic idling

[ridwan-w]

hi my 84 honda civic which has a carby is idling erratically mixture adjust has no effect cleaned jets added new gaskets to carby and base changed sparkplugs when driving engine cuts out when coming to a stop

 

[Gunner]

Does it leak fuel anywhere around the carb? If you are getting good spark, and all your vacum lines are good, there is a chance the carb is going or gone and you need a new one. I would check your distributor and make sure everything is good there to. Does it always shutdown when you come to a stop?

 

[Gunner]

What does your car idle at when cold, and warmed up? are you throwing any codes(check engine light)

 

[ridwan-w]

erratic idle

thanks gunner for reply .no the carby isnt leaking fuel and this eng doesnt have a management system when i come to a stop the engine dies unless i pull out the choke

 

[oc_civic]

this is pretty interesting as I (and most people I know) have next to no Honda carb knowledge... but just to make it more simple.. there are a couple of very basic things stand true.. when it is trying to idle.. before it dies.. does it surge and dip before stalling.. or does it just slowly dip down and stall? have you tried to pull the plugs and take a look at them? are they really dirty? how are the wires? plugs are only part of the equation.. also check for vacuum leaks..

as stated I do not know a ton about carbs or chokes.. but maybe understanding what the choke does... and applying this to why the engine stalls or not.. would help us figure out what is actually wrong with the car..

i started to read this and it seemed informative..

http://autos.yahoo.com/maintain/repairqa/engine/ques072_0.html