I just picked up an 85 gsl with 147,000 miles. The car will idle and does so around 1500-1600rpm's. You can rev the car and it feels smooth. Everything seems fine, but when you drive it you only make it a short distance before the car sputters and dies. Compression checks out. I assume it is something with the fuel system but have never really played with carbs before. I plan on changing the fuel filter but then what should I do? Are there any areas know to be weak links causing the symptom I have described?

 

Just to let you guys know I have searched and am continuing to do so..........thanks

 

I'm guessing it's a stock car, and if so, 1500-1600rpm is a tab bit high for a stock FB. (usually 750-850 is the norm)
My '83 GSL idles at (900-1100) but that is because i have quite a bit work done to it. ~shrugs~

Fuel filter would be the first and cheapest thing I would check first before looking further into the carb or fuel pump.

-Error402

 

then check for a vacume leak, and the shutter vavle

 

i know they prolly have nothing in common, but i thoyught i would throw this out there, my buddy has a FD that is having the same symptoms, we took it to pineapple racing, and had my old boss check it out. the first thing he said was "Oil meetering pump" and he checked a few other minor things out,a nd that is waht it is, unfortunatley, there are none in oregon that are for sale. and if they are, people want roughley 170 - 190 dolalrs for them, but check the oil meetering pump, that could be it.

 

Even though you rebuilt the carb...check to be sure the float isn't stuck. I've rebuilt carbs and accidently got the float stuck closed or open.

Also, check the mixture screw. Crank it out half a turn or so and go for a spin.

 

No, the carb hasn't been rebuilt yet.
Thanks for all the info fellas!

 

Going by ur discription of the prob, sounds like it's the float level. check the pressure also. Try this, if it starts ok and will idle, instead of driving it, set still and hold the revs around 3k and see if it eventually dies.

 

The car is also difficult to start unless you open the intake and remove the filter. Maybe the extra air is helping, I don't know. I am honestly extremely new to the whole carb thing....ha. I will start it and hold it at 3k and see if it stalls.
Thanks again fellas. Please keep the ideas rollin!

 

Really? Not enough air flow could mean, that you carb is supplying too much fuel. (Which would explain why it is easier to get it started with the filter off...less restrictive. Not mixing the air/fuel ratios properly.)

Have you taken out your spark plugs to see if they are wet?

-Error402

 

Plugs did seem wet. I believe it is running way on the rich side of the spectrum. Where are the adjustment screw(s) located? Would it be likely the adjustment screw(s) could fix the problem?
I changed the fuel filter today. It was a mess. The filter had nasty rust colored fuel coming from it. I opened the fuel door, removed the gas cap and shone a flashlight down the pipe going to the tank. The pipe is corroded and rusty.....not good! I guess I will have to drop the tank to replace this? Probably wouldn't hurt since the tank most likely has bits of rust in it. Anyone have the pipe they are selling at a reasonable price?

 

Keep a good supply of filters on hand. Your carb is also likely to be gummed up with some of that crap in there, as well. It cost me $200 to have the tank removed and treated and all the lines blown clean by a shop since I couldn't take the time to do it myself. A carb rebuild showed all the horrors of what happens when you leave gas sitting in a car and carb for too long. Time for some Gumout carb cleaner, from the sounds of it. You're going to have to pull the top of the carb to check the floats, anyway, so a quick look at the bottom of the bowls will tell you if a rebuild is critical. I'm thinking it will be.

 

I bought an 84 GSLSE (no carb, FI) that had been setting for "a few months". Symptoms were similar to yours. I dropped the tank to clean it and this is what I found inside.
http://intertron.com/ron/tank.html
I used products from Restomotive
http://www.por-15.com
to clean and seal the tank. I think I could have just cleaned it and it would have been fine. I had already bought the sealer so....

The fuel pickup tube was more than 50% clogged with rusty grunge. I blew out the fuel lines, changed the fuel filter and cleaned the injectors. Car runs great now.

The carbed cars have a screen at the fuel inlet into the carb. You might want to clean this also.

Ron

 

Yuck!

 

OMG! Well, another step added to my rebuilding-the car process. Thankfully I've got a decent 85 tank w/ the ultra-valuable drain plug!

 

Thats how many miles my car had on it when I bought in '95.

My car was running differently with the air cleaner lid of as well. It turned out to be something in the ACV. YOu see that thing bolted on the outside of the intake manifold? You can take the whole assembly off with two bolts and a nut. Then take the individual components aparts and clean them, the car will run alot better just make sure you put everything back together right and don't blow any gaskets.

Check the anti-afterburn valve too.

 

Will do!
The plugs must be fouled now from all the fuel. The trailings were in much worse shape than the leadings, and very wet. I tried to clean them but I don't think it worked at all. The car is running poorly and on one rotor, at least it shakes like mad when I try to start it and gives me that impression. Gotta get some new plugs for sure but not until I fix the source of the problem.
Guess the tank will have to be taken care of first. We have a drain plug on the tank huh? That's good to know.
I haven't had a chance to dig in and explore. I think I will rebuild the carb. Is it difficult to remove? Looks to be a lot of stuff attached. Does all that have to be taken off before removal?

 

I used the plug to drain the 6 gallons of old gas from the tank, replaced the drain plug and added 5 gallons of new gas. Drove back and forth over the bumpy drive way. Drained this gas (it was yellow) and added 5 gallons of fresh gas. When this failed to fix the problem I drained and pulled the tank to find the mess.

I soaked the tank with the "Marine Clean" degreaser that came with the kit. After 24 hrs, I rinsed and repeated. 90% of the inside of the tank was clean silver metal. The other 10% was rust. After sealing it looked much better.

http://intertron.com/ron/images/setankpu.jpg

Ron