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I got some great replies to my questions about my '91 Park Avenue I thought I try and get some suggestions on the problem I'm having with my 1985 Nissan Pickup.
The pickup was my dads, he bought when he retired and he loved hos little truck. I got after he passed away in 1994, one of the last things he ever sadi to me was "take my truck home and take care of it"... So needless to say I have done the best I could to do just that. Unfortunately he was sick for nearly a year so it got driven very little, then when I brought it home it sat most of the time. We all know that sitting is the worst thing you can do to a vehicle. When we did starting driving it it wasn't long till the motor started acting up and had to be bebuilt.
It's ran just fine since then until a little over a year ago when it started wanting to cut off a few miles after leaving home in the morning. It was worst on cold damp mornings, it would start just fine and after 5 or 6 miles it would loose power and then just shut off. If I caught it in time I could pull over and kill the engine for about a minute and then it would run just fine for the rest of the day. Carborator icing, right...
The problem is that it's SO intermittent that I'm affraid my mechinic won't
be able to find it. You can easiley drive 10 miles and it might not act up.
I've checked and the damper in the air intake that deverts air from the exhaust manifold for heating is working, the tube to the exhaust manifold is there... Is there an adjustment to the carborator that could effect this?
I've tried STP gas threatment, it says it helps with carborator icing, it doesn't,
Pulling over for a minute and then it would run okay sounds like a clogged fuel line from the gas tank. Suction will draw any sediment to the line in the tank and when it backs off fuel is supplied again to the engine. You said the car sat for quite a while. You need to check if there is enough fuel pressure from the fuel pump before messing with the carb. Also carbs have a filter installed...check the small filter. Possible after this a adjustment might be needed on the auto choke condsidering the cold weather. Also replace the inline filter from the tank to the fuel pump...small price to save a little headache. Steve
sounds like your fuel pump is going out. that exact thing happened to me once, i replaced the fuel pump and it ran great. can't say for sure what your prob is exactly but thats where i would start. When carbys are run with gas in them and then left to sit, the gas can dry out the seals and gaskets in the carb and it might have to be rebuilt, but your prob sounds like its something to do with fuel delivery.
If there is moisture in your tank, your fuel pump will be pulling in water along with the gas. The water is being filtered out by fuel filter, which saves up the water that's been filtered out. The gas going from your tank through the filter is at ambient temperature, so if it is below freezing, the cold gas is freezing the puddle of water in your fuel filters, creating an ice shiield. When you shut off the engine, the warm engine thaws it enough to run, but then new cold gas refreezes it after a few miles. Take off your fuel fulter, let it get warm enough to thaw the ice in it, blow it all out backwards so there is no water, and put it back on. Should work fine then, but replace your filter anyway.
Agree with all the suggestions 100 %. Had the same model and year.
Also, if you begin to have a idle problem(as in, it won't idle). Take off the idle solenoid(round cylinder with a wire going to it on the carb), pull out the bb looking ball inside the spring, and reinstall the solenoid without the ball. It'll idle fine then, won't pass emissions, but it'll idle.
Well that mechanic has had it for 4 days so far and he can't find the cause. The first thing he did was change the fuel filter. He took it out for a test drive and it died 3 times before he could get back to the garage. He's checked everything he knows to check and EVERYTHING looks fine. It has never died sitting and idling, it has NEVER failed to restart after coasting to a stop. If it would stay broke it would be easy to find, BUT IT WON'T.
I guess the only next step is to start changing stuff until something fixes it. It'll soon cost more than this old truck is worth.
I'm getting tired of keeping up old cars... but I could go buy some new POS and have just as many problems...
As a retired mechanic I like problems to think over.
When the mechanic took the test drive...did the filter have fuel in it when engine died?
If the filter was full then he needs to take off the top of the carb to inspect the bowl level to be full.
If the carb level is okay then he is to replace the internal filter if any. (not familiar with Japanese cars)
If there is adequate fuel in Carb...then maybe a electrical problem (ignition/coil) and not a fuel dealee.
A hot coil can cut off sometimes.
Does the engine kinda shake to a stop when dying like being on two cyls or does it stop cold turkey like turning off an ignition?
Did the mechanic BLOW air back to the tank?
Does the tank have a small filter at the pickup point?
Engine running at idle will have enough fuel pressure to supply the carb...higher RPM can starve.
I personally have at my old shop taken tools/small fuel can/points/cond/cap/rotor/filter/coil and on some cars a fuel pump when road testing a vehicle. Sometimes a problem would recreate after 3-4 miles of hard driving and I would kill the engine quickly to visually check fuel and electrical right away...even to repairing on the side of the road in order to return to the shop. Stupid me...but hey I'm supposed to be a profesional so I do what is needed for the customer and my reputation.
I do not have any disrespect for your mechanic or question his experience.
Mechanics will discuss a problem that many times is not visible the same way two doctors will discuss a medical situation.
If this is true carb icing, probably your preheat "stove" system, that routes air around the exhaust manifold before going to the air cleaner, is not working. I have seen some older Japanese rigs that actually had a winter/summer manual flap on the air cleaner. But this one probably has the automatic setup, which is probably not working or not working right.
My MG-B will ice on some damp cold mornings, they all do that, without making up a home-made "stove" system, there isn't much that can be done.
FWIW, if it is true carb icing, it's not that big a deal unless you live somewhere that has heavy traffic 24-7.
Carb icing is caused by the venturi effect in the carb causing pressure change and
corresponding temp drop. Moisture in the air freezes in the throat of the carb.
Stopping for a few minutes allows engine temperature to melt the ice.
This model was known for that problem. Try blocking the heat flap in the air cleaner
open and blocking fresh air intake - force all intake air through the heat stove.
The vehicle can be operated like this until next spring when you reverse it for warm
weather operation.
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