Bought a 60 drove 3 hours great no won't idle

[Trail Outfitters]

As the title says, I just picked up another 87 60 this week. Test drove it and it was fine. The owner said the gas was old in it since he barely drove it over the years. The gas gauge was on empty, he put new gas in and it passed smog with no issues.

The car drove great for 3 hours home. It sat for about 3 hours when I got home, then went to drive it to my shop to do some work and it wouldn't idle. You have to stay on the pedal to keep it running. The choke cable doesn't work either.

Just trying to figure out what this could be? If it was due to the old gas why would it drive home so well? I stopped on the trip several times and it started up fine every time.

I changed the fuel filter, which I had lying around and did nothing.

So just looking for some tips from you guys.

Thanks so much,
Scott

 

[tetonguy]

Could be a few things......if it sat for a while I would check the EGR valve, if its dirty and stuck open it won't idle. Seafoam won't fix it either. You have to take it off and clean it with carb cleaner. Idle solenoid is another place to look. Hot wire it to the battery (its the green plug on top of carb) with engine off...you should hear and audible click when 12v is applied. NO click= no idle. Easy to screw out and clean just don't lose the little o ring on the end of it. Possible that the carb was really dirty and running it put some junk in the idle solenoid circuit and also that the EGR valve opened once when it got warm but is too dirty to close all the way now - stuck open = huge vaccum loss = no way it will idle. Have a vac guage? Check it at the brake booster at the lowest idel speed you can feather in with the pedal and post your numbers here. Good luck!

 

[NocalFJ60]

Check the engine fuse first. He is right about the EGR valve if it is stuck open but I would be surprised if it is that. You can blow in the vacuum line going to the top of the EGR valve to pop it closed if it does it stuck.
The idle solenoid would be the next check like said by Tetonguy.

 

[Trail Outfitters]

Thanks guys. I will lok into those tomorrow. Any other ideas?

Isn't it a bit wierd that it drove so well for so long?

 

[chitown40]

Brass ports at the base of the carb. Blow them out. They often get clogged with debris from the fuel that slips past the filter and the screen. Blow them out with carb cleaner and compressed air. Do that after you check the fuel cut solenoid and engine fuse.

 

[pcperks]

Hey Scott, thanks for working with me on parts. Glad to see you are on this forum too! Hope you can get the 60 figured out.

Phil

 

[Trail Outfitters]

Hey Phil,
God to see you here too. I cam home early to work on the 60, so I will get you pics of that exhaust manana.

Updates...

Cleaned carb and other vaccum inlets with carb cleaner almost wanted to start without the pedal, but wouldn't.

Checked gas window level and it is very low.

Blew into the EGR and couldn't feel or hear anything?

I was thinking of buying some of the Water remover stuff that you put in the gas, maybe that could be it?

I havent tried to mess with the idle solenoid cause I dont have a jumper cable here at home.

Also, the choke flap(valve) is not opening at all. If I hold it open it will idle at about 1000rpm's. there are too many small parts on the carb, but some of the parts at the back of the carb(closest to the driver) are not springing back like they do on other carbs I have. Things just don't feel right back there, but what do I know?

I'm really lost and planned to use this as a daily driver.



Thanks,
Scott

 

[Trail Outfitters]

Ok Just checked the idle solenoid and it clicked so I guess that means its good.

I manually choked it since the choke cable doesn't work and it stayed running fine with the choke half way. Is the choke flap supposed to be closed or open when idleing?

Once again, I work on a lot of Cruisers, but I suck with engines, carbs, etc...My few years of experience on them is not enough!

 

[chitown40]

Choke should be full open when idling if there are no problems or vacuum leaks.

 

[Trail Outfitters]

well that could be part of my problem that the choke flap is stuck shut and has to manually opened. It idles around 1000 when opened, but was starting to back fire out of the carb when I did it today.

What can cause that?

Also, it other threads they always ask how th gas level is in the little window, but I haven't heard what it means when it is low.

Mine is low.

 

[brett76]

your gas is fine. usually if the window is empty its burning out or theres a leak at the bottom of the carb but if you have fuel in the sight glass after sitting overnight you should be fine.

the choke being stuck closed is definitely your problem. although i dont know what would cause it to stick closed. mine will stick open if it come disconnected. check all your linkages to it and it should become obvious i would hope

 

[2mbb]

x2 about the linkages. You probably have a linkage connected wrong or bent or something. There should be a spring on the choke to open it when the cable is not holding it closed. There are also two vacuum diaphragms, one for the choke breaker and the other for the choke opener. I think the former opens the choke plate once the engine starts and the other opens the choke plate when the engine is warmed. You can do a search on "choke opener" or "choke breaker" to get more info. The operation of both of these is fully explained in the emissions manual. SOR has some nice pictures of carbs: http://www.sor.com/sor/cat042-carbp...retion&descriptionpg.ctx=Page 042 Carburetion

Ideally when the truck is running the fuel level should be 1/2 way up the window. If it is low it could mean that you will run a little lean or not at all, however, if you can see gas in the window at all, it is not your biggest problem. This problem is corrected by adjusting the carburetor bowl float level, or it could mean that your fuel pump is not pumping as much as it should.

 

[Michael Hanson]

There is not an add-on electric fuel pump some where between the gas tank and carb is there? Mike

 

[Trail Outfitters]

Yeah i noticed a few things didn't feel right back there. Some f the "things" on the firwall side of the carb feel very loose, while another carb I have feels much tighter.

SHould I just swap the carbs?

The guy had an invoice for this carb a few years back and he has put only a few thousand miles on it since.

Also the carb is very black inside it on the flap and the walls, while the other one I have looks quite clean on the vehicle.

Should I just start with swapping the carbs, and the choke cable I guess?

The fuel pump is the block mounted one which appears to be stock.

How do I adjust the float bowl?

 

[Trail Outfitters]

Went ahead and swapped carbs and it fired up great first try. Except for the new problem I ran into. Their is another thread about that one!