Here’s my story... 1974 FJ40. Owned it for 15 years but it sits for 8 months every winter, and then driven only about 15+ short outings each summer.
I know, that’s a sin and I may be paying for it now.
So two weeks ago it fired it up from it’s deep sleep and it ran fine as usual. After 3-4 days of normal performance, it suddenly won’t idle. This happened instantly. One minute it idles, then it doesn’t. It runs normally if I give it any pedal but dies instantly if foot leaves pedal. So I search Mud extensively and come up with two big suspects: the idle solenoid doesn’t give me that click, and I discover the PCV hose is cracked and likely leaking creating a vacuum leak. Got to be one or both of those right? So I Installed a NEW idle solenoid ($185 from SOR - ouch - and they didn’t even include a new gasket!), and replaced everything new on the PCV line including valve, hose and grommet. After all of that - it still won’t idle. So time for a stiff drink and an appeal to the MUD brain trust.
Before I started any repair work I noted that the sight glass in the carb showed fuel half way up - good. But now, the bowl is either totally full or empty, though it can’t be empty because the accelerator pump will squirt gas. I check the distributor to see if it might be loose, but that was solid. I don’t think a vacuum gauge would help if it doesn’t idle. Soooo, what would you guys suggest I check next?
I know, that’s a sin and I may be paying for it now.
So two weeks ago it fired it up from it’s deep sleep and it ran fine as usual. After 3-4 days of normal performance, it suddenly won’t idle. This happened instantly. One minute it idles, then it doesn’t. It runs normally if I give it any pedal but dies instantly if foot leaves pedal. So I search Mud extensively and come up with two big suspects: the idle solenoid doesn’t give me that click, and I discover the PCV hose is cracked and likely leaking creating a vacuum leak. Got to be one or both of those right? So I Installed a NEW idle solenoid ($185 from SOR - ouch - and they didn’t even include a new gasket!), and replaced everything new on the PCV line including valve, hose and grommet. After all of that - it still won’t idle. So time for a stiff drink and an appeal to the MUD brain trust.
Before I started any repair work I noted that the sight glass in the carb showed fuel half way up - good. But now, the bowl is either totally full or empty, though it can’t be empty because the accelerator pump will squirt gas. I check the distributor to see if it might be loose, but that was solid. I don’t think a vacuum gauge would help if it doesn’t idle. Soooo, what would you guys suggest I check next?