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OT - Help with my old Datsun

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BillGA

01-11-2008 04:28:58

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I really hate to keep cluttering this forum with non-tractor issues, but it has become my best source of mechanical wisdom, so ...

My '73 240z has a 2.8L engine, a Clifford intake manifold, and an Eldelbrock 1406 4bbl carb. Up until last weekend, it ran like a dream. Then I had a very rough time getting it started (although it would start and run on ether). By enriching the idle needles, it would start and idle well but it doesn't want to run above about 2,000 RPM. It doesn't much like throttle blipping either. I changed the gas line filter (this had been a problem before) and this changed nothing. I checked the fuel pressure (Eldelbrock electric pump) and I was getting the required 6psi. Since the car is only run about once a month and its a long time between tankfulls, I'm fearful of bad gas or junk clogging the carb, but since I've learned from this forum that most carb problems are not carb related, I thought I'd check in for other ideas before draining the tank and rebuilding the carb.

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david b. guest

01-13-2008 19:39:32

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Re: OT - Help with my old Datsun in reply to BillGA, 01-11-2008 04:28:58

Dunk, I bet you sleep with boths eyes open!!! That's funny!!!

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Taylor

01-12-2008 13:21:51

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Re: OT - Help with my old Datsun in reply to Dunk, 01-11-2008 04:28:58

Glad to hear this beauty is running again. I think you helped it some when you blew back through the lines into the tank. Datsun has a tank filter back at the gas tank. If this happens again replace that filter. The symptoms you describe are typical of the tank filter being clogged.

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BillGA

01-12-2008 03:59:31

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Re: OT - Help with my old Datsun in reply to BillGA, 01-11-2008 04:28:58

With a 35 year old gas tank, I've grown to expect a few chucks of rust. In fact, changing the gas filter is one of my first actions to cure hard starts bad running. It usually helps. I did blow some air back through the fuel lines to the tank at the beginning of this adventure, but it didn't seem to help. Dropping the tank to clean it out and then line it is on my "to-do" list, but its hard to get around to when the car is running well and so much fun to drive. :D
Is there a way to check the proper operation of the accelerator pump short of a carb rebuild? I cleaned the externals and "exercised" the pump mechanism and everything appeared smooth.

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dave guest

01-11-2008 18:49:35

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Re: OT - Help with my old Datsun in reply to BillGA, 01-11-2008 04:28:58

Its a DREAM. Late timing or vacuum advance not working will cause hesitation. Make sure accelerator pump is working to give them little squirts that get her going.

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Dunk

01-11-2008 18:58:47

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Re: OT - Help with my old Datsun in reply to dave guest, 01-11-2008 18:49:35

Dave, reminds me of something I have heard most of my life.

Do you know what you waz, 'fore you was Momma's little baby?

Well, you was Papa's little squirt!!

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techman1@att.net

01-11-2008 17:54:08

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Re: OT - Help with my old Datsun in reply to BillGA, 01-11-2008 04:28:58

OH and yes, I would blow high pressure air while I listened to bubbles blowing from the open gas cap.

Anyway, another problem that I had with my Datsun was that while driving in the rain, the engine would sputter. It was a design issue that the distributor cap was only a quarter inch below the hood. The hood was actually partially getting sparked to from the ignition coil wire. I carried an 18 inch square piece of cardboard in the back, and when it would sputter in the rain, I would just pop the hood, center this piece of cardboard over the distributor cap and close the hood. The curvature of the hood held the cardboard in place and the engine miss went away.

Ken

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techman1@att.net

01-11-2008 17:23:48

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Re: OT - Help with my old Datsun in reply to BillGA, 01-11-2008 04:28:58

Let me help you with your old Datsun. Rust chips flake of off the inside of the fuel tank and block the exit screen. I had a Datsun that about every 3 months would lose power. I would disconntect the fuel line at the carb, remove the gas cap, and blow high pressure air backwards from the engine compartment to the fuel tank and the problem would go away for 3 months until enough floating rust chips would block off the fuel tank exit screen again.

Ken

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BillGA

01-11-2008 12:12:12

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Re: OT - Help with my old Datsun -- IT LIVES!!!! in reply to BillGA, 01-11-2008 04:28:58

I'm not sure what did it, but the beast lives again. I checked all the ignition wire connections and removed the old condenser to inspect it and then put it back. I removed the fuel inlet fitting from the carb (thinking it might have a filter - it didn't) and sprayed carb cleaner directly into the inlet opening. Finally I adjusted the electric choke to specs. I hit the ignition and it fired up like a new car. I leaned out the idle mixture screws and reset the idle speed and then took it out. After a 20 mile test drive I can honestly say that it has never run better. I previously had a transitional stumble at about 2000RPM and that is gone -- just nice smooth power over the entire range. :D
Maybe they just want attention. I'm sure one or more of you guys were correct in your diagnoses. Thanks for the help.

BillGA

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BillGA

01-11-2008 08:54:49

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Re: OT - Help with my old Datsun in reply to BillGA, 01-11-2008 04:28:58

Dell -- You're telling me what I thought (I have a rebuild kit on order), but not what I wanted to hear. I was hoping for a bad ignition switch to change or a dusty ash tray that needed cleaning.
Thanks to the others on the forum for their thoughts. I'm still going to replace some of the sparkie stuff (the condenser does looks funky), but the vacuum hoses look fine. If something does help before the carb rebuild, I'll let you know that you were correct.

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Dell (WA)

01-11-2008 08:39:31

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Re: OT - Help with my old Datsun in reply to BillGA, 01-11-2008 04:28:58

Bill..... ..ya write..... .."it doesn't want to run above about 2,000 RPM. It doesn't much like throttle blipping either"..... ..yer MAINJETS are clogged. The "blippin" jets (acceleration pump jets) are fed by the MAINJETS. Time for a carb rebuilt..... ..Dell

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Duner Wi

01-11-2008 08:17:14

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Re: OT - Help with my old Datsun in reply to BillGA, 01-11-2008 04:28:58

If it was mine I would check the color of the spark. If spark not correct I would replace the condenser.
I try for the cheap easy fast stuff first and then move to the more time consuming and $$$.

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GB in MT.

01-11-2008 06:45:34

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Re: OT - Help with my old Datsun in reply to Colin King, 01-11-2008 04:28:58

Bill;

Ya beat me to the punch, but if fuel has been checked all the way to the carb., My thought was vacume lines..... .Dried out from too much non-use, and having cracks in the rubber at the connections. Also the same lines going to the air canister conections.

I would check those first..... . not last!!!!!

Not a mech., but..... used to be long time owner of a TR3 wide mouth.

Gary :)

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BillGA

01-11-2008 06:37:21

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Re: OT - Help with my old Datsun in reply to BillGA, 01-11-2008 04:28:58

Thanks jeff-oh, but right now it is just a beautiful boat anchor.

I've already checked:
Idle mixture and speed
Fuel pressure and fuel filter condition

Today I will check:
Ignition Timing
Distributor vacuum advance
Cylinder compression tests
Vacuum line connections

I was hoping that the "seldom used" characteristic of this car and the new gas formulations would trigger some thought from this forum about this sudden onset problem.

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jeff-oh

01-11-2008 06:17:01

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Re: OT - Help with my old Datsun in reply to BillGA, 01-11-2008 04:28:58

That a nice looking car.

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