1.9Dg was fine now very temperamental!

[phinw]

I will totally defer to the far more experienced people on this forum - I'm fixing everything on my van be reading everything on here - but I would encourage you to check all your vacuum tubes and units again. I have just fixed a very similar issue on my DG - rough idle, stalling at junctions, seemed like an air leak but could not find one anywhere. Although the Vac Advance passed the Suck/Blow tests the idling issue on mine got progressively worse - a week later I tried the suck/blow again and low and behold, no vacuum. I surmise it was on the way out but could still hold a vacuum to my asthmatic lungs! Replaced for a new one (generic one from Powerspark on advice from here!) and now runs like a champ! Just a thought, might help.

[ashman]

For what it's worth I have pretty much the same issue on my own DG. Mine is on a Webber carb.
It runs absolutely fine from cold, but if I leave it to idle, from cold, happily on it's own it will eventually 'hunt' and die! This is after the choke comes off. If I drive it from cold then it behaves itself absolutely with no issues at all.
If it is thoroughly warmed up, on a decent journey, and I decide to stop the engine and say, get petrol etc. and come back out and restart it then it behaves itself absolutely with no issues at all.
But..
If I do the same thing and it is thoroughly warmed up, but then leave it parked up for say 10mins, then when I restart it - it will not idle and I have to give it more throttle to keep it running. It runs as lumpy as hell and will not idle at all on it's own. The thing is, after running with it like that for a mile or so (a real challenge and lots of left foot braking!) I can then take my foot off the throttle and it is back to behaving itself again with no idle issues at all!
If I do the same thing from warm and leave it parked up for a longer length of time, then it will fire up again with no issues at all!
Not very helpful I'm afraid, but at least you are not alone

Ashley

[PeteandNikki]

Well, latest instalment! After barely touching the damned thing for 3-weeks due to being extremely busy with work and extremely frustrated, I finally braved it again today.

I had decided to eliminate another component from the puzzle and ordered a new dizzy and coil from powerspark. Devil of a task to get the o-ring past the clamp but finally got dizzy inserted and swapped the coil, only to find that the connections are Din type and not piin as per my leads. Quick look on the powerspark(Simon BBC) website and order a set of HT leads with a note that they are for the dizzy and coil as supplied. Delivery 2-day’s later with connections as per existing pin type so still no further. Email powerspark to explain and I’m told that there are no leads for the Din type cap and coil as supplied!! Please send back the cap and coil and will swap for correct ones.

This morning my other half reminds me that I’ve promised to take one of her friend’s son and his mates to school prom on Monday in the camper.

Ok. No choice but to try and sort today.
First thing I tried to swap the dizzy cap and coil for the old ones and use the new dizzy but the bus was having none of that and would not start. I decided to go back to the original set up so put all the old stuff back on and it started straight up and ticked over beautifully! Left it running for 15-mins which was long enough for the fan to cut in and the noisy tappet to quieten.
Take it for a 15 minute run with no problems at junctions and return running sweetly. Turn off- leave 1/2 min- re-start and .....aaarrghh!!!! Back to square one. Running rough even with a bit of throttle but, let foot off the throttle and instant death. Absolutely refuses to tick over.

Somebody must have the answer.please!!!

[CJH]

When it won't tick over, it might be worth checking that you have power to the idle shut-off valve. With the ignition on, either pull the connection off and use a voltmeter to check that it has 12V, or touch it on the shut-off valve and listen for the characteristic 'click'. In fact the click test is better because even if you have power you might have a faulty valve, and the click sound will confirm that it's working. I can't explain why this would be fine initially but faulty after a restart, but it's worth checking anyway to eliminate it.

[937carrera]

I think you are making the assumption that when the van idles it is working correctly and when it dies it isn't.

Reverse the logic so that when the van dies it does so because there isn't enough air & fuel to maintain an idle. Does that change your approach?

Increase the idle speed screw, what I think you'll find is that it will then idle, but when cold the idle will be "too fast". Once you get to that point, you can then recheck ignition timing and look at how the fast idle is set up and adjust it.

There's something else going on, but it might be easier to find when the van will idle

[PeteandNikki]

So what changes?
Start from cold it’ll warm up and run fine, blip the throttle, Rev high and back off, drive and stop, all ok and it’ll return to a nice even tickover, but the minute you turn ignition off and re-start then it’s all to "cock"!

[937carrera]

We still don't know - but you at least have a chance of having a van that will run correctly after a restart and be usable

Better to be ignorant of the fault with a running van, than one which isn't running

Do this and you may be reducing the number of faults from three to one, if it doesn't work you have learnt something and can always revert to todays settings

[PeteandNikki]

Ok. Tomorrow’s task. Start from cold and take for a run to warm up, return home,turn off, re-start with assisistant to tickle throttle, adjust fast idle till it ticks over then re- check timing etc. Report back.

[PeteandNikki]

Well I guess there may not be many people looking at this right now as it’s a nice sunny Sunday and I’m informed there are some sporting things going on also!

But, here’s today’s report.
Engine Started this morning and ticked over nicely until the choke came off and then the engine died.
Connected gunson tester and timing light, re-started and only way it’ll tickover is with the throttle wedged at about 1350rpm. Timing is fine. Took off air filter and looking down into the carb then the butterfly flap is wide open so ok no choke. Remove throttle wedge and run around to engine to tweak throttle there. If I restrict the air at the butterfly flap point then the revs pick up and it’ll idle better, so I’m assuming that makes it run richer. Check mixture on the gunson and it’s about 2.2% thats slightly rich already so it can’t be running lean.
Just as a point of interest.if I look down into the 2nd barrel then I see the other butterfly flap is closed, when would that open? it doesn’t when I rev the engine.

[CJH]

The secondary throttle won't open unless the engine is under load.

Did you check that the idle shut off valve was still operating when it wouldn't idle? The shut-off valve should have a permanent ignition live - when it's open it lets a small dribble of fuel past the closed throttle flap to allow the engine to idle. It's not unheard of for the wires to the carb/choke/heater etc to be put back incorrectly after a rebuild, say, so that the idle shut-off valve power supply shuts off once the engine is warm whereas some other part (that doesn't need power when warm) continues to have a live feed.

So when it won't idle, turn the ignition on, pull the wire off the shut-off valve, and then listen for the click when you reconnect the wire - if it clicks then it's opening as it should.

[PeteandNikki]

I’m at the van now. Ignition on, pull off spade connector to cut-off. Nothing. Replace, nothing. There is a small spark between connections indicating a current but no click!

[PeteandNikki]

Removed the shut-off valve put a fly wire on the terminal, connected to battery and earthed the body to the other battery terminal. No click to begin with but after 1/2 doz dabs on and of and its clicking like a good,n. Re fit and engine is running sweet again. Is it faulty or was it sticking. Probably best to get a new one anyway? Carb is less than 12-months old so it should have been good!

[CJH]

Is it faulty or was it sticking. Probably best to get a new one anyway? Carb is less than 12-months old so it should have been good!

Good question - they're pretty reliable in my limited experience. But they're normally quite expensive as a stand-alone item, so I wonder if the new replacement carbs are using a different (cheaper) part. Do you still have your old carb, and would the shut-off valve be a direct swap?

[PeteandNikki]

I’m going to take a look at the old carb this afternoon, it’s in storage at my new house I’ll be moving to next month.
Looking back at it now, It all makes sense. The symptoms always seemed fuel based but I couldn’t get my head around the fact that switching the engine off a re-starting caused a problem ,indicating an ignition/electrical issue.
Of course it was both!

Hopefully that’s the end of that particular issue! I’ll report back if not.
A big thanks to everybody that took the time and interest to post suggestions and help.

[PeteandNikki]

Quick update.

Tried the start the engine again after 5-mins and no go. Pulled the connection to the valve and no click again.

I’ve just returned after removing the old valve from the old carb. Tested it and it’s a much more definite ‘click! ‘ than the Brosol one was when it worked. Swapped them over and now it’s perfect every time and the engine is running noticeably smoother.
It’ll be interesting to see whether JK will entertain a free replacement.