Running, but no power

[cetesse]

Hi all,
I have an 1983 Series III 109 with the 2.25L petrol engine.

We've had it about 3 years now and fixed a lot. For the last few months its been running like a champ. Sunday was cleaning up the yard, driving around, and throwing branches, etc.. in the back.

Then all of sudden it died. Actually thought I might have been out of fuel. Filled it back up the next day.

It will barely idle, when I give it gas, it sounds like its gasping for air in the carburator. In fact it only runs with the air filter hose off right now. Audio of it running attached.

Audio attached

http://www.smartyshortz.com/LR%20Series%20III%20engine.m4a

Appreciate any thoughts -- oh I did check the filter on the electric pump clean gas in it, no sediment, etc...

Finally, a list below of everything that been done and various types of stuff....

Sincerely,
Chris


A list of things we've fixed over time:
9/1/09 new battery
Oct-09 new clutch slave cylinder
new starter
new ignitor
new starter relay
new tires
1/1/10 fixed fuse and got electronics to work
drained and refilled both differentials
replaced rear right reflector
replaced fuel sender and got fuel gauge to work
3/1/10 fully drained and replaced transmission and t-case fluid
replaced main shaft nut
replaced shifter shaft, ball, hi-lo ball, numerous screws on floor
5/15/10 replaced 4 plugs and 5 wires
rebuilt fuel pump (new electric pump)
7/30/10 replaced all driving and signaling lights
banged out right hand side fender
replaced fuel line from tank to manual pump
8/14/10 added electric fuel pump
8/19/10 rebuilt weber 34 ich carb
added rear mud flaps
Oct 18, 2010 replaced fuel tank and all lines
DUCELLIER distributor, added Pertronix ep-142 electronic ignition with Flame Thrower coil (40511)
replaced pump jet on carb with 76407055 (note the 55)
11/20/10 Installed Pertronix EP-142 and Flame Thrower Distributor
Installed new pump jet on Weber 34ICH carb
12/23/10 Found that 4 out of 8 valves were stuck open or closed
removed the head and had it rebuilt
5/1/11 re-installed head
BAFFLE PLATE ROCKERS 2.25 AND 2.5 PETROL - ERC9278 - £1.90 2 £3.80
5/16 INCH SPRING WASHER. - WM600051L -* £0.04 2 £0.08 *
BOLT FOR ROCKER BRACKET 2.25 PETROL - 525500 -* £0.56 1 £0.56 *
LOCATING BOLT ROCKER SHAFT 2.5D NA 2.5DT 2.5 PET. AND 2.25 SUFFIX C ON - ETC4460 - * £1.41 2 £2.82 *
AIR INTAKE HOSE PETROL 2.25 LITRE AND 2.6 LITRE. - 517903 - £7.27 1 £7.27
8/24/11 Re did timing
Oil Change
Testing directionals
New heater control valve
Various new hoses
Greased the spindles

*** been running since August

[yorker]

A list of things we've fixed over time:
9/1/09 new battery
Oct-09 new clutch slave cylinder
new starter
new ignitor
new starter relay
new tires
1/1/10 fixed fuse and got electronics to work
drained and refilled both differentials
replaced rear right reflector
replaced fuel sender and got fuel gauge to work
3/1/10 fully drained and replaced transmission and t-case fluid
replaced main shaft nut
replaced shifter shaft, ball, hi-lo ball, numerous screws on floor
5/15/10 replaced 4 plugs and 5 wires
rebuilt fuel pump (new electric pump)
7/30/10 replaced all driving and signaling lights
banged out right hand side fender
replaced fuel line from tank to manual pump
8/14/10 added electric fuel pump
8/19/10 rebuilt weber 34 ich carb
added rear mud flaps

I'd check the Weber again, it doesn't take much to plug them up.

[cetesse]

ugh -- figured it out. Since I purchased Bessie (my wife's nickname for her) I've often thought about replacing the severely hacked up positive battery terminal (the bolt on part) --- had to keep tightening more and more each time.

humm.... guess what was severely loose, and therefore not supplying enough power.....

[Revtor]

Well Chris, I'm glad you found that loose cable but I'd be suprised if that was causing your symptoms... If it wouldn't turn over or barely would run the starter, then okay, but once the engine is running, it should run. Unless your gen/alternator is shot and there is no power available to charge the coil....

let us know how you get on w/this!!!

~Steve

[Jeff Aronson]

I'm with Steve. A loose cable will stop the car from starting and will only stop it from running if the battery connection shorts out [don't ask me how I know this]. If removing the air hose from the oil bath filter let the car run, check the inside of that hose. The rubber inner surface can separate and actually stop air from reaching the carb. The car will die on acceleration.
Also, a bad condenser will stop it from accelerating too, but since it ran fine, it's unlikely to have failed suddenly.

Webers are great carbs but they are more finicky when one of their tiny jets get plugged. If the symptoms remain, remove the 4 screws that hold the top cover of the carb in place. Peer down into the bowl - do you see reddish flakes at the bottom of the bowl. If so, you should remove those tiny jets with a screwdriver and spray carb cleaner through them and through the orifices they screw into. Also, check the screw in jet on the valve cover side of the carb body and the mixture jet on the side facing the bulkhead.

Lastly, remember you have another filter at the entry point for fuel into the carb itself - it's a 3/4" brass nut on the bottom of the carb throat. Remove that nut and a small cylindrical filter will fall out. Check it for dirt, too.

Jeff

[giftshopduane]

He's have to have a ton of crap in his system to have his carb pack it in, sounds like this truck is pretty well maintained, my money is on spark cut, I've seen some horror stories involving Webers and they still functioned well enough, i'm not dismissing fuel but sounds more like weak spark to me..

but he did say he fixed it.

[osajaj]

I am having the same problem and posted a few weeks ago. Idle is a bit crappy but not the worst. Replaced the spark plugs, cleaned carb including jets, new rotor. Going to replace the points this week. Problem lies when I gas her she chokes out and stalls. Jeff sounds like you had this problem before.

[cetesse]

A couple of notes on my situation:
1) I did end up replacing the spark-plugs as well
2) and I did end up unscrewing the idle jet all the way, cleaning it off & rescrewing it back in to the Weber tuning specs

Still didn't run until I replaced the positive terminal.

Spent 3 hours driving her around the farm on Saturday hauling brush and pulling out "autumn olive trees" (nasty weed hedges

No problems (knock on wood)!

[cetesse]

Hi All,
Well I spoke too soon. After running for an hour on Wednesday, she died again.

Is it possible for an idle mixture screw to back it self out?

I just tightened back 5 turns, but swear when I had her running it was only 2 total turns from all the way in.

So I screw her all the way in, out 2 turns. And she starts???

[giftshopduane]

Is the tension spring still on the air mix screw? 5 is too many.. should be 2-2.5 turns. I've also seen Webers with neat little felt gaskets around the idle mix too.

1 screw in until idle drops and runs rough but not stall
2 back out SLOWLY until idle is at its highest with no increase.
3 turn in 1/4 turn

this is a general guideline assuming all other components are healthy, its not gospel but a good starting point.

Its a good sign you did get to run it for as long as you did.. have you checked out the leads out of your ignition switch? Check/replace ground strap too.

[cetesse]

Yes tension spring is still on the air mix screw. The choke is completely open, ie. vertical.

Will check the other leads.

It seems like I get the weber tuned just right. Then after a 8 hours of heavy driving around the farm one day. And another an hour a couple of days later. She dies and I have to re-adjust the idle mixture screw....

[bkreutz]

You might try putting a drop of paint on the intersection of the adjustment screw and the hole. That would keep it from moving. Seems like that might solve things if all you do to get it running properly is to readjust. Worth a shot IMO