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Devac Write Up.


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#31
anassa

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QUOTE (harm @ Feb 23 2008, 01:00 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
glad to help. I don't post much - mostly because it's too stupid-cold here to work on the car, even in a (stupid-cold) garage. I'll definitely be referencing this thread during the next couple months while attempting a de-vac myself, and I'm definitely thankful to not be working on my DD.. note the CRX gets the garage, the DD (supposed to be my "nice car" but no longer my favorite) sits outside in the cold. :b


lol, at least the crx seems to be getting the proper care, well anyway it seems that i have a vac leak, and its probably causing all my problems, but still i didn't much time this weekend to work on it, so hopefully next weekend i can get it funning fully.. . . . its taking so damn long, never again mad.gif
Someday my car will look as clean and sexy as this:


-1997 318ti DD

-1989 240sx sold on CL

-1985 CRX DX, sold to Justin

-1985 CRX Si, sold to Indyman.

-1991 CRX Si, totaled in the mountains, RIP

#32
anassa

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So here is a pic of my current engine bay. I just have two random questions.

1. What is the plug wire thingy that is on the carb intake bowl? in the picture its circled in just green

2. When i try to start it to see how its going some smoke comes from this pipe, its circled in green and red.




I've tried to find a vac leak but i can't seem to find it anywhere, i wonder how it started so good a week ago, well this weekend i want to see if i can get a hold of a timing light and see if the timing is off and try to adjust accordingly. Wish me luck
Someday my car will look as clean and sexy as this:


-1997 318ti DD

-1989 240sx sold on CL

-1985 CRX DX, sold to Justin

-1985 CRX Si, sold to Indyman.

-1991 CRX Si, totaled in the mountains, RIP

#33
anassa

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QUOTE (DarkHand @ Feb 23 2008, 12:13 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Intermittent idle sounds like a vacuum leak somewhere to me, they're a female dog to track down. smile.gif


Easy as pie! Get yourself a timing light and start here: http://www.redpepper...25/abf.png.html Hard to track down a carb problem without having your timing set.




this may sound dumb, but how am supposed to check the timing like the diagram says if the engine is running like crap? am i supposed to let it run like that till it warms up? also it dosn't idle at all, it will just die if don't give it some gas.

thanks to all for you patience and help

Edited by anassa, 28 May 2008 - 08:38 PM.

Someday my car will look as clean and sexy as this:


-1997 318ti DD

-1989 240sx sold on CL

-1985 CRX DX, sold to Justin

-1985 CRX Si, sold to Indyman.

-1991 CRX Si, totaled in the mountains, RIP

#34
DarkHand

QUOTE (anassa @ Mar 8 2008, 02:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
So here is a pic of my current engine bay. I just have two random questions.

1. What is the plug wire thingy that is on the carb intake bowl? in the picture its circled in just green

2. When i try to start it to see how its going some smoke comes from this pipe, its circled in green and red.



1. That's the intake air temp sensor. With no emissions equipment it's useless.

2. That's the EGR pipe, you've got straight exhaust coming out there. I capped it off using 2 little nuts and bolts, the original gasket, and some scrap sheet metal. The right way to do it would be to remove the entire pipe and cap it at the exhaust manifold, but it hasn't bothered me enough yet. smile.gif

QUOTE (anassa @ Mar 8 2008, 02:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I've tried to find a vac leak but i can't seem to find it anywhere, i wonder how it started so good a week ago, well this weekend i want to see if i can get a hold of a timing light and see if the timing is off and try to adjust accordingly. Wish me luck


Vacuum leaks can be very hard to track down. They're not always leaking at a vacuum port, sometimes they can leak at a seal or gasket, too. A notorious place is at the seal between the carb and the black insulator.

A good way to check for vacuum leaks is to spray carb cleaner wherever you suspect there to be a leak. If the idle increases when you spray in a certain spot, the carb cleaner is getting into the engine and combusting, pointing out your leak. Make sure to avoid overspray getting into the carb throat to avoid false positives though.

QUOTE (anassa @ Mar 8 2008, 03:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
this may sound dumb, but how am supposed to check the timing like the diagram says if the engine is running like crap?


Not dumb at all. smile.gif You do need to be at a certain idle speed to properly set the timing, but you can at least get an idea for where the timing is at even without being able to idle. If you're running at say 1500rpm, you should be advanced a certain amount (the service manual should say, can't think of how much advance there is at that speed atm). At least you can spot wild timing variations.

QUOTE (anassa @ Mar 8 2008, 03:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
am i supposed to let it run like that till it warms up? also it dosn't idle at all, it will just die if don't give it some gas.


Dying with your foot off the gas when cold but not when warm is a good sign of a leak too, I've struggled with this one myself.
DarkHand

#35
anassa

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ok quick update, i am basically 100% done with the devac and its running great with a good idle and everything. My next post will hopefully be a detailed version of all that was done and i will make this thread my devac write up thread, its good for others to see my mistakes and what not, i will also edit posts to make sure its easy reading for whoever will need help.

Now i can't test yet for sure if it is 100% done because of cooling problems that i'm having. Thats why i said that i'm "basically" 100% done. As you can see in my Project Thread i was able to take off the front bumper and remove the radiator. I flushed it out and replaced the radiator hoses, and thermostat. It didn't even have a thermostat installed. It just had a emtpy shell of a thermostat. So i put it all back together and started the engine, runs fine but then started to get hot. The two problems are:

- fan's not turning on - i will start to search some other threads on what to do with that, but of course any input is helpful.

- Where the thermostat is located it started to leak coolant, it looked like there was a lot of pressure because I was pretty sure that i tightened the housing well enough. So i could have just not tightened it enough or installed the thermostat wrong . ?. The thermostat is new so i don't think that it could be the problem.


As soon as i fixed these two problems it should be very streetable. Thats why i can't say for sure that the devac is done because i havn't yet been able to drive it around for a while to make sure that nothing else comes up.

The moral of the story . . before the devac make sure everything is working!! fix any known problems before the devac, don't do it if your not sure and definitely not on a daily driver, unless you have enough time set aside to make sure it gets done correctly!!!!

Edited by anassa, 23 March 2008 - 11:06 PM.

Someday my car will look as clean and sexy as this:


-1997 318ti DD

-1989 240sx sold on CL

-1985 CRX DX, sold to Justin

-1985 CRX Si, sold to Indyman.

-1991 CRX Si, totaled in the mountains, RIP

#36
Madkore

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QUOTE
- fan's not turning on -


Either your fanswitch is not hooked up, or you have a bad fanswitch.

You could also have a bad fan motor, but that is rare.

There should be an electrical sensor in the bottom of the radiator.
It should have two wires attached to it.
This sensor tells the fan when to turn on.
You could try making a small fanswitch bypass wire to join the two wires to check your fan operation.
This will make the fan run all the time, but at least you could drive the car.

As for the leak, you may want to make sure the gasket is seated properly, and that the thermostat is the right side up.

Congrats on the successful devac.

Good Luck fixing the cooling problems.

MK
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Well thank God for that, 'cause if I wasn't, this would probably have never worked.

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#37
Texrex

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QUOTE
- fan's not turning on - i will start to search some other threads on what to do with that, but of course any input is helpful.


That sensor on the bottom of the radiator is fairly cheap and easy to replace.

As for carb devac stuff I can't believe no one has mentioned the float bowl in this entire post. Having the level set in the right spot is pretty important to a good running carb. Always adjust the float level while the car is running and do it slowly cause it takes a second for the fuel level to change. For people that have problems with flooding, again, check the float level. Sometimes the float can get stuck open and just dump fuel into the intake causing the motor to flood. I've fixed that problem multiple times by tapping on the float bowl side of the carb with the handle of a big screwdriver till the damn thing comes unstuck. This is also a good reaon to rebuild your carb. It only takes a little piece of junk that makes it from the gas tank to make your float all sticky.

I just so happen to be the guy that bought CRXfanatics famous devaced carb from him and like he said I bolted it up and my motor fired right up. I did however tweak things here and there to get it running better. Make any carb adjustments easy by getting the motor running however you can and letting it warm up first. This will give you a way better idea of how its going to run when your actually driving it. Make your adjustments only after you've gotten the motor warm and running. The air cleaner will be in your way so pull that before you play.

First - Curb idle, the screw that adjusts the stop where the accelerator cable connects to the carb is there to set the lowest spot for idle. You want some play in that cable. If it is too loose you motor will die when it warms up. Too tight and it will just idle too high always.

Second - The Idle screw- use That one to set the idle where you want it to be. It is on the right side of the carb when you are facing it under the hood. Devac does some wierd crap to the way all the adjustments work and some no longer work afterwards cause they are not connected to the vacuum anymore. duh. Make sure you are turning the right screw and you are paying attention to where it started before you meddled with it.

Third - Fast idle- should be left open (no caps!) and left alone. When you start your car from a cold start it should idle high like 2,000 to 3,000 rpms. It should, as the motor warms up, slowly decrease in rpms till it is at idle. If you start the car and let it run it should climb real high (3,000 rpm) and eventually come down to 700-800 where it is supposed to be. (Remember that 700-800 is with the headlights on and the heater cranked all the way up. It will be higher if the lights and fan are turned off.) Once you see that your temp gauge is above the cold mark you can accelerate to OVER 3000 rpms and let off the gas and that should disengage the fast idle. Sometimes if it won't fast idle at all and keeps stalling when you are trying to get your motor started, you can put two vac hoses on the fast idle and cover one and suck on the other to engage/disengage fast idle. You can also just hold the accelerator mechanism with your hand to keep the idle high while you play with settings or let it warm up if you don't have a buddy to do the gas pedal for you. You really need your motor warm to set things properly.

Fourth - Carb cleaner- Everywhere and everything on the carb can use a dose and sometimes but not always can fix a problem you didn't know you had by simply cleaning things up a bit. Especially down the throat.

Fifth - The caps you use to block ports on the carb can break. The black rubber ones can develop cracks and break in invisible ways. Check em and then double check em and if in any doubt just replace them if you have vacuum problems. I used some silicone lines to replace the ones CRXFanatic had on his carb and have had no problems. Haven't had too many issues with the caps but have had some break on the intake manifold. Some of the caps will get pushed on instead of pulled from vacuum. Use a zip tie on any of them that blow off.

Sixth - You can leave the charcoal can on your car and leave the line coming FROM the carb attached no worries. I think I cut the one going to the carb and stuck a golf tee in it. Plastic golf tees make great line plugs! Steal one from your dad.

Seventh- The distributor advance- The bottom line needs the vacuum. Top one stays open.
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#38
squareback

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Thanks!!! That was one of the best additions to any of these devac threads. Much appreciated.

Mike
No power . . . no weight

#39
CarolinaCRX

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1st of all.........THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, to all who have contributed to this thread! I now have a carb I can work with and it runs SOOOOOooooo much better! biggrin.gif biggrin.gif

The yellow painted screw on top controls the fuel level in carb so it is best not to mess with it unless you have to adjust the level to correct an abnormal fuel level. Turning CLOCKWISE will lower the fuel level, and turning COUNTERCLOCKWISE will raise the fuel level in the sight glass. Make SURE you only turn about it about 1/8 of a turn and WAIT about 30 seconds before adjusting again. This MUST be done while the car is running and level for you to get an accurate reading in the sight glass.

The above paragraph will help you adjust your fuel level to align in the sight glass like it should, but remember it will only work if your float valve is working properly and the valve is not corroded or gummed-up. Running two cans of "Seafoam" in a fulll tank of gas seemed to help mine clean up pretty well before I adjusted anything. Again thanks to all who have contributed to this thread and hopefully I have helped someone in return. biggrin.gif
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#40
Dadd

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QUOTE (CarolinaCRX @ Apr 21 2008, 07:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
The yellow painted screw on top controls the fuel level in carb so it is best not to mess with it unless you have to adjust the level to correct an abnormal fuel level. Turning CLOCKWISE will lower the fuel level, and turning COUNTERCLOCKWISE will raise the fuel level in the sight glass. Make SURE you only turn about it about 1/8 of a turn and WAIT about 30 seconds before adjusting again. This MUST be done while the car is running and level for you to get an accurate reading in the sight glass.



THANK YOU!!!!

Finally figured out why my carb was loading up.
Laugh if you want, it runs

#41
squareback

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Just wanted to add my latest experience with my devac. I had been having problems with the car since doing the devac, but I knew they were ignition related, not vacuum related. I got the ignition system fixed, and the car fired right up. I used CRXfanatic's pictures as a guide and capped my carb exactly like that. The car runs excellent, and I only had to adjust the idle a bit; however, I have discovered some minor issues with the cooling system. Once that's fixed, the car should run like a champ. In light of what has been noted in the last few posts, I should say that my car only has 79K on it, so the carb should be in good working order. A well-used carb may need a rebuild anyway.
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#42
CarolinaCRX

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QUOTE (Dadd @ May 7 2008, 02:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
THANK YOU!!!!

Finally figured out why my carb was loading up.


You are Very welcome! biggrin.gif
Every day of life is a gift...........live it that way.

#43
squareback

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Just to update . . . I got the cooling issues fixed, and now the car runs perfectly. Starts well, idles right, runs nicely. Once again, all I did was follow the port capping pictures, adjust the idle, and it was done. Had I started with a perfect cooling system, this devac process could have been done in just an afternoon.

Thanks to everyone who has responded here.

Hey, Anassa, how is yours going?
No power . . . no weight

#44
anassa

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UPDATE!!!!! I still need to go through this thread and add more info and pics (whatever other info i can scavenge up from other RPR threads) to make it complete, and i am still not 100% officially done.

Thanks for asking squareback, and thanks for updating the thread.

So the news was that i was getting VERY frustrated at my car and the carb for working so inconsistently, it would startup at times and seem to run perfectly, other times it was just a total disaster.

Hint of the problem: White smoke has a lot to do with it, and i should have recognized it earlier.

Well i finally decided screw it, i'm just going to take the piece of crap carb off and rebuild or clean it or something and hopefully that will solve my problems. At first i couldn't take all the bolts off the carb because the left back one was annoying to get. This lead me to see how an inadequate collection of random tools i had. I bought a turny thing that was a huge help for getting the annoying bolt off.

Pic of turny thing, and some simple green, i'm gunna scrub that engine bay totally clean (will update on project thread when i do)




So i got the carb off and this is what i saw:




Coolant was leaking into the manifold!!!!!! ya i know its kinda dumb, and i should have noticed by the white smoke that it was that.

All the symptoms of what i had wrong and not wrong seems to fit perfectly. So thats all it is, coolant was leaking into the intake manifold, fouling up the plugs and messing up how it ran.

Of course i still have to clean it up and see if it fixes the problems and runs good. Will update when i got more news. Again, if you have any advise at all i encourage you to please add to this thread.

Edited by anassa, 28 May 2008 - 08:40 PM.

Someday my car will look as clean and sexy as this:


-1997 318ti DD

-1989 240sx sold on CL

-1985 CRX DX, sold to Justin

-1985 CRX Si, sold to Indyman.

-1991 CRX Si, totaled in the mountains, RIP

#45
StukThrtl

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Is there a visible tear in the rubber from the coolant to the intake chamber? Can't see from the picture. I did not devac, just looking at the thread. But when i went through my carb, there was still a bit of pressure build up in the cooling system and mine looked like your pictures. If there is no tear or wear, it should be ok cause when you tighten down the carb, the ridge seals the chamber off. That coolant is to help heat the car up in cold weather.