idle/power issue

[vntned]

Just bought an '85 GLH HO. it wont idle and it has no power. it will do the speed limit but on hills it just bogs down and if you drop a gear it just maintains speed but will not accelerate. It somewhat stumbles if you floor it and will pull better if you let off the throttle a little bit. whats wrong?

[sundancenut2000]

isnt that carbed? if so, rebuild the carb for 25 or so bucks, and u should be happy. my buddy has a carbed 84 minivan that had similar issues and he had me rebuild his carb for him and no problems since.

[Jack's Dodge]

Add a tune up to the list, and maybe another HEP. Is your car putting out any codes?

[turbovanman]

Check your ignition and cam timing, fuel filter, fuel pressure/volume and obviously tune-up items-in that order. The timing sounds retarded, or its running lean. One more option might be a plugged cat but then it would idle fine,

[Kowalski]

It sounds like something is broken. It's probably somthing in the ignition or the fuel system.

If you do the a small amount of work to troubleshoot, maybe everyone could help you more.

[Hemi-K]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack's Dodge Add a tune up to the list, and maybe another HEP. Is your car putting out any codes?

You will not get any codes via a check engine light as there isn't one. The carb cars don't store codes. There is a DTC connector under the hood, but you will need a scan tool to see what is going on. Basically all you can check for is how the o2 sensor is responding, what the timing curve is, how much manifold vacuum there is, if the car is at idle, the idle speed, if the carb's duty cycle solenoid is functioning, and in the case of a shelby or glh, if the knock sensor is functioning.


Sounds to me like the car was sitting for a long time. The fuel filter may be clogged, the fuel pickup inside the tank may be clogged, the fuel pump diaphragm may be pinholed causing lower than required fuel pressure, or the carb itself is clogged. I am inclined to think it is the last one. If the car was just parked and not stored correctly, I bet the carb is all plugged up with sediment and whatever else there was of the old gas. Gas starts to separate into its components in just a couple of months, so ALWAYS use a gas stabilizer when storing a car long term.

Either get a good solvent tank and a rebuild kit, or send it out to a reputable shop to get rebuilt, or exchange it for a remanufactured one at the parts store. Make sure you get the correct numbered one if you do the reman, because the GLH is jetted differently than a regular Omni carb. Thats how you get your 110HP out of the 2.2HO, well that and a few other tricks, but the carb is a big part of it.

[Hemi-K]

Quote:

Originally Posted by turbovanman Check your ignition and cam timing, fuel filter, fuel pressure/volume and obviously tune-up items-in that order. The timing sounds retarded, or its running lean. One more option might be a plugged cat but then it would idle fine,

I don't think it would be the Cat. It is probably running lean due to fuel starvation, either from a plugged filter or the carb itself is all mucked up. I bet the car was just parked and not stored the correct way.

[turbovanman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hemi-K I don't think it would be the Cat. It is probably running lean due to fuel starvation, either from a plugged filter or the carb itself is all mucked up. I bet the car was just parked and not stored the correct way.

Thats what I said, I doubt its a cat as it doesn't idle. Plugged cats 99% of the time will still let the car idle.