Idle @ 2500??

[Scott Bunn]

What would cause the idle to stay at 2500 rpm ?

[Scott Bunn]

I have got it to drop to 1800 then 1000 by removing and then reattaching the air tube on the throttle body. I was tightening the hose clamp when the engine died and now wont restart. It acts like there isnt any fuel. I confirmed the fuel pump is working by opening the door on the mass air flow meter and getting fuel out of the cold start valve. Why wont it start now???

[Mike W.]

Very high idle is generally caused by false air, ie a vacuum leak. It sounds like you were on your way to correcting that when something gave way causing large amounts of unmetered air in there, meaning the AFM doesn't see any air flow and the injection system doesn't inject any because it doesn't think any air is flowing.

[Scott Bunn]

I have been playing detective for most of the day. I got her to restart after sitting for two days. The idle went back up to 2000. I drove her around the block staying between 1st and 2nd to keep the rpms up. I moved her to the front of the drive way, got under the hood and she died before i could get my hand to the throttle. It was like turning off the ign switch. I changed the maf with the one off of my 77 and rechecked the fuel pump, still no help. She wont even try to turn over. Any Ideas?

[T.Hanson]

Back to basics. It was running, idling too fast. Then it quit and won't turn over at all; as in turn the key: nothing.

Dash lights ? I.e., accessories ? Yes, no, as in yes go to next check, no, trace that problem. Grounds matter. Fuses, starter, solenoid.

Check for spark, and it has to be big/powerful enough. Puny means coil or electronic control unit.

See FAQ on combo relay. That can poop and stop the show.

Check all vacuum lines, big tube under throttle body to valve cover, rubber bellows.

Symptoms before it quit, then simple big stuff: full of gas, battery good, connections clean and tight ( all the wires and braided ground wire ), etc.

Cheech and Chong: Stand in front of car, say, " Okay, you don't start this time I'm going to make a go kart out of you !"

[Scott Bunn]

high idle then dies. it will turn over but wont start. like the coil has been unplugged. I am going to change the coil today and check from there. Its the high idle thats throwing me? cold start valve? should i change that too?

[Scott Bunn]

Changed the coil. checked the points. I found a alarm horn under the air filter box and traced the wiring to a control box behind the glove compartment. I am going to work on removing it... I have power to the coil and have fuel to the rail. Still wont start. It turns over like its missing one of those two.

[cpalmer]

I had the same thing happen last year, and it ended up being my condenser.

Somehow, after I bought my car, and was going through it, the fuel pump went. Fixed that, but then the condenser went. I went crazy for a couple weeks until I put in a new condenser, after a new coil....

Would hope it would be something simple like that for you too.

Good luck.

[Scott Bunn]

I removed all of the old alarm system. None of it cut into the wiring harness, just to a motion sensor and a horn. she still wont start. Cranks over, power to the coil and fuel at the rail. I am going to change the cold start valve tomorrow and go from there.

[Karl in KS]

I removed all of the old alarm system. None of it cut into the wiring harness, just to a motion sensor and a horn. she still wont start. Cranks over, power to the coil and fuel at the rail. I am going to change the cold start valve tomorrow and go from there.

Connect your test light to the - terminal on the coil and ground. It should flash as you crank the engine. If not, your ingition is out.

[Scott Bunn]

I am thinking about getting a fuel pressure guage and checking the pressure at the rail. I know I have fuel there but dont know if its the right pressure. Has any one installed one of these? Where should the guage be?

[Scott Bunn]

http://s328.photobucket.com/albums/l326/77530i/

[GripGreg]

Scott,,,what is that stuff hiding the windows on pg. 5? And it's all over the ground up to your center caps! Oh, look! It's even on the rooftop! Is it gonna take over the world!? OOhhh, I remember something about something called.....snow or something? It looks pretty as long as I don't have to live in it. Good Luck with your electrical issue.
You guessed it,,,,Greg in So. Cali. Great Pix's though.

[DMS]

high idle then dies. it will turn over but wont start. like the coil has been unplugged. I am going to change the coil today and check from there. Its the high idle thats throwing me? cold start valve? should i change that too?

Sounds like you have a huge vacuum leak. So you are running really really lean which makes it nearly impossible to start the engine. Probebly when you try to start it when cold the cold start enrichment makes it possible to get anywhere near the combustable A/F ratio. However when it's warmed up the enrichment is less so it won't start then.

My advise don't look for electrinics but first start with checking all hoses and air measuring/ICV if you have one.

[Scott Bunn]

I have changed both black air boots and cleaned the ground wires under the intake. Cleaned the plugs and replaced the cap and rotor. I put the mass air flow sensor from my 77 onto the 78. I have fuel at the rail and spark at the plugs. where would the air leak be? on the runners? I have the gasgets to replace them but didnt think that they would leak on their own. where else would you check for the air leak?