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Re: newbie mechanic needs help

To: "Amy & Erik" <apotter@mn.rr.com>, <datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: newbie mechanic needs help
From: "Kyle Hagemann" <kwhcpa@addler.net>
Date: Mon, 23 Oct 2000 08:30:56 -0700
From: "Amy & Erik" <apotter@mn.rr.com>

> Or should that be wannabe mechanic?  I cannot get my car to start.
> Car de-smogged 2L1600, Last ran about 2 months ago. Would die due to lots of
> sediment in tank, but when it ran, it ran nicely.  Got a new (gas tank renu)
> tank, new modern fuel filter, new fuel pump diaphram, cleaned out the
> screens in the banjo bolts.  Checked the oil in the pistons, all is fine.
> Gas is making it to the carbs, I can see it dripping through the filter.  I
> bypassed the glass bowl.
> It started but was running only on the #3 and 4 cylinders. New plugs this
> week.  The wires are in the correct firing order, plug gap is fine, yellow
> spark shows on all 4.  New cap, rotor points and coil last spring.  A slight
> amount of what looks like soot, or powder on the inside of the cap.
> Now I cannot get it to start.  It will catch ever so slightly then die with
> the occasional backfire.  It will have a lumpy idle like it is running on 1
> cylinder, then die in seconds.  The only other thing I can report is the
> black liquid sooty stuff being spit out the tailpipe, and the plugs were
> slightly damp, indicating what?  Too rich, flooded?  What else should I be
> looking at?
> Erik Smeby
> 2L 1600 running about as well as my 0L 2000

Hi Eric-

Yellow spark is 'weak' spark; BLUE is where it's at, baby, YEAH!  Not that
that's necessarily the problem - the low spark could be from the load from
the starter.

Others have suggested the carbs, and that's a good place to start.  Turn both
adjustment knobs all the way in, then back out one turn.  Jack the idle screws
open a ways, and have at it.  Don't use the choke until you've cranked it 
quite a bit; I've found that Datsun 4's don't need a lot of choking.

It would also help to set your timing to 0 BTDC, or maybe even a degree or two
AFTER TDC.

HTH
Kyle


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