Carburetor spring replacements

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8es.tercel
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My tercel:: 1984 Tecel 4wd wagon completely stock 127k
Location: Amarillo Tx

Carburetor spring replacements

Post by 8es.tercel »

Recently went to rebuild my carb and found it was missing two springs. One was the spring for the pump disc. ball, the other was for the aux check ball. Looking through fj forums I found the medium sized spring (aux check) can be made from cutting down a click pen's spring to about half an inch. Then I figured out after a few take apart and put togethers that the spring out of a bic lighter will work for the smallest spring (pump disc) if cut down to about half the length of the brass screw that holds it in. You can force the top coil a bit open and it will grab the end of the brass screw just right. I didn't think about pictures before I was done, and I won't take it apart again because it's running so good. But if like me you had some missing from a shoddy repairman you can make new ones. Break open a empty lighter the springs in there.
Mint 84Tercel, Clean 85 4x4 pickup, Project 73 Corona MarkII s/w
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Carburetor spring replacements

Post by Petros »

are you sure there should be springs behind those check balls?

It may get a spring, but there are also usually some check balls (look like shiny ball bearings) that do not get backrf up by a spring. they just go in their seat loose, trapped in their position, and operates by the fluid flow. Open in one direction, and if the fuel back flows, it pushes the ball into its seat sealing it off. that is how check valves work.

They get a spring if their default position is closed, so with no flow they are also sealed off.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
8es.tercel
Newbie
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Feb 17, 2018 7:54 pm
My tercel:: 1984 Tecel 4wd wagon completely stock 127k
Location: Amarillo Tx

Re: Carburetor spring replacements

Post by 8es.tercel »

Yeah, I can read the exploded diagram better than whoever tried rebuilding it previously. The spring numbers are 65 and 70. Someone lost them in the last rebuild I'm assuming because they were just straight up missing, but the check balls were still there. You're half right though a couple check balls don't have springs behind them. I did the complete rebuild on it all new seals on everything, the kit was only $33.
Mint 84Tercel, Clean 85 4x4 pickup, Project 73 Corona MarkII s/w
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Carburetor spring replacements

Post by Petros »

just checking, a spring is required if shown in the overhaul manual.

this actually goes to show all of us, on a car this old, do not assume that the car is supposed to be the way you found it. I have often assisted other forum member, or have bought used ones, that had all of the vac lines misrouted and it ran like crap. the sellers even claimed they had shop work on it but could not get it to run right, said it needed a new carb or something, when the vac lines were all switched around. Another time a seller told me it needed a carb rebuild, but I found nine vac leaks or misrouted vac lines. It ran fine once I corrected the vac lines and adjusted the carb, no rebuild required.

on a car this old even so-called "professional" mechanics do not want to verify details and make mistakes all of the time. that is why many of them hate working on older cars, it means they have to look up specification to actually work on it correctly.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
8es.tercel
Newbie
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Feb 17, 2018 7:54 pm
My tercel:: 1984 Tecel 4wd wagon completely stock 127k
Location: Amarillo Tx

Re: Carburetor spring replacements

Post by 8es.tercel »

No doubt. After seeing what was going on, I was like and this is why it only gets 10mpg. The gas mileage looks to have about doubled. After my next fill up I'll be able to gauge what it actually is.
Mint 84Tercel, Clean 85 4x4 pickup, Project 73 Corona MarkII s/w
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Carburetor spring replacements

Post by Petros »

you should be getting about 26-27 city driving (if you drive it gently), and about 30-32 hwy. I have gotten as much as 34 when you could still buy pure gasoline, not ethanol blend.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
8es.tercel
Newbie
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Feb 17, 2018 7:54 pm
My tercel:: 1984 Tecel 4wd wagon completely stock 127k
Location: Amarillo Tx

Re: Carburetor spring replacements

Post by 8es.tercel »

Right on, I'll keep that in mind next fill up. I'm going to have to sort out the idle mixture I think. It smells rich and I'm assuming can't possibly be right with all the other things wrong inside. Runs really good off idle, but kind of has a rough idle when cold. I think when it warms up it has enough heat to burn the extra gas it's getting at idle, but not first thing in the morning.
Mint 84Tercel, Clean 85 4x4 pickup, Project 73 Corona MarkII s/w
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Petros
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Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Carburetor spring replacements

Post by Petros »

older cars with carbs were always a bit rough when cold, we have been spoiled by fuel injected cars. It is normal to be a bit baulky right after start up, but after about 30 sec to one min of low reves usually drives okay, and fully normal by about 3-5 min. of driving.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
8es.tercel
Newbie
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Feb 17, 2018 7:54 pm
My tercel:: 1984 Tecel 4wd wagon completely stock 127k
Location: Amarillo Tx

Re: Carburetor spring replacements

Post by 8es.tercel »

Yeah. My Weber on my 85 pick-up has spoiled me. It runs tight whether it's -10° or 100°. I don't really want to Weber this one, and it does only take about 30 seconds to a minute to get it's idle right so maybe it's not as bad as I think.
Mint 84Tercel, Clean 85 4x4 pickup, Project 73 Corona MarkII s/w
User avatar
Petros
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Posts: 11930
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Carburetor spring replacements

Post by Petros »

the factory carb on these Tercels run well and are reliable, they do take some maintenance. most of the trouble with the fuel and emissions systems are from the federally mandated vac operated junk to meet emissions standards. but most of those are actually simple and easy to check, or repair if necessary. so make sure the vac lines are all routed properly and not leaky, cracked or dangling free. Set the spark timing at 10 deg BTDC rather than the crappy factory (emissions) setting of 5 deg, and clean and adjust the carb per the FSM and it usually runs fine.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
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