1984 Tercel ( 3A engine ) Starting problems / Hard start hlp

[scouttster]

Car is somewhat starting..
She cranks and sounds good, I sprayed starter fluid and I was able to get it to turn over, but I have to keep pumping the throttle, but once I stop pumping it stall right out. Plus, no power when I step on it - she bogs right down.. ( also note, suctioned out the old fuel and put new fuel in it / Fuel pump is working and sending fuel, no prob ) Car was sitting for 2 years..
Evap / charcoal canister has 3 ports, I noticed one of the hoses was completely melted or deformed.. 2 center ones were fine, the outer one was melted/deformed. Will replace that hose - will it make a diff?
I Did a compression test on the motor with the carb off. 3A motor.. ( Took it off figuring I will do a clean out on it. )
(cyl 1) 200 (cyl 2) 210 (cyl 3) 205 (cyl 4) 200 My compression is high and I don't know what to make of that.. Someone on another forum mentioned that maybe the car had a previous top-end job or maybe its from carbon build-up.. Car is in good shape, hate to trash it.. FL car.. Any advise is appreciated.

[Neu]

The Compression is fine I think, I'd chalk it up to your carb, or vacuum related. It could be the evap, go ahead and replace the hoses/anything not up to par on it.

When I replaced my engine I had some carb troubles stemming from me being a dipshit. I put that vacuum rail holder thing UNDERNEATH the carb, where it bolted down...and that was 10-20 minutes of "Weird..this is weird" then I noticed it.

[ARCHINSTL]

A number of folks have mentioned melted canister hose(s). Check out the FSM's Emissions section on how to test the canister and its switches. Be sure you replace the hoses with fuel/emissions hoses and not just vacuum hoses.
Since these have probably been installed "for a while," I'd suggest carefully slicing them lengthwise near their terminus with the switches with a razor; twisting/pulling can easily crack the plastic switch tubes...
Tom M.

[4wdchico]

Sounds like a vac leak to me. Just disconnect and plug the line that goes to the EVAP purge valve for now. You will have eliminated one potential vac leak point. Replace all cracked/crispy vac lines, one at a time!

Check for vac leaks with raw propane at all possible leak points while pumping the throttle to keep it running. If it starts running better, the vac leak is where the propane is being introduced.

[Neu]

Sounds like a vac leak to me. Just disconnect and plug the line that goes to the EVAP purge valve for now. You will have eliminated one potential vac leak point. Replace all cracked/crispy vac lines, one at a time!

Check for vac leaks with raw propane at all possible leak points while pumping the throttle to keep it running. If it starts running better, the vac leak is where the propane is being introduced.

Or a can of carb cleaner or starter fluid...

[Petros]

It could be a bad vac leak, or several other issues. some times when an engine sits for a long time the float valve can get stuck and starve it of fuel. It is an easy fix, carefully remove the carb cover (watch out for the very small parts, check valves, springs, clips, etc.!), and remove the float and valve. If good reuse it, if not you might be able to soften it with auto trans fluid and reinstall it. Or just replace it with a new one, clean out the carb bowl and jets while the cover it off.

Also check the fuel filter is not plugged up, or there is not a leak or a kink in any of the other fuel lines.

This should do it.

Good luck.

[scouttster]

Thanks to all for the your input, but thanks to petros in particular on the cleaning of the carb heads up.. That did the trick.. I posted a couple pics of the dirty carb in the gallery.
Great Website - Thankyou.