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Author Topic: 1979 mercury bobcat uneven idle  (Read 4721 times)

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Offline jtowndown

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1979 mercury bobcat uneven idle
« on: December 29, 2013, 08:04:48 PM »
My bobcat's engine shakes at idle. At higher rpm it runs like a sewing machine. If i put it in drive it runs better. I noticed that the carburetor to egr spacer gasket is about 3/4 of an inch and looks like its made of cotton or fiberglass.  I have bought a new one going to put it on tomorrow. I have blocked the egr valve off and welded the hole in the exhaust manifold. I have ordered a Stop throttle solenoid. (its missing on my car). The carb is also missing the fast idle valve screw. I am going to see if some sort of machine screw will fit and use a nut to lock the adjustment. It seems like I can't get my car to idle down at all though I do not have a tachometer so i don't know. I have tried to adjust idle, mixture screw, and ignition timing. I put a vacuum gauge on intake manifold at idle its jumping 15-18 in/Hg very fast like a vibration ( i think due to a lean miss).At higher Rpm's its running at 22 in/Hg. Car is hard to start like its not getting enough fuel, I have to pump the crap out of the accelerator. I'm going to check motor mounts (for shaking), Check spark plugs for lean/rich condition, compression test (for giggles) The transmission vacuum modulator to see if hose came off, replace carb gasket, check/clean jets, check float height, and replace fast idle valve screw. I don't have a power booster, and the Its federal emissions with the 5200 v2 carb, automatic transmission. Is it worth removing canister, or leave it alone. If You guys have any ideas of other things to check, replace, or problems with my spelling or grammar(lol). Leave a comment  they will be used and Much appreciated :) :D ;) 

Offline 74 PintoWagon

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Re: 1979 mercury bobcat uneven idle
« Reply #1 on: December 29, 2013, 08:13:47 PM »
Ok, first put on your new parts and check everything you mentioned and try it and let us know the results and we'll go from there.
Art
65 Falcon 2DR 200 IL6 with C4.

Offline jtowndown

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Re: 1979 mercury bobcat uneven idle
« Reply #2 on: December 29, 2013, 08:19:52 PM »
all right i will get all results to you guys

Offline jtowndown

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Re: 1979 mercury bobcat uneven idle
« Reply #3 on: December 30, 2013, 09:59:23 PM »
you know your life sucks when!

Offline amc49

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Re: 1979 mercury bobcat uneven idle
« Reply #4 on: December 31, 2013, 01:01:15 AM »
I make my own gaskets as well but they look substantially better than that hack job.

Compression test should be first thing you do on an old motor like these to save lots of wasted effort, the vacuum gauge jerking that rapidly says something wrong there.

Maybe a vacuum leak. On 2.3s occasionally the intake gasket sucks a hole in the bottom of one of the runners where can't be seen to leak.

Offline 74 PintoWagon

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Re: 1979 mercury bobcat uneven idle
« Reply #5 on: December 31, 2013, 06:54:18 AM »
I'd say it's due for a new gasket, LOL...
Art
65 Falcon 2DR 200 IL6 with C4.

Offline jtowndown

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Re: 1979 mercury bobcat uneven idle
« Reply #6 on: January 01, 2014, 11:18:35 AM »
I had to put the gasket on here to give you something to laugh at. I will buy a gasket cutter set from the snap-on man. The gasket was made out of a folder. I have changed carb airhorn gasket, both carburetor and spacer gasket. changed plugs Going to check compression, timing when i can. but i did add 15 hp with my tach

Offline jtowndown

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Re: 1979 mercury bobcat uneven idle
« Reply #7 on: January 01, 2014, 11:19:20 AM »
tach lol

Offline 74 PintoWagon

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Re: 1979 mercury bobcat uneven idle
« Reply #8 on: January 01, 2014, 11:38:52 AM »
Looks like an old school Sun tach?, gotta be worth 20hp at least, LOL.. ;D ;D
Art
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Offline jtowndown

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Re: 1979 mercury bobcat uneven idle
« Reply #9 on: January 01, 2014, 08:58:25 PM »
my car idles at 1200 rpm but when i put it in drive it drops down to 900 rpm is this common a 300 rpm drop

Offline 74 PintoWagon

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Re: 1979 mercury bobcat uneven idle
« Reply #10 on: January 01, 2014, 09:01:46 PM »
Nothing wrong with that.
Art
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Offline jtowndown

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Re: 1979 mercury bobcat uneven idle
« Reply #11 on: January 02, 2014, 05:45:51 AM »
I have been wondering about the sticky glue like substance on my drivers side fender. I stumble into the answer by reading some of the forums on here I'm thinking its epoxy from the ICM. A new one is on the way with a new distributor, wires, cap, rotor. I got an new distributor because I was reading about the weights  on distributor having a loose spring. Since I have no idea what the spring tension should be on the weights i got a new one. Im sure its ready for a new one since the old one says ford on it.

Offline 74 PintoWagon

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Re: 1979 mercury bobcat uneven idle
« Reply #12 on: January 02, 2014, 06:48:19 AM »
You can get springs in different tensions depends on what kind of curve you want(trial and error)but if you have a broken spring timing will be all over the place.
Art
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Offline jtowndown

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Re: 1979 mercury bobcat uneven idle
« Reply #13 on: January 02, 2014, 04:43:18 PM »
My problem is that i had lymphoma right after i rebuilt the engine and put it in. I had a laundry list of stuff to do, but after an year and a lot of weed my memory is a little foggy. I know i rushed putting it back together because I was excited about my first rebuild.

Offline dick1172762

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Re: 1979 mercury bobcat uneven idle
« Reply #14 on: January 02, 2014, 06:38:23 PM »
Spray WD40 all around every gasket you can get to with the engine running. If the RPM goes up and then back down, you've found the leak. WD40 burns almost as good as gas and will be sucked in at the leak. If the modulator is leaking you will be able to stay in low till the engine blows if the shifter is in low. Old dirt cheap drag race trick.
Its better to be a has-been, than a never was.

Offline jtowndown

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Re: 1979 mercury bobcat uneven idle
« Reply #15 on: January 02, 2014, 07:40:27 PM »
trust me i have used more than 1 can of wd-40 /starter fluid looking hoping it was a vacuum leak. 
Spray WD40 all around every gasket you can get to with the engine running. If the RPM goes up and then back down, you've found the leak. WD40 burns almost as good as gas and will be sucked in at the leak. If the modulator is leaking you will be able to stay in low till the engine blows if the shifter is in low. Old dirt cheap drag race trick.