Engine idle issues C2
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Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 53
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From: Glens Falls, NY
Engine idle issues C2
More from the Vette from Hell.
When I first got the car the engine would start, go on fast idle (>2000 rpm) and, when warm, a blip would kick it down to normal idle. If you blipped it again it would go back on fast idle almost all the time. It made driving a PITA. I examined the carb and found the chock was sticking. It turns out there was a sloppy rebuild and the choke dashpot was full of crap and the piston was sticking. I cleaned it out and now the choke doesn't stick and the carb settles down to a normal idle BUT NOT QUITE. Something else is causing the carb to sometimes stick just above normal idle (maybe 1500-1700 RPM) where other times it idles at 700. Every time you release the gas pedal it was a crap shoot if it would idle high or low. After staring at the carb for a prolonged period I noticed that the return spring was occasionally touching the idle adjustment screw. The end radius was huge, perhaps the wrong spring. I crimped it to a smaller radius and now the carb settles down to a normal idle BUT NOT QUITE. It's improved but now sometimes the idle is reached immediately when you get off the pedal but sometimes it takes a few seconds to go from 1200 to 700. Again, only intermittently. So, after staring at the carb for another quantum of time I noticed that the linkage rod, where it goes through the bushing on the carb linkage looked like it had the incorrect hardware. It's got a rubber bushing on the OD, an nylon bushing on the ID, where the rod fits, and then a washer and a cotter pin. The washer was about 0.070" thick and the cotter pin was big, also. Since the rod doesn't fit in at a perfect 90 degree angle it needs a little degree of freedom, which the fat washer annihilates. A 0.020" washer and a thinner cotter pin and now the idle returns quickly and repeatedly to idle. Now it's fixed UNTIL I REPLACED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL with a supposedly factory-like replacement from a reputable Vette supply house.. What the heck? It bolts to the floor but the hinge area is pretty damn stiff so it doesn't really move back and forth well. After all the work I did above now the gas pedal is causing issues. I loosened the bolts holding it to the floor and that fixed it but that can't be right as it swivels by rocking on the bolts, not the hing. Does anyone have any solutions to this gas pedal issue?
Many thanks!
Joe
When I first got the car the engine would start, go on fast idle (>2000 rpm) and, when warm, a blip would kick it down to normal idle. If you blipped it again it would go back on fast idle almost all the time. It made driving a PITA. I examined the carb and found the chock was sticking. It turns out there was a sloppy rebuild and the choke dashpot was full of crap and the piston was sticking. I cleaned it out and now the choke doesn't stick and the carb settles down to a normal idle BUT NOT QUITE. Something else is causing the carb to sometimes stick just above normal idle (maybe 1500-1700 RPM) where other times it idles at 700. Every time you release the gas pedal it was a crap shoot if it would idle high or low. After staring at the carb for a prolonged period I noticed that the return spring was occasionally touching the idle adjustment screw. The end radius was huge, perhaps the wrong spring. I crimped it to a smaller radius and now the carb settles down to a normal idle BUT NOT QUITE. It's improved but now sometimes the idle is reached immediately when you get off the pedal but sometimes it takes a few seconds to go from 1200 to 700. Again, only intermittently. So, after staring at the carb for another quantum of time I noticed that the linkage rod, where it goes through the bushing on the carb linkage looked like it had the incorrect hardware. It's got a rubber bushing on the OD, an nylon bushing on the ID, where the rod fits, and then a washer and a cotter pin. The washer was about 0.070" thick and the cotter pin was big, also. Since the rod doesn't fit in at a perfect 90 degree angle it needs a little degree of freedom, which the fat washer annihilates. A 0.020" washer and a thinner cotter pin and now the idle returns quickly and repeatedly to idle. Now it's fixed UNTIL I REPLACED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL with a supposedly factory-like replacement from a reputable Vette supply house.. What the heck? It bolts to the floor but the hinge area is pretty damn stiff so it doesn't really move back and forth well. After all the work I did above now the gas pedal is causing issues. I loosened the bolts holding it to the floor and that fixed it but that can't be right as it swivels by rocking on the bolts, not the hing. Does anyone have any solutions to this gas pedal issue?
Many thanks!
Joe
Dennis
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,720
Likes: 45
From: Houston TX
CI 8 & 9 Veteran
C2 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
St. Jude Donor '07-'08
Is it bolted directly to the floor or do you have that compressed composite spacer installed?
I just finished the restoration on my 65 and without the spacer, the pedal rod was too high on the pedal. Installed that spacer and works perfectly now. My pedal assembly is reproduction as well.
I just finished the restoration on my 65 and without the spacer, the pedal rod was too high on the pedal. Installed that spacer and works perfectly now. My pedal assembly is reproduction as well.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,064
Likes: 142
From: Bornem
