engine and drivetrain lost idle on way home today, any ideas?

[rocket_rob]

Car's been running great. Daily driver for 3 months, 15 minute freeway commute everyday, occasional rip on the weekends, BUT...

... today on the way home. Cruising along, took it out of 4th to coast off and the engine just flopped. Zero RPM. Started back up but could not hold an idle, so I just kept my foot on the gas and put it in gear and found a parking lot.

I thinkered with the fuel line filter, right next to the carb. I pulled the filter up a bit and could have sworn I heard a little 'pop!' Not sure whether to think it was an electrical pop (like a short) or a pop coming from the fuel line. Can there be a vaccuum in the fuel line? (i really have no idea)

Though, the carb's wiring rests on the fuel line... I should go check those connectors perchance one is shorting on the manifold.

Anyways, my some miracle it started back up, kept idle and drove the last 2-miles home just fine. Any ideas on the root cause?

[Gordon]

Check your lead to the solenoid on the carb. If that wire gets loose, you will lose your idle.

G-Man

[JohnN]

(nt)

[rocket_rob]

Weber 32/36

[Gordon]

It also could be your solenoid is bad on your carb. When I lived in LA, I bought my solenoids at a VW bug specialty shop, Fast Freddy's in OC. A lot of bugs use Webers as a replacement carbs. I'm sure other parts houses may have them as well.

G-Man

[ingraham]

(nt)

[Guest Anonymous]

your idle jet is probably plugged, either by trash or the above mentioned solenoid.

[CJ_AZ]

It is hard to say without guessing too much however I had the same thing happen on the freeway - had to pull to the media during rush hour and call a tow truck.

It ended up being that the floats on the carb were stuck - thus starving the engine of fuel.

Just for kicks see if you can tap the side of the carb (gently) to get the float un-stuck. It doesn't always work, but you will feel like Fonzy if it does.

HTH,

[Guest Anonymous]

I also had that problem, but my problem was inside the distributor cap. The carbon in the middle of the dist cap broke in two. I was lucky because I was able to make it home with half of the carbon touching the rotor. An easy fix with a new dist cap. Its a quick check.