1989 Justy 1.2 idles only

[Desiree Lerum]

I have a 1989 Justy with carbureted 1.2L engine manual transmission. It
will start and idle (a bit rough) but will not accelerate past idle.

I got the car for free from a friend and he said it ran well before he did a
tune-up on it which he replaced the spark plugs, rotor, and cap. He said
that's when the trouble started.

My dad checked the timing belt and it's alignment to the crank, the
distributor timing with a timing light, and the compression which was 150.

When he looked in the distributor he found one of the two metal tabs bent
inward and had been hitting on the metal part on the distributor shaft. He
straightened it out, but that didn't help it run past idle. He wants to try
a
different distributor assembly, but I'm not sure I want to spend $300 - $500
on a free car.

Help!

 

[Jim Stewart]

I have a 1989 Justy with carbureted 1.2L engine manual transmission. It
will start and idle (a bit rough) but will not accelerate past idle.

I got the car for free from a friend and he said it ran well before he did a
tune-up on it which he replaced the spark plugs, rotor, and cap. He said
that's when the trouble started.

My dad checked the timing belt and it's alignment to the crank, the
distributor timing with a timing light, and the compression which was 150.

When he looked in the distributor he found one of the two metal tabs bent
inward and had been hitting on the metal part on the distributor shaft. He
straightened it out, but that didn't help it run past idle. He wants to try
a
different distributor assembly, but I'm not sure I want to spend $300 - $500
on a free car.

Two things come to mind, and don't *cough* ask how I know

1. Check that he didn't drop something into the distributer
and wedge the vacuum advance. Likewise, make sure the
vacuum advance is properly connected. The "bent tabs"
should send up a red flag.

2. Make sure he's installed the proper plugs.

 

[Skweezieweezie]

Did he do any work on the carb? It sounds
almost like the accelerator pump has failed.

With the engine off, look into the throat of the
carb with the choke open, and flick the throttle.
You should see a distinct squirt of fuel that is
aimed at the venturi.

Does this car have mechanical advance?
(Weights and springs in the distributor)

Make sure they move freely.

 

[Rob Munach]

Two things come to mind, and don't *cough* ask how I know

1. Check that he didn't drop something into the distributer
and wedge the vacuum advance. Likewise, make sure the
vacuum advance is properly connected. The "bent tabs"
should send up a red flag.

2. Make sure he's installed the proper plugs.

Check the firing order. He may have installed the plug wires wrong when
changing the cap. I had a chipper once that had these same symptoms.