Engine issues, my first opel

[bgdowski]

Well everyone, Im 18 and just purchased a 73 Gt. The engine has a rough idle and takes some throttle to get it started. once it is warmed up it will start up fine, but still have a rough idle.... Help my trouble-shoot, and bear with me, I am an Opel Newbie!

[Yabo]

Sounds like it could be as simple as adjusting the carb through the adjusting screws, such as the idle screw and fuel mixture screw. Theres a diagram and instructions on adjusting the carb, but every one is different. Is it the stock solex or a weber?


Finally found the right link to it, weber carb adj found on page 5:

http://www.opelclub.com/TuneUpPart1bJune2006.pdf

[guyopel]

Before you adjust the carb. you should look for broken or missing vacuum lines and if you look up vacuum lines in the " Search " part of the tool bar you should find the most common lines that can give a problem .
HTH
John

[bgdowski]

Its got a Weber on it! Ill go through and tune the carb and check vacuum lines if it doesn't respond to tuning. Thanks for the input! Any other possibilities?

[tekenaar]

But, even before you do either of the previous two posts' suggestions, check to see that the choke is adjusted properly . . . choke closed when cold, then opens as engine warms up!

BTW, grew up in Lake Orion, north of Pontiac . . .

[bgdowski]

I'll definitely look into that, Thanks! I have lived in MI my whole life, but leave for college in a month for Daytona Beach, FL

[Sparky73]

Welcome to the world of Opel's. I am also from Michigan (up towards Saginaw) and have lived here my whole life. Too bad you're moving to Florida so soon, I should have my Opel back on the road soon and was thinking we could meet and BS. I am 19 and got my first Opel when I was 14 years old.

[opelnut10]

Originally Posted by bgdowski I'll definitely look into that, Thanks! I have lived in MI my whole life, but leave for college in a month for Daytona Beach, FL

Be sure to buy you some blinders before Spring Break, The Co-Eds will surly cause you to get a stiff neck if nothing else, and please dpn't drive you Opel while they are on parade becuse it is very hard to keep your eyes on the road when they have on less material than you have in your shirt pocket

[ungermm]

Just imagine all those tan young things in their little bikinis coming up to your window and asking you about your cute little car. Oh, to be young and in an Opel GT. Please post pics when they are on parade. Jerry

[CoriolisSTORM]

Originally Posted by ungermm Just imagine all those tan young things in their little bikinis coming up to your window and asking you about your cute little car. Oh, to be young and in an Opel GT. Please post pics when they are on parade. Jerry

That does it, anybody wanna trade an Ascona for a GT? I have a hard time imagining a girl attracted to an Ascona (sorry guys). A GT on the other hand!

[BQS4]

Originally Posted by CoriolisSTORM That does it, anybody wanna trade an Ascona for a GT? I have a hard time imagining a girl attracted to an Ascona (sorry guys). A GT on the other hand!

More room in a Manta/Ascona, than a GT (wink, wink, nudge, nudge)

[guyopel]

But you car drive the GT to a room !

[bgdowski]

Haha I'm sure my GT will get me some tail.... Any of you boys going to the Woodward DreamCruise? Cause i will definitely be rollin' there. If you wanna meet up and park/cruise PM me or something.

Oh buddy, Daytona.... With a GT.... I went there with my mom to look at the school and i saw two chicks on the same bike (hyabusa) Wearing TINY bikinis. Now my mother noticed this as we were driving next to them in our rental car and immediately began to regret allowing me to go there. Plus I am going to be a professional pilot, so if the killer combo of a GT, Daytona Beach, and being a Top Gun wannabe doesn't get me some fine young ladies, i am hopeless.

P.S. I will for sure snap some shots of the scenery... (quoting monty python) " wink wink, nudge nudge, know what i mean, know what i mean? say no more!"

[bgdowski]

Ok guys, so I fixed a vacuum leak, but now the engine seems to jump RPMs around even at cruising speed (tach reads about 2200rpm) the engine will have an unstable RPM. The block underneath the head seems to be pretty messy (old and crud) could the head gasket be the main culprit of my problems, or should i expect it to be deeper than that? I've had an Opel for a week and I am already terribly angry at it.

[opelwasp]

Hey, It's not the Opel's fault. Just curse the previous owner.
If you weren't the one who rebuilt it last, then any part is suspect.
Best bet would be to rebuild it so you are sure of what's good and what's not.

[R's opel gt]

Possible head gasket or you still have a vacuum leak. While the eng is running spray some carb cleaner at the base of the carburetor and all vacuum lines then listen for an RPM change.

[RallyBob]

Are you saying that it now idles at 2200 rpms? If so you still have a pretty major vacuum leak.

Regardless, I'd do an idle vacuum test. A stock Opel should pull 21-22" of vacuum at idle. I consider 18" to be the minimum for a stock engine, if it's less then either there's a vacuum leak or the engnie is really tired. Keep in mind aftermarket cams will lower these numbers substantially.

As was mentioned previously, sometimes an Opel's worst enemy is the P.O., so you may have to undo all the bad stuff to get it to run right!

Bob

[bgdowski]

No, when I'm cruising down the road at 2200 the engine RPMs will start to wave around. I think on a hard start a couple days ago I saw some smoke puff out of the muffler and out of the passenger side fender. I went through and i think i took care of the vacuum leaks. Sorry RallyBob, what is "the P.O."?

Can i get some advice on doing the head gasket? I have the original 1973 service manual from Opel, so that helps a ton! The shop manual mentions a "coolant passage rubber gasket ring" that is put into the timing case. Does this gasket have to be replaced when I replace the head gasket? While I'm in there, should i just throw in a mild cam, or would that be going over my head?

Could i get some detailed info on where and how to mark my distributor, timing chain/gear, ect.

Should i also install the Allison Electric Ignition (opelgtsource part# 6122) to eliminate the points and such, make a more reliable car...

Thanks for all the help guys, I need it! All this stuff is a bit more involved than throwing bolt-ons into a fuel injected Ford Ranger, But it feels like more of a project car when I get to tear into the beast

[Paul]

The P.O. is the Previous Owner

Yes, replace the rubber O ring along with the head gasket. Actually this ring is supposed to come with the head gasket. Should be in a paper envelope... and, it's not a round O-ring, it's a square shoulder O-ring similar to those used in garden hose or, as some call it, a Lathe cut O-ring.

If you replace the cam the lifters will have to be replaced as well. New cam bearings would be nice but don't HAVE to replaced if the old ones aren't worn out.

There are some very good threads already describing distributor, cam gear, etc. removal. Search some of the earlier posts... there's more detail in some of the old posts than you could hope to find. For example, lots of tips have been given to keep the cam gear and chain together... such as cable ties or wire...

[bgdowski]

Well I'm going to tear into this head gasket deal on Monday morning! I need to find a machine shop around me to check out the head and valves for damage. I'm sure ill have some questions during this process, so thanks in advance for the help!