[wsmoncrieff]

G'day All,
First post here. Long time Zook user/abuser. Just bought a 1994 manual Vitara SWB JX. It has had a new block fitted, I had to go through all the rigmarole hee in NSW to have the Roads and Maritime verify it's identity. Bought the Vit after only hearing the engine run as it was unreg and didn't want to risk driving it as such. Engine is very quiet mechanically hot and cold. Starts instantly hot or cold. Runs fine at higher RPM's, ie above 3000.

BUT, on my first road drive from my home to the RMS inspection unit it played up. There is a HUGE flat spot that appears at times between 2000 and 2500, feels as though the engine has died, then with a bit more throttle it springs to life and goes like a scalded cat. At times on a neutral cruising throttle there is a discernable miss, ever so slight but it's there and can be felt. I treated the Vit to a major service at my local mechanics that I've used for years. Timing was checked, new plugs installed, valve lash adjusted etc. The Vit was off the road for a considerable time after the engine rebuild.

This is my third Vitara, but the first carbed manual. The last carbed one I had was the same year but an auto. The other was the LWB with the EFI motor.

The problem only seems to surface when the engine has warmed from cold. It is virtually impossible to make a smooth gearchange upshifting. The flat spotting and hunting sees to that. I've just put a year's rego on the Zook and spent about a thousand bucks on the service and roadworthy repairs but I'm at my wits end
I had a similar issue with a 1.3 Sierra about a decade ago. A Weber conversion fixed the issue. These 1.6 carbs appear very complicated.

Anyone fitted a Weber to one of these engines with good results? I'm not worried about economy. More concerned with reliability and ease of use.

Could a crook ignition coil be the culprit? I'm thinking to replace the rotor button[worn]along with the distributor cap and ignition coil.

Recarb in QLD sell a Weber kit for about $500 that is supposed to be a simple bolt on affair. Anyone used one?

Sorry about the looong post but I'm trying to cover all my bases and yep, I'm an Old Fart....

Cheers William.

[damagera]

after a major service i would be taking it back...spent the money and after all he is a mechanic with tune up tools a weber carb will only fix it if its a carby issue $500 not well spent if a elec issue

[wsmoncrieff]

That's what I did damagera. I also took it to a local Suzuki specialist, I got him to drive it and he reckons it drove OK. That's the issue with an intermittent fault. Maybe I just need to get used to driving a old carby fed engine again after a decade of smooth fuel injected petrols and diesels. I'll replace the dizzy cap and rotor today, they are both past their best before date

[droverdave]

When was the last time the carby was rebuilt? If its not an electrical fault I bet its dirt in carby, blocked jet or the carby float adjustment.

[wsmoncrieff]

I just fitted a new dizzy cap/rotor and there was a marked improvement instantly. On close inspection[with my glasses on]there appeared to be two hairline cracks in the dizzy Interestingly, according to Repco's database my Vit has an incorrect coil fitted................WTF? Anyway, running much better. I last put $20 worth of 91 RON unleaded in[not the E10 crap]but it doesn't ping so I can't justify 95 or 98. I'm even having a power steer kit fitted on Monday. Left arm is a bit weak since the stroke in 2009.
droverdave, AFAIK the carb has never been rebuilt, and yep, the Vit was undriven for a substantial length of time. Might be prudent to have a carb kit fitted in the new year. I'm committed to keeping the Vit for at least 12 months now.