1985 Citroen Acadiane Van Problem
Discussion
Can anyone help a car forum noob out with a bit of advice please?
My 1985 citroen acadiane (looks like this, but with a bit more rust - http://en.citroen-club.net/graphics/gallery/full/1... )
won't idle- the engine stalls when slowing down & approaching junctions. When accelerating through all four gears, the engine will keep running, as long as the throttle is open. Does this indicate a need for a carburettor clean out? Ive been told that a blocked idle jet could be causing the issue.
I'd really appreciate any advice!
My 1985 citroen acadiane (looks like this, but with a bit more rust - http://en.citroen-club.net/graphics/gallery/full/1... )
won't idle- the engine stalls when slowing down & approaching junctions. When accelerating through all four gears, the engine will keep running, as long as the throttle is open. Does this indicate a need for a carburettor clean out? Ive been told that a blocked idle jet could be causing the issue.
I'd really appreciate any advice!
Blocked idle jet certainly sounds likely.
Give the outside of the carb a good spray with carb cleaner, take the air filter-to-carb hose off, rev it up, and slap your hand onto the top of the carb as you release the throttle. It'll try and suck the gunk through the jet - and often works. If it doesn't, then the jet's easy to remove from the outside of the carb, soak in cleaner, and blow through from the inside.
Are you a 2cvgb member? If not, worth joining. There's also international2cvfriends.com
Give the outside of the carb a good spray with carb cleaner, take the air filter-to-carb hose off, rev it up, and slap your hand onto the top of the carb as you release the throttle. It'll try and suck the gunk through the jet - and often works. If it doesn't, then the jet's easy to remove from the outside of the carb, soak in cleaner, and blow through from the inside.
Are you a 2cvgb member? If not, worth joining. There's also international2cvfriends.com
lot of carburetor problems are actually ignition.
Worth starting from basics, tappets, plugs, points, rotor arm, condenser, coil, plug leads. (all cheap and easy)
Get everything set up properly and then tackle the carb. When did the problem start? It's rare for a carb to suddenly go "off"
Worth starting from basics, tappets, plugs, points, rotor arm, condenser, coil, plug leads. (all cheap and easy)
Get everything set up properly and then tackle the carb. When did the problem start? It's rare for a carb to suddenly go "off"
You could also have a slight air leak into the carb, earlier 2cvs are prone to this.....so the mixture gets cocked up at idle. Also unless you know the history an old 2cv may well have a different carb or engine it left the factory with. Stick a photo of it..,,.but suggest you book in it with a 2cv specialist. The points and other ignition components live behind the cooling fan, and are not like doing a conventuals car with a distributor cap. Buy a Haynes manual.
HumbleJim said:
lot of carburetor problems are actually ignition.
Worth starting from basics, tappets, plugs, points, rotor arm, condenser, coil, plug leads. (all cheap and easy)
Apart from there not even being a rotor arm on a 2cv engine, all those would primarily manifest themselves as hard starting, or cutting-and-failing-to-restart (hot coil). The symptoms he's describing are classic blocked idle jet.Worth starting from basics, tappets, plugs, points, rotor arm, condenser, coil, plug leads. (all cheap and easy)
Thanks very much for your replies. I'm going to source some carb cleaner, give it all a clean and have a fiddle with the idle jet. I've also found this page- http://french.cars.free.fr/carb/ Which seems to describe the issues I'm having exactly! I can't quite make out if he's advising replacing the spring though- the page does a lot to describe the cause of the issue but not much to enlighten me as far as the solution! Thanks again
TooMany2cvs said:
HumbleJim said:
lot of carburetor problems are actually ignition.
Worth starting from basics, tappets, plugs, points, rotor arm, condenser, coil, plug leads. (all cheap and easy)
Apart from there not even being a rotor arm on a 2cv engine, all those would primarily manifest themselves as hard starting, or cutting-and-failing-to-restart (hot coil). The symptoms he's describing are classic blocked idle jet.Worth starting from basics, tappets, plugs, points, rotor arm, condenser, coil, plug leads. (all cheap and easy)
and will shut up. 
I'm just too used to people (me included) cocking around with carbs when the ignition side is not right.
Got a can of carb cleaner and had a bit of a spray & wipe with a cloth, paying particular attention to the exterior springs. Turns out the spring which (as far as I know) returns the second barrel valve to closed position, was broken. (Pic Below) Anyway, much to my surprise,having started the engine after this, it is idling fine. It even managed a 15 min trip around town to test its idling at junctions etc...
Im going to replace that spring, but should the van be driven before I can fit it? What do you lot reckon.
by the way this is what the van looks like!
Im going to replace that spring, but should the van be driven before I can fit it? What do you lot reckon.
by the way this is what the van looks like!
rufusacadiane said:
Im going to replace that spring, but should the van be driven before I can fit it?
If it's driving OK at the moment, I would.rufusacadiane said:
by the way this is what the van looks like!
Tidy! What's the story with it? Fresh in to the UK?I loved our old Acad. It's still extant, but slowly working it's way back from crunchiness.
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