1.4 stalling on idle.

My `88 340 (1.4 28,000 mls) has just started refusing to idle when restarted after a run and brief park up. (Usually fine from cold, but I don`t usually drive it - my wife says it`s fine in the mornings)It will only run on the choke and stalls whenever I take my foot of the gas.

My first thought was the idle solenoid and I have cleaned this and it seems to clunk on and off quite nicely when 12v supplied. It did not help though it still does it every now and then. Removing the lead however does replicate the symptoms however suggesting it`s not right.

I`ll change it for a spare in the morning but in the meantime has anybody any other suggestions as to what might be causing this problem. Any thing else I should be checking?

Hoses appear fine on brief inspection and all the carb bits and pieces are nice and snug.

Hi,
I had this problem with my volvo 340 auto, ...I assume you have a carburettor , ...if you take off the Air filter... on the very top of the carb there are 5 screws (or maybe bolts)holding the lid on, make sure they are tight, ...mine used to get loose with the vibration of the engine.
maybe its something else....but its worth a look, quite a easy thing to overlook,

hope this helps.

Bev & martin :¬)

[pettaw]

Also check the nuts holding the carb base onto the manifold. Don't do a King-Kong on the spanner or you'll warp it, but they should be tight.

Also check for cracked or disconnected breather hoses.

Andy

[srtames]

The plunger on the idle solenoid can wear so it sticks in the idle jet even though it "clonks " when tested . Try filing slightly the tip of the plunger.

Regards, Steve

Thanks all for the advice - I had checked the carb over as per your suggestions having had similar problems with a previous car.

Changing the idle solenoid and slightly enriching the idle mix (it was adjusted for the last MOT - a little too weak I suspect - the emmissions were the only failure point though, so can`t complain!) seems to have cured the problem.

I will try filing the end of the plunger though - that way I`ll have another spare.

Make sure the breather restriction is in place. It should be in the T-piece on the valve cover. If its missing or someone has 'replaced' it, or its damaged inside you will get too much air into the bottom of the carb/manifold (bypassing the fuel). Increasing mixture will compensate, but will make it idle slightly badly and hunt when tickling over traveling slowly.

Also check generally for air leaks, cracked pipes in the breather pipes.