Steep hill starts

ratters · Post by **ratters** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 1:15 pm

For a quite a while now my L series has had trouble with steep hills, but only when taking off and normally only when cold but has happened hot.

What happens is I might be on a steep hill, try to take off and the engine dies quite fast, and when i put the clutch in and try to rev it, it sounds like its running on 2 cylinders and takes a good bit of revving to get it back running sweet again. Seems possibly like a fuel supply issue? The stupid thing is, if I get it going with enough revs, (raping the clutch) it takes off fine and I can drive away. In many instances I have had to engage 4WD Low range to take off on a hill.

Putting the foot flat on the floor when this spluttering starts only makes the issue 10x worse, if I get moving and it starts playing up I have to use the minimum amount of throttle possible until it magically spurs into life and revs fine again.

Any ideas? Is it a common issue that can happen?

Post by **yarney** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 2:22 pm

We need to know a bit more about the engine carb or efi ect

Jan

ratters · Post by **ratters** » Fri Dec 06, 2013 9:51 am

Sorry about that. Its an EA82 carby engine, all stock and original, as far as I can tell all the vaccum lines and emission control stuff is all there. The only thing which isnt there anymore is that aluminium piping from the exhaust which brings warm air in for cold starts. Im positive that has nothing to do with this though.

My feelings are that is more than likely fuel or carby related, just cant tell which at this stage. I dont know when its sputtering if its too much fuel or not enough. Doesnt blow any smoke whatsoever.

Sometimes if i take off when its cold even on a flat surface and put the foot flat on the floor it will bog down and start sputtering too, and the only way out of it is to slowly ease the foot back until it reaches at point at which it all of a sudden runs fine again. Could be choke or second throttle maybe? Largely its only related to hill starts though.

ajcmbrown · Post by **ajcmbrown** » Fri Dec 06, 2013 9:34 pm

Sounds like carb accelerator pump is crook, or ignition timing has moved.

RSR 555 · Post by **RSR 555** » Tue Dec 10, 2013 11:55 am

Sounds like it's bogging down due to spark. I'd check your resistance of your spark plug leads.

When was the last time you gave it a proper service?

Subydoug · Post by **Subydoug** » Wed Dec 11, 2013 7:06 am

Cant remember which way the float pivots in the hitachi's but might be worth having a peep at the float level. Vac advance diaphram and movement of the vac advance mechanism is another easy thing to check.

Regards

Doug

brumby_boy · Post by **brumby_boy** » Sat Jan 04, 2014 5:28 pm

I had a similar problem and it turned out to be the fuel pump. Took a long time to suss it out.

tony · Post by **tony** » Sun Jan 05, 2014 12:58 am

try new fuel filters there is one at the rear near the pump and sometimes one in the engine bay. they are not expensive.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sun Jan 05, 2014 4:27 pm

ratters wrote:For a quite a while now my L series has had trouble with steep hills, but only when taking off and normally only when cold but has happened hot.

What do you deem a steep hill? A hill while 4wd'n or one that you might find around the likes of Mt Macedon in Vic (public road)?

Engines don't work best when cold - they require to be at a certain temp to work their best. If you're loading it up when cold on a steep hill, even on a public road your engine might not like it without the extra revs.
If you're 4wd'n it up steep hills it could be a float/carb flooding issue, hence why full throttle helps out.

What sort of situation are we talking about here?

Cheers

Bennie