I am trying to work on an old Iswara that has trouble starting up. It refuses to start despite having a working battery installed. Just cranking sound only. Distributor was changed not more than 3 years ago. So shouldn't be issue an issue I think. Spark plugs are fine even swapped with fresh plugs lying around.

So I narrow down and think the carbie is the problem. I open the air filter and I try to pull the throttle arm. I remember back when I open this last time, there usually will be petrol smell. But now I don't smell any petrol when I pull on the throttle. How should I see whether there is petrol shooting out somewhere when I pull the throttle? I look into the hole in the middle of the carbie and pull the throttle arm and all I see is one piece of metal moving back and forth according to my pull. No petrol smell detected at all.

(Gas tank is arnd half tank according to indicator and I can smell petrol when I open up the petrol cover).



So here is a picture of how the carb look like. When I move the throttle I can see the yellow arrow thing moving back and fro but I don't see any petrol shooting out of anywhere.

Btw, what are the four chimneys as circle in blue is one of them?

This post has been edited by fortuner11: Sep 19 2015, 12:29 PM

Thanks, Albert. Very good information.

I think I will the petrol dripping into the suction piston and see how it goes from there.
I also noticed the fuel filter bottom is kind of brown colour, do you think the fuel filter can totally block fuel flow?

There is also another issue I noticed that when I pull the throttle arm all the way to the max, it would not return back to it's original position unless I give it a push to go back. Will this means that the throttle or the suction piston mechanism have some issue like no lubrication or something?

Can I know how to remove the fuel filter to shake it like you said? I think is some attachment hook or something to the bonnet wall. And how about 2 tubes connected to it, just pull it off? Will the petrol drip out and need something to plug off the tubes?

I haven't got around to checking the filter yet due to some works. Will have a look on that when I'm free.

If I need to change to filter, then I just remove the 2 hoses. Is there a need to use something to clamp down on the hose, will the petrol bleed out continuously?

Erm but Albert comment the petrol squirting out below suction piston is hard to see because it is like in mist form. I also noticed the hole there is quite narrow and dark. Maybe need torch light or something.

Hi Albert & sxe, I have done a careful look on the car.

Here's what I see:

(A) Fuel Filter
1. There is about 1-2 cm (if I didn't estimate wrongly) of dark fluid at the base of the filter.
2. When I shake the car, the dark fluid in the filter rocks back and forth easily like water in a cup.
3. Regarding point (1), is the fluid suppose to be that low? Is it suppose to go up to the top/middle of the filter.
- So is the fuel filter ok?
- Is the AC pump ok?
- Can it be low petrol level in the tank? In this case the fuel gauge would have to be spoilt because it still show somewhat half. But I don't think fuel gauge spoil will indicate half. I have only heard if spoilt, it either stop at E or F. When I open the fuel lid, I can smell strong petrol smell from there.

(B) Carb
So I open up the carb cover once again. Now I know that the suction piston needs to be pushed back with fingers because just pulling throttle alone only opens the suction piston a little bit, not enough to see inside. No wonder last time I abandon this because can't see anything.

So with one hand's fingers pushing the suction piston to the side, and position a torchlight above. Then the other hand I pull the throttle lever multiple times. I can see the metering needle clearly. Nothing spits out of the metering needle. I look at the needle and around the hole. Nothing spits out elsewhere. To be sure, I put fingers inside the area of the metering needle and pull throttle lever multiple times again. I don't feel anything wet on my fingers at all. Surely if this is petrol, the smell of petrol would be very strong. But I don't smell petrol at all. If anything it smell a bit like dry paint.

What problems can this be? Is it the fuel line or carb?

This post has been edited by fortuner11: Sep 27 2015, 09:27 AM

Actually regarding the cranking of the engine, I am a bit hesitant to continue to crank it as I fear it will run down the battery. There was a while back I did crank for a long time but didn't managed to fire up. But I did not observe the carb throat at the time.

So I have gone and pull the throttle lever again, did not managed to see any petrol shooting.

I've not fed petrol to the throat to see if it can start. I guess I'll probably try this and see how it goes. @Albert, how much petrol is necessary to feed into it? Do I just feed it down the hole after prying open the suction piston? I guess I'll leave the feeding thru the vent hole at the moment, also don't have any syringe or something lying around at moment.

By the way, if the float chamber is dried, the fuel pump should be able to fill that up? If last time my continued cranking did not managed to start, means the float chamber probably didn't fill up properly by the pump too?

A lot of possibilities at the moment, I guess if still cannot solve, will probably need to get a more professional look on it.

Normally what idle RPM do u guys set your Iswara? My mechanic always like to set it to 1000. I think it sound quite noisy. Will any problem if want to set it to around 750?


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Just read few post back some of u talk about the fuel pump failure.
This is my experience:

Last time before my fuel pump dead, what i observed is: The engine noise like:
VROOO-vroooo-VROOO-vrooooo-VROOO-vroooo.
Louder and softer engine sound (each segment like 1 or 2 seconds). So it is like 1-2 seconds louder more active engine noise, then 1-2 seconds softer become less active type of noise. The timing is like when a person sleep, he snore few seconds, stop for few seconds, then snore again. So louder, softer, louder, softer engine noice.
But I did not see the RPM go up and down though.
It could be other things like the carb air flow or mixture etc.





This post has been edited by fortuner11: Apr 1 2016, 02:15 PM

Guys, is slight bits of battery water/acid near the battery caps normal? I haven't yet fill the battery with extra water, so it cannot be overfilling. Last few batteries in the past become dead after white powder forming above the battery. Can it be charging got problem or is normal to have some wet on the caps?

Last I normally fill up until the water touch the "legs" of the hole. Is this right practice? If you look inside each hole, at the side of the each hole, there are like 3 legs going down about 1cm or so. I normally fill until water just touch this legs. There is the High and Low marker line outside the battery. But for the longest time, I cannot be able to tell or see the water level from the outside so how to compare with the line. My mechanic used to rock the car when he check the water level, but I don't know whether he is judging the level from looking into or from outside.

Guys, my car 'die engine' (manual) while trying to exit to a road. After that when I turn on the key to start engine, nothing happens. No sound nothing. Keep turning the key for quite many times and still the same. Once or twice, have a single click sound when turn the key. Almost wanted to give up after few minutes, but then suddenly I turn the key and the engine fired up right away like nothing's wrong. Should I be worried? Maybe the starter is going to kong soon? I previous have also encountered few times when wanting to start in the morning, it just 'click' once. Need to turn the key 2-3 more times before I can get the cranking to happen.

I'll try to suggest to mechanic next time. If not starter going to kong, I guess I can live with it.
Yes, AlbertB, I realize that your workaround works for me too. I didn't mention it last post because I'm not sure whether that is really what makes it work. Actually don't have to take out they key. I have better success rate to be able to start again if I turn the key all the way back to OFF and start again. Normally if you turn to max and can't start, key springs back to ON right, and naturally we will try to turn again from that position. Rate of recovery is less. If turn all the way back to OFF where you can take out the key if you want to and then try to turn the key to max again, higher rate of success.

Looks like quite similar issue as yours. You can try the relay suggestion too and see if it solves it.

Now thinking back, my previous one with spilling the covers is the flat type with + etched into it. Sort of like a screw, you need to use 20 or 50 cent coin to open the caps. The caps I think don't have aeration holes. I wonder is that why I got spillage too. I think acid spillage causing it to lose its 'ooomph'.

Mine started developing this scenario just within recent years I think. Used to be alright many years ago. I suppose due to ageing parts or wires?

Guys, my exhaust is smelling really bad like a motorcycle exhaust! No white smoke or black smoke. If stand near the car while it is running, the smell can make you cough or want to just get far away. I can't find more similar smell other than it smell somewhat like motorcycle exhaust which usually the smell can be quite strong. Notice there is slight drips of water from the exhaust but my coolant level is alright and the liquid is clear and smell a bit like kerosene, some website say this is normal as byproduct of combustion. So about the smell, what can be wrong? Maybe the catalytic converter is worn out? The exhaust has been changed before some years ago. Or maybe the foreman took off the catcon or replace with an exhaust minus the catcon?

1) It's not the warm up smell though. I know warm-up has that petrol fume type of smell but this is not the smell. This is throughout the engine run, even after warm up. Like a very thick smell. I can only think of motorcycle exhaust. Apparently I read up that old motorcycles don't have catalytic converters.

2) Not sure how to reduce that water to avoid rust though, but I don't see modern cars have water dripping out. Or maybe it (modern cars) has drain holes before the end of the exhaust pipe?

My car pings when weather is very hot and air-cond switched on, especially going uphill. Is that a timing problem that can be adjusted? Or engine dirty with RON95 that further makes it worse?

Just curious, for cold start, the pushrod should move in deeper to achieve the "choke" effect is it? And when engine is hot, the pushrod must be moved outwards from the carburetor so that the choke is cancelled. But all these are activated / deactivated by the thermal spring I guess.

My aircond quite weak, almost can't feel any wind at Fan Level 1, is this normal or not?
I forgot how strong was the wind long time ago.

My car has the aircond belt replaced not long back.

I noticed sometimes when AC switched on, there is sound of the belt like eee eee eee on and off. Need to do anything about that? When sound happened, it will disappear when AC is switched off. When sound happened, it will increase when you rev the engine harder.



This post has been edited by fortuner11: May 26 2016, 08:36 AM

Is it urgent to repair it? Can I wait till next general service appointment?
I noticed the likelihood of that sound is more during prolonged hot weather driving. Could be the belt expanded during the high heat.

This post has been edited by fortuner11: May 26 2016, 09:41 AM