Thingy Below Distributor Cap?

[Mike Walker 0]

When I got my car the idle was very high ~1500rpm when warm. I discovered by chance that there was an electrical connector below to a 'thingy' below the dizzy cap that wasn't plugged in. Anyway, I changed the end for spade connectors as it was broken and plugged it in to see what happened. The idle was much more normal in most conditions apart from when your'e slowing to a halt and dip the clutch when it stalls unless you manage to catch it (a bitch when your'e also trying to brake!).

 

I've looked extensively through Haynes and here but it's almost impossible to find something based on the knowledge of it being a 'thingy below the dizzy cap' .

 

Anyway, it seems correct that this should be plugged in and I think maybe the stalling is just a result of something unrelated but it's been exacerbated by now having a lower idle, but what the hell is this thingy!!!!!!!

[Grim.Badger 15]

It's the vacuum advance and yes it should be plugged in and it will affect you're idle.

I'm not sure if it could be causing you're stalling if it isn't working properly though

[Mike Walker 0]

It's the vacuum advance and yes it should be plugged in and it will affect you're idle.

I'm not sure if it could be causing you're stalling if it isn't working properly though

 

I wondered if it could be related in some way but i'm more suspicious towards the usual suspects which i'll be going through this weekend.

[Mike Walker 0]

by the way, cheers for putting me out of my misery

[t16ryan 1]

When I got my car the idle was very high ~1500rpm when warm. I discovered by chance that there was an electrical connector below to a 'thingy' below the dizzy cap that wasn't plugged in. Anyway, I changed the end for spade connectors as it was broken and plugged it in to see what happened. The idle was much more normal in most conditions apart from when your'e slowing to a halt and dip the clutch when it stalls unless you manage to catch it (a bitch when your'e also trying to brake!).

 

I've looked extensively through Haynes and here but it's almost impossible to find something based on the knowledge of it being a 'thingy below the dizzy cap' .

 

Anyway, it seems correct that this should be plugged in and I think maybe the stalling is just a result of something unrelated but it's been exacerbated by now having a lower idle, but what the hell is this thingy!!!!!!!

 

 

It's the vacuum advance and yes it should be plugged in and it will affect you're idle.

I'm not sure if it could be causing you're stalling if it isn't working properly though

 

 

Vacuum advance had no spade connectors?? i am guessing you mean the SAD ( Supplementry air device ) has it got 2 pipes coming off it?

[hafslund 0]

changed the end for spade connectors as it was broken and plugged it in to see what happened

I have never seen any wires to the vacum advance unit, but thats just me...

 

What you're referring to is either the SAD, Supplementary Air Device, or the temp. sensor to the ECU..

If the connector is black the first, blue the latter...

 

The SAD works as a automatic choke and will raise your idle if not connected..

 

If it stalls when warm, try cleaning out your AFM, throttlebody, CO screw, Idle screw and check the vacum hose to the earlier mentioned vacum advance unit on the distributor. Sadly quite alot of these vacum bells are busted, so check it.

Could also be worth it to check your ignition timing..

 

Best regards

 

Fredrik

Edited November 30, 2006 by hafslund

[Mike Walker 0]

I have never seen any wires to the vacum advance unit, but thats just me...

 

What you're referring to is either the SAD, Supplementary Air Device, or the temp. sensor to the ECU..

If the connector is black the first, blue the latter...

 

The SAD works as a automatic choke and will raise your idle if not connected..

 

If it stalls when warm, try cleaning out your AFM, throttlebody, CO screw, Idle screw and check the vacum hose to the earlier mentioned vacum advance unit on the distributor. Sadly quite alot of these vacum bells are busted, so check it.

Could also be worth it to check your ignition timing..

 

Best regards

 

Fredrik

 

Ah right, well this things got an electrical connection going in as well as hoses going in and out, not quite sure whether they're coolant or air though.....

 

It probably stalls more when warm than when cold so i'll try the above mentioned things as well as checking the timing as I havn't done that yet

[Grim.Badger 15]

Vacuum advance had no spade connectors?? i am guessing you mean the SAD ( Supplementry air device ) has it got 2 pipes coming off it?

 

I think I must have been thinking of that small wire that connects to the dizzy It's been a bad morning

[Ahl 4]

It probably stalls more when warm than when cold so i'll try the above mentioned things as well as checking the timing as I havn't done that yet

Thats the supplementry air device, or SAD.

 

Its a little valve that should be open when its cold - this supplies extra air to the engine and should make it idle higher and not run rough when cold. (~1500-2000rpm)

 

The spade connector supplies power to a little element inside the SAD, and this along with the engine heat closes the valve. This means your idle should return to normal (~1000rpm) when the engines warm.

 

Hope you get your stalling problem sorted, it sounds unrelated except for the low idle not helping.

[Mike Walker 0]

Cleaned the AFM element up as well as the throttle body and idle screw which literally had about 3mm of crud on it just below the thread, it hasn't even hinted at stalling since so hopefully the problem has been rectified although I now need a new battery as the dash warning light gets brighter and the idle speed reduces the more auxillary things you have switched on

[luggy 13]

Hi Mike

Are you sure its the battery? If the battery light comes on with more auxillary items on this would normally indicate that your alternator's on its way out. My car only does it when the heater fan is turned on full but Im not going to change it till is broke.

[scumbag 0]

is the AFM the air flow meter? If it is, is it the bit on the left of the battery in the middle of the hoses with bosch on it and a plug in the side? I want to clean this out to see if it clears my problems. Any tips? cheers

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

is the AFM the air flow meter? If it is, is it the bit on the left of the battery in the middle of the hoses with bosch on it and a plug in the side? I want to clean this out to see if it clears my problems. Any tips? cheers

Yes thats the AFM.

 

Engine layout explained

 

I included an explanation of cleaning the intake system in my Induction shortener article.

 

Graham.

[scumbag 0]

Many thanks Graham!