Ugandan discussions

[straggler]

Hello all,

My 91 March is giving me grief again - I'm only getting 34mpg. I've completely removed the autochoke (not neede out here), cleaned the air filter, checked the plugs etc but still can't seem to find a problem. Anyone got any suggestions?

Thanks,

Rich

 

[Arnold]

34 isn't that bad. Are you driving economically or booting it everywhere?

 

[straggler]

I got 34mpg on a long run out of town, cruising at about 50mph. Surely I should be getting more out of a 1L Micra? My old 1100 Uno did 50mpg and even an ancient Fiesta managed 45.....

 

[frank]

straggler

if your spark-plug,s are sooty, it,s probably running rich, but if they,re a good colour, then it could be binding brakes or soft tyre,s etc.
you should be getting about 50mpg on a run imo

 

[straggler]

Yeah, 50 mpg is about what I expected, even allowing for the slightly iffy petrol we get over here and the altitude (nothing dramatic - about 2500ft above sea level).

I've checked the tyres, brakes etc and they're all fine. Do you think I need to check the mixture or should all the gubbins under the passenger seat sort that out?

 

[frank]

rich

i think the electronic,s under the seat just crank,s up the tick-over when the alternator is under load.
has your,s got the semi-automatic choke ? (black plastic dome)

 

[richj]

check air filter is reasonably clean. check rotary arm / distributor cap / ignition leads.

there should be a little window on the front? of the carb. Check the level is half way.

 

[straggler]

rich

i think the electronic,s under the seat just crank,s up the tick-over when the alternator is under load.
has your,s got the semi-automatic choke ? (black plastic dome)

Mine did have the autochoke but I removed it from the carb as it's not really needed over here and I wanted to check it wasn't playing up.

As it happens, I've been trying to drop the tickover as it's way too high. I wound out the adjuster so far that it fell out but have failed to find the fast idle adjustment. My March has power steering and air con (not working) so I'm guessing is set up a little differently from UK cars....

check air filter is reasonably clean. check rotary arm / distributor cap / ignition leads.

there should be a little window on the front? of the carb. Check the level is half way.

Air filter is fine but will have a shuftie at the distributor cap.

No window on the carb!

 

[frank]

rich

did you remove the choke flap as well ?
iirc, the box under the seat controls one of the 2 solenoids on the carb

 

[straggler]

rich

did you remove the choke flap as well ?
iirc, the box under the seat controls one of the 2 solenoids on the carb

No, I left that on but it sits in the open position.

 

[frank]

rich

as long as it,s not pulling shut when your driving, it should be ok eh.
you might have to disconnect or "wire in" the idle control solenoid then, to lower the tickover if the screw is fully out

 

[straggler]

rich

as long as it,s not pulling shut when your driving, it should be ok eh.
you might have to disconnect or "wire in" the idle control solenoid then, to lower the tickover if the screw is fully out

Um, where would I find that particular solenoid valve?!

 

[frank]

rich

most k10 carb,s have an idle control valve (2 wires) and an anti run-on valve (1 wire) on the side

 

[superls]

from other posts of yours i think your car may have the ecc carb, ecu under the seat, and yes this should sort out mixture etc, maybe you have a duff lamda sensor?