Tried doing a search first with no luck. Anyway, I think I flooded my 98 Sambar today. Fired up fine just as usual, went inside to let in warm up (high today was 0), came out 5 minutes later and it had killed. I tried to restart it with no luck. I tried the pedal to the floor trick, but that didn't work. I verified spark, then pulled off the carb hose that runs to the air filter box. I noticed a small amount of fuel spill out of the carb when I removed the hose, so I know it is getting fuel. I then pulled the plugs, which of course were wet, and VERY black. (does the fact that they are very black indicate a different problem? It has always ran rich, so could that be it?) The plugs are currently out air drying after I cleaned them up with carb spray. Are there any other steps I am missing? Should I let it sit overnight to dry out? Thanks!
Yes black color indicates a rich condition. Random thoughts: Possible choke adjustment maybe required or carb needs to be looked at. It could be as the engine started too warm up the choke did not release causing it to run very rich until it just died. How many kms on truck? So far you have done the right steps by removing plugs and drying them.
I have about 65,000 Kms on the truck, it has ran rich since the day I bought it, but haven't had any problems other than smoke on start up. How do I know if the choke is not releasing?
sometimes if it's really really flooded i will crank it over several times with the plugs out and it will spit a bunch of the gas out of the plug holes. in a warm temperature the gas should evaporate rather quickly. leaving it over night may not be necessary. i realize it's pretty cold there but the gas should still evaporate in a short time. and once the plugs are dry you have a good chance of getting it to light off. something to keep in mind is that if you set the choke and then leave the truck alone the choke will usually stay where you set it even after it's warmed up. it generally takes hitting the gas pedal to let the choke to release. it may be worth checking on the truck after 2 minutes rather than 5 to undo the choke and keep it from loading up.
if the plugs have a black coating that doesnt wash off you may be forced to repace them. the back (sometimes sooty)coating seems to ground out the plug and the spark just flows around the gap insted of across it.
