I recently replaced the headgasket on my b16 and after reassembling the engine it won't stay running. The first time I tried starting it it just turned over, so I checked the battery(it was discharged) so I charged it and tried again. It ran then after about 10 seconds then died. This happened about 3 times. Then the only way I could get the car started was to have the accelerator to the floor. It would run for only 10-15 seconds then die, unless I held the rpm's to about 1k by applying the accelerator. While keeping it at about 1k rpm's we adjusted the distributor and it held at 800 rpm's at cold idle. Turned it off and it started right back up. I left it sit for the night and now when I try to start it it makes a choking noise (like a lawnmower engine at initial start) and I don't want to attempt to start it because it sounds so bad.

Sorry for the book I wrote but I wanted to cover as much as I could the first time.

UPDATE: Car will start and stay running with no additional help of holding the accelerator down. BUT after revving the engine to about 3k and letting it fall to idle as it hits 1k it hesitates(like when you disengage the clutch to fast adn almost stall it) then comes back to life and idles fine. could that be that the cams are just a bit off. help me out want it running in the nice weather.


Modified by 9sihatch3 at 1:23 PM 4/8/2006