84Berlinetta305

On my 84 Berlinetta auto, when I first start out in the mornings, my car will shift into second, and then into third, but at about 2100 rpms, it starts to sputter. the only way to make it stop, is to completely let off of the gas, or floor it so the 4 barrell kicks in. It also does this when I am going up hills, or when I am going about 55, and then have to slow down. Sometimes, if I manually downshift into second or first, it will catch, but even then I have to floor it. It seems like it just dosen't downshift. I checked the tranny fluid, and I am fine on that. What could be wrong?
Thanks Evan

Vader

84,

You should check the choke operation. If the choke is not opening soon enough, the mixture will be rich. Do you notice any smoke with this phenomenon? The E4ME carbs use an electric element to assist in choke warm up. If the oil pressure switch is not closed, the choke heater will not operate. It takes a long time to wamr up the choke by engine heat alone in these carbs. Check the electrical connector to the choke heater, too. Your choke could also be stuck completely open, not enriching enough to run well on a cold engine.

If the choke is operating correctly, you might have a fuel level problem or a general lean condition. There is a procedure to adjust the enrichment solenoid on those carbs.

It's also possible that the torque converter is going to lockup too early. This can cause engine shudder and poor power. Removing your foot and allowing the throttle to rest in the idle position or hard accellerating will force the TCC to unlock. The ECM controls the TCC relay based on road speed, engine speed, and throttle position. I had a similar problem on an '85 305/TH700 and I hated it. The problem was "fixed" in late '85 with the newer 16-bit processor ECMs and better programming.

As far as I know, the only way to eliminate the problem is through custom programming or a manual switch to override the TCC relay. I'm sure there are many others who have had the same situation and may have better solutions.

How long is the engine warmed before starting out?

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Later,
Vader
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"No matter how hard you try you can't stop us now"
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84Berlinetta305

The car is normally warmed up for about 10-15 minutes. I think it is probably the choke, because the choke light stays on all of time. How do I correct this problem? thanks
Evan