Hi Guys,

This is my first post in this forum having sold up in Thailand. I'm back in the UK and once again getting to know my 1976 Daimler XJC 4.2.

It was put away in a garage for quite a long time whilst I have been away and when I finally got home to take a look, the engine was found to rev very high on start up (1,600rpm)

From research, I see a number of threads complaining about the automatic choke with many installing a manual instead. I prefer to keep it original, and want to know is this a fixable or replacement item? Is this a job a 5/10 mechanic (me) could attend to?

With thanks in advance

 

Hi Richard,
Different people will have different opinions about the automatic choke (AED). I chose to leave it in place and managed to get it working as intended. I bought a revision kit and carefully installed it myself. Be careful that you don't damage anything. I had never done any work on carbs before. I then took it to a professional for tuning, which takes a bit of time as the car needs to be started cold a few times to get it right. Once properly tuned the AED should work fine.
Must be tough re-adjusting to life in the UK coming back from Thailand. Good luck!
Noud

 

I had this problem on my 69 XJ6.
It would idle up to 1500-1800rpm, then would at times be just above normal idle at 1200rpm.
The roadside mechanic took off the intake, sprayed some carby cleaner in the carby and left it sit for a few minutes then it was fine. probably not a permanent fix but if you tried that and it worked, it might just be time to clean the carby rather than fiddle with other stuff.

 

Thanks for the idea, I'll give it a go next time I'm at the garage.

 

install a on-off switch for the AED (Automatic Enrichment Device) and turn it off and on as needed.

I do not believe the AED is the cause of the high idle, instead there might be an air leak assuming the idle speed remains high all the time.

 

Agree:


1. Cleaning up the throttle butterflies in any critter often cures a lot of ills.


2. An air leak creates idle. The cylinders respond to more air, not caring whence whence it comes...


Carl