Hi, I'm completely new to this and this is my first project so please bear with me. I have a Mk2 Golf 1.3 with a Pierburg 2e3 and have been having experiencing a number of problems with it. The car is hard to start without pushing the accelerator, then I have to keep pushing it for a few secs to stop the car stalling. It idles pretty rough and when driving the car will intermittently stall if I let off the accelerator (e.g. stopping at junctions), or if not it will idle very low (about 600rpm). I've checked for vacuum/air leaks around the carb and the inlet manifold and replaced all cracked hoses and the fuel filter so I doubt this is the problem. Had a look at the carb while the engine was running and the automatic choke valve is permanently in the fully open position. I can move it a bit but it's quite stiff (and to be honest I don't want to force anything) however sometimes after a drive it will sit about half closed. The engine also seems to run pretty rich and smells of petrol (though there are no fuel leaks). Bottom line is I doubt it's behaving properly. The carb has been "cleaned out" with carb cleaner (though it doesn't seem to have done much) and the previous owner replaced quite a few of the gaskets on it, but that's about all that's been done to it. What could be causing the choke to do this? Bearing in mind I don't really want to have to completely disassemble the entire carburettor unless I have to in case I make everything worse, what would be the best thing to check first? Thanks.
bear in mind im no expert on the 2e3, the 2e2 is more my area for the 2e2 the autochoke housing can be unbolted easily, no fluids will leak etc. on the inside of it is a hole which slots over a pin on the choke flap lever. then on the housing there is a small notch which lines up to an alignment mark on the carb body. this is where i would start for diagnosing your issue anyway
Thanks for the help! i think i've fixed the problem though i can't be 100% sure till i've driven the car for a bit. Opened the auto-choke housing and the bimetallic spring seemed fine, did what you suggested and turned the auto-choke housing a bit but reset it to what it was before when nothing changed. Turns out i never cleaned out the idle jet. unscrewed it and found the holes were pretty badly blocked with dirt. soaked in carb cleaner for a while and it seems to be idling a lot better. It probably helps that i didn't realise till today that the 2e3 is a semi-automatic choke . Pushing the accelerator pedal down briefly then releasing before starting the car seems to get the choke to function properly whereas not doing so leaves it fully open when you start the car...
