Please help? My '82 242t running rough at idle... just happened today, suddenly.
 

Hey guys!

My '82 242t has been running great, but just today, after filling the tank full with gas, it runs ROUGH at idle and sputters in DRIVE gear until about 20mph or 2k RPMs. The fuel gauge showed in the red before filling.

It's to the point where it is unreliable to drive, anyone have any ideas?

Background, the car was sitting for 3 years. I did a full body and interior clean / restore, but didn't do anything to the drivetrain except for changing the fuel pumps. Also, when I bought the car, there were some loose vaccum lines. I connected them where I thought they would go, I'm probably wrong, but hey, she WAS running fine =)

Could it be that the fuel tank is dirty and something got jammed in the filter or strainer? If so, would it cause this behavior at idle, or would it do it always? It seems to run just a LITTLE bit less well than normal at highway speeds, but at a stop, it is hard to make her move.

She had been running more and more rough in general and had been becoming harder to warm-start too. Today's incident just took the cake though... don't know whats up, to me, a bad filter or clogged strainer means less gas at all times, not just idle speed.

PLZ HLP? =)

Thank you!!
DecalService

RE: Please help? My '82 242t running rough at idle... just happened today, suddenly.
 

Possible you sucked up dirt from the bottom into the pump.

RE: Please help? My '82 242t running rough at idle... just happened today, suddenly.
 

Yeah, you didn't say you replaced the fuel filter. Also try a new air filter.