harkins@sri-unix (12/03/82)
re: your car "dieseling"; i refer to it that way, on the assumption that it, like many cars in the early days of emission controls, is essentially functioning like a diesel motor AFTER you switch it off; this is usually caused by minute deposits in the combustion chambers beginning to glow white hot, just about like a diesel's startup routine, which then more or less do what a spark plug does IF the carburetor is not closing off all air flow when the key is shut off; many cars have a solenoid that is basically the carb idle stop when actuated, but then when current is cut, they retract and the butterfly closes positively; to complicate matters, it sounds like you have a "glow plug" in the muffler or thereabouts, and it'll ruin the muffler if allowed to continue; i'd check for a solenoid device being rendered ineffective by the use of another carb idle screw (smart mechanics throw that one away when they find it erroneously used) and/or some other emissions control device out of whack that is sending large quantities of unburned gases down to the muffler area, ie, have an exhaust gas analyzer hooked on to see what's coming out; also, i've heard of catalytic mufflers becoming clogged and causing strange symptoms... good luck, ernie harkins