fuel leak/loss of power/midlife crisis etc... sigh

[CrankyBugs]

ok, im no mechanic but im not a total idiot and i love my van to bits so im hoping someone can offer some useful advice cos i feel like i only just made it home today, and only luckily as it was downhill all the way. phew.

so.... my beloved 1986 t25 1.9petrol VW transporter suddenly started losing power in the city centre this afternoon, needing my foot to the floor just to creep along at a regular pace. felt like the engine was working like crazy and stuttering a little, with the power not translating into movement, it was really freaky. i would have stalled everytime i moved off on the way home so i just had the engine screaming in protest as i pootled along in 1st and 2nd mostly and then coasted. when i pulled up at lights etc, it seemed to be idling fine though, strangely.

i dont know if it could be related, but for the last month i have noticed there has been a very slight petrol leak, with fuel collecting on the underside of the tank but not really making much of a puddle on the floor. lack of cash meant i was delaying taking her in for a check-up but now this means i might have to! arrrgh,

i have a haynes manual but very little experience of mechanical stuff cos i came to driving late in life (33) , im not driving her anywhere (might try getting her to the garage if i really need to, its not far) but i dont reckon i'd get her home again at moment. sob.

any ideas what that sounds like?

ho hum

thanks in advance

dan

[Bowton Lad]

ok, im no mechanic but im not a total idiot and i love my van to bits so im hoping someone can offer some useful advice cos i feel like i only just made it home today, and only luckily as it was downhill all the way. phew.

so.... my beloved 1986 t25 1.9petrol VW transporter suddenly started losing power in the city centre this afternoon, needing my foot to the floor just to creep along at a regular pace. felt like the engine was working like crazy and stuttering a little, with the power not translating into movement, it was really freaky. i would have stalled everytime i moved off on the way home so i just had the engine screaming in protest as i pootled along in 1st and 2nd mostly and then coasted. when i pulled up at lights etc, it seemed to be idling fine though, strangely.

i dont know if it could be related, but for the last month i have noticed there has been a very slight petrol leak, with fuel collecting on the underside of the tank

any ideas what that sounds like?

Firstly Dan, I've no idea what it sounds like because I can't hear the engine in your van from here.

If the engine is racing & the van's going nowhere fast then it won't be the fuel leak to blame. Fuel starvation would lead to non-starting or erratic running ie.engine spluttering.

One thought is the clutch. Worn/slipping clutch or oil/gresae on the clutch plate. What about one or more brakes binding? This could well be noticable through the steering particularly if one of the front brakes was binding ie.pulling to one side.

Let us know how you get on.

[CrankyBugs]

k thanks. it didnt feel like the brakes were binding cos they still seemd to be working fine and the only reason the engine was racing was cos i had my foot to the floor just to pootle along. i'll give it a run later today and see what happens. i guess i need to get the fuel leak seen to anyway,

[clartsonly]

it sounds very clutch slippy like to me, although I dont understand the worry of stalling without racing the engine.. usually with a slipping clutch when you back off the gas enough then the clutch will fully engage until you hit a hill or put your foot down. see if it runs on the driveway for 20 minutes or so responding to a bit of throttle etc. when you know the engine is good it really is only a matter of elemination..

try even pushing it along the driveway you will notice if the brakes are binding, then it only really leaves the clutch to me..

[airhead]

If the engine is spluttering but idling fine it could well be fuel starvation. Either that or your distributor isnt advancing. Does the engine rev ok in neutral and its just not pulling and just revving up, or is it not revving cleanly and not putting out any power? Just a bit of clarification needed there.