loss of power

[samk]

Hi All,


this all started with a faulty idle stabilising unit on a trip to cornwall a few weeks ago. we finally diagnosed the problem and got the van up and running, however it is quite significantly down on power. Is the most likely candidate going to be the timing? I have tried tweaking the position of the dizzy and can only manage to make it worse, not better! We didnt touch the carb set up.

Power is down at least 30 %. slower on acceleration, worse on hills and sat at 50 - 60 max ish with foot flat to the floor.Something is definitely not right. On the plus side, it'll feel like a Ferrari when the problems sorted!

oh, and it's a 2ltr air cooled.

thanks!

Sam

[sarran1955]

Hello,

I've put a link to my posting as it may be pertinent.

The same rules apply for other a/cooled engines

click here

Hope this will help.

Cordialement,

[samk]

thanks, much of it over my head but i'll read it a few more times!

[gsmoke]

Hi samk,
Timing very rarely slips but as you've tried to tweak it with no success, I'd definitely set it with a timing gun.
I would permanently bypass the idle stablization unit by un-pluging and re-joining the wires together.
Your power problem could well be the vac advance on the dizzy. If you take distributor cap off and suck on the small pipe attached to the vac advance, you should see the plate on the dizzy move around to the left and return when you let go.
When you've set the timing, rev the engine to 3k and make sure that your timing has advanced to about 30 degrees btdc.
If none of this works, at least you can move on to fuel faults etc.
Good luck.