1980 2 litre no power on hills danger of holiday cancel

[horizontal kipper]

Hi all we have missed our ferry due to our lovely van deciding to play up good and proper. Hydraulic tappits have been changed but one packed up on way to docks yesterday night had to be recovered very early today. Have van home have changed offending tappit but the van has no power at all on hills. I know they are dog slow all the time but this is to the point of dangerous. We have another ferry booked for tommorrow 8am but looks like going to have to cancel this one as well. We have a holiday booked from mon but had intended to extend by going cam berg on the way and european buggin on way back. Would love to save at least part of the holiday. Anyone with any ideas or anyone near us in Loughborough who could come and offer an expert opinion would be gratefully receieved hubby started at 11.30am adjusting everything again tried to go again but still no power has been out on it since 5.30 but still no joy.

Many thanks Mrs horizontal Kipper

[andyspanners.21]

Hi There
I think we all need to know more about what's been done to your engine ie; why tappets were replaced, when it was last run, what else has been changed is it smoking etc etc

[horizontal kipper]

HI Engine was honed and had new rings and new AMC heads last year, had a reaccuring problem of no2 cylinder inlet tappet bleeding down when left for more than a couple of days so replaced the lot with new from gsf last week (pre bled and filled with oil , push rods seated correct then set them at a half turn in from contact. drove with no problem untill last night then lost power on the m25. Removed the rocker covers and pulled on the rocker arms with each one set at tdc, inlet 4 and ex 2 both had no resistance when pulled. Got home on the recovery truck replaced both tappets still no luck. No smoke all plugs are nice tan colour.

[kevtherev]

New tappets should be set at 1.5 turns in (IMHO)

But... if the tappets are draining down at high rpm then I would suspect an oil pressure problem or an oil feed problem in the tappet gallery.

[horizontal kipper]

New tappets should be set at 1.5 turns in (IMHO)

But... if the tappets are draining down at high rpm then I would suspect an oil pressure problem or an oil feed problem in the tappet gallery.

The oil warning light did flicker on along with my hand brake warning light when i let tickover on the drive today never had it do this before. For got to say The recovery man ran a compression test and leak down test said all were good.

[kevtherev]

A wet gauge oil pressure test will reveal any pressure problems.
What oil are you using?

I had a No 3 and No 4 tappet go noisy after a sustained run at motorway speeds.
It turned out that the pressure had reduced due debris slightly clogging a line

[horizontal kipper]

A wet gauge oil pressure test will reveal any pressure problems.
What oil are you using?

I had a No 3 and No 4 tappet go noisy after a sustained run at motorway speeds.
It turned out that the pressure had reduced due debris slightly clogging a line

20/50 grade mineral fresh oil 3 days ago. was going along nicely at 55/60mph before problem. Did an engine flush cure the cloged oilway?

[kevtherev]

I pulled the oil pump and saw the damage on the blades... I got rid of it soon after.

[andyspanners.21]

Hi There

I guess youve checked the obvious stuff like binding brakes? Personaly I would be looking elswere now you've gone through the tappett problem, if your oil pressure were that low so tappets were malfunctioning there would be other symptoms such as rattles. I had fuel starvation on my bus caused by a lump of rust/crud blocking the fuel outlet inside the tank. Cured by blowing back thro fuel line. I've also known these symptoms to be caused by blocked fuel tank breather system.
Does your power die back smoothly or with misfiring ? Misfire suggests ignition a smooth die back would suggest fuel starvation.
How new is your fuel pump? Knackerd pumps can become week when they get hot.

I do rely hope you get sorted and away soon and that we have been helpful
Andy

[horizontal kipper]

Hi There

I guess youve checked the obvious stuff like binding brakes? Personaly I would be looking elswere now you've gone through the tappett problem, if your oil pressure were that low so tappets were malfunctioning there would be other symptoms such as rattles. I had fuel starvation on my bus caused by a lump of rust/crud blocking the fuel outlet inside the tank. Cured by blowing back thro fuel line. I've also known these symptoms to be caused by blocked fuel tank breather system.
Does your power die back smoothly or with misfiring ? Misfire suggests ignition a smooth die back would suggest fuel starvation.
How new is your fuel pump? Knackerd pumps can become week when they get hot.

I do rely hope you get sorted and away soon and that we have been helpful
Andy

Hi Andy, i replaced fuel lines and filter under the van last week, van runs on both lpg and petrol so tried both fuels no luck. Both number no3 inlet and no2 exhaust have bled down again over night? power dies as soon as its under any kind of load. No misfire) just read the bit about quality and bad quality parts the tappets are made by Mechanex Brickwerks wont even sell them.

[kevtherev]

I guess that kind of information speaks volumes.
I can only imagine the return spring has weakened in the tappet.
Still I stand by poor pressure/supply in the gallery as my suggestion to why this has happened. May be the lifter has contributed too.

[jason k]

can you not refit the old tappets ( the two gooduns?)

[..lee..]

What fuel pump are you running. Does the oil smell of fuel at all ??????

[horizontal kipper]

Standard fuel pump fitted/ put the old lifters back in still no power on petrol or lpg up hills. Went to see them nice folk at campershack for a second opinion looking more like camshaft worn out as not getting enough lift no matter how much adjustment is made to tappets. Cylinders 2 and 4 being the worse on both inlet and exhaust. So Germany cancelled.

[camper]

Okay six penny worth here goes as having owned&run a 2ltre cu but gone to the dark side now .i had a problem like this and it was due to the valve seats recessing back into the heads on a couple of valves.I had this noise and kept having to adjust the hydralic tappets i run out of adjustment on the threads.When the head was removed it turned out two valve seats was pulled back into the head out of position & burnt.