Loss of power / hesitation (again)

[maximillion]

HI,

Been battling a long outstanding problem with the bus. 81 Aircooled, with a standard 2.0l CJ.

Problem has got worse all of a sudden, the engine ticks over ok and sounds ok tbh and Starts on the button, but under any load it holds back, hesitates, with the odd small pop from the exhaust. This used to be an intermittent problem and only happened up hills, buts it constant now.

I dropped and flushed the fuel tank last week and changed fuel pipes / filters and fuel seams to be getting through.
I checked timing, and it was way out with only an intermittent strobe from my timing gun, changed dizzy cap, strobe is back and strong - thought i'd cracked it but still runs the same. (got a new rotor and leads to pick up today)
Vac hoses look ok and the timing is advancing when reved...

Any thoughts as to fuel / electric?

Many thanks

[tforturton]

Just a thought - is the clutch slipping, or worn? My 2.1 Syncro had a lot of those symptoms, and it was nothing to do with the engine - the clutch was on it's way out.
Otherwise, it does sound like fuel supply. Is the pump okay?

[maximillion]

Cutch is only a couple of years old, no signs of slipping but it bites a little low? Still got mechanical pump but fuel is coming through?

Thanks

[maximillion]

Just rechecked the timing and with vac all connected its running 7-8 BTDC, just been reading the wiki - it sounds like it should be 4-5 ATDC could that be the problem?

[kevtherev]

Any popping from the exhaust would have me checking for air leaks, blocked jets etc