URGENT HELP - No acceleration

[ade]

Hi guys,

Need urgent help. Dirving to work today in my car (1.2 mk2 4 speed carb) I had no acceleration. Car got to about 75 and would not go any higher. When I tried to acceperate it flet like she was actually trying to slow down - at one point the the engine spluttered and I had to pull over. Have checked all plugs, wires and all seems in order

Temp gauge sat at half way (usually sits at 1/4).

My coolant was changed 3 days ago and ignition timing checked and retarded slightly due to engine pinking. I also added a small amount of redex to tank to try and shift build up of carbon (recommended by garage that did coolant/timing)

Could the prob be the timing being too retarded - before I used to get up 80+ with no real probs and could manager 100 (on my speedo) without any difficulties. This is a concern coz I use car daily on m/way and need acceleration.

Any help appreciated - can get the AA pout to agjust timing if necessary

Ade

[Chris LR]

When the coolant was changed did they also change the thermostat? When the temp gauge gets to halfway it should open and go down again.

My only other thought is that the carbon that built up is coming out.

[ade]

called out the AA as feared of getting stranded in apache land on the way home tonight (dont finish work till 10pm! :x )

The company that came out on behalf of theAA reckon its fuel starvation and blamed the fuel pump but I know the pump is fine coz it was only replaced a month ago if that!

Everything eas fine till Thursday when the car was serviced. This weekend been the 1st time Ive really had to get her up to 70+.

Took her down to the agents local garage for a quick test and on the run down I couldnt get any more than 65 out of her. It feels like a massive flat spot - almost like someone has grabbed the back of the car. The brakes are fine (all checked recently no probs there) and the carb/dizzy are less than 18 months old between them!

The agent didnt even look at the engine - just said it was prob fuel prob and to take it back to the garage where I got the service done.

:evil:

He then preceded to take the pish out of the car sayiong I shouldnt be going over 60 in anova as its not designed to go that fast.

ade

[Aragorn]

4 speed tranny right?

try to get to 70 in 3rd

it should do 70 at about 5600 rpms in 3rd gear

if it does change to 4th and see what happens

if not - try to get 45 in 2nd again it will be about 5200rpms

if it cant do any of that it might well be fuel starvation

if it just wont go over 70 - could be clutch slipping?

have u got a k&n on that carb? if so try refitting the standard box - its getting cold up ere so might be icing problems?

and ure never on MSN :x
easier to diagnose on there

[MattyWoo]

I had problems with my motor today, i went out for a thrash about, did a few naughty things like donuts in car parks etc. and just showing off to my mate :oops:

When i was driving home i came to a junction on a hill and it wouldnt let me pull away from this junction.
Every time i tried she would cut out on me, so i rolled it down the hill, turned it round and drove it down the hill and started goin home another way, it was chugging and stuff, the only way i could stop it doin it was to pull the choke out about half way. (bearing in mind i'd been driving for about half an hour it wasn't cold)
Then after a while it stopped doing this for about 5 minutes, then everytime i tried accelerating i would have about a 4 or 5 second lag where the car nearly cut out, then it would shoot forward.

Help i dont understand what is going on, I'm scared my baby is gonna die or summit. :x

(I've got a 1.2 mk1 Merit btw)

[carltoncrazy]

my sr getting turned on wednes,my timing so fucked it spits flame out the carb,
beat that boys.
n e howz basical ade o0n ya temp,make sure you havent got a air block,stick thermostate.
wot else
lose of power.the ice up thery well culd b but i dought it for this simple reason,ok hes on a motor way,so the enigne will be getting hot,and warming the carb n feaul pipes up.
also the almitey ade has probley got a hot air fed already,seems to have everything else.
probley tuneing out.
slipping clutch, easy test,run engine,into first gear and if it still moves forward,even wen clutch is in,then its on its way out,
bnut judging by the recent work take it back and thro trades disrpition at them

[ade]

lol @ the mighty ade (oh yes!).

I've got a hot air feed on it - home made one - just a piece of that metal ducting running from the manifold to the K&N with a small flap in the fromt to allow wind travel. Works really well. Its not that though.

I usually accelerate to about 55 in 3rd when coming off a couple of roundabouts on the way to werk - starting to struggle - when i change down the power drops and it takes ages to climb up. The engine doesnt sound like its struggling its just flat.

To get any power out of her I drove with the choke 1/2 way out last night - managed to get her up to 85 by gently mooving it back and forth. Roads were dead no no probs with traffic but its not ideal.

Managed to book it back into garage on Thursday - gonna run the current fuel out of the tank just incase its the redex, losening something and blocking a pipe etc. Gonna change the fuel filter too - been on the car less than 2 months and its as manky as fcuk!

I'll get there - eventually...

Ade

[Dicko]

its either icing in the carb, or the your getting moisture in the leads.
try giving thre leads a good coating on the spray you can get to stop this.

[mowgli]

I'd be looking at the timing, either the dizzy has slipped, or maybe the vacuum advance pipe is off. I once had a vac. advance diaphragm fail and the car was flat as hell. quick way to test that is to remove the vac pipe at the carb end and whilst the engine is running suck on the end. if the engine note changes, then vac. adv is ok.

They might have cocked up the coolant filling, you should always have the heater on hot, and you should remove the temp sender to bleed the air out. the head/ inlet manifold could be getting v. hot, and that would cause poor running.

Take the car back to the garage & ask them to recheck everything that they charged you for.

p.s. go the the vauxhall dealer and tell that little pillock that you will be writing to his boss complaining about his attitude to customer service & that he personally insulted you about your car.

Yours Mowgli

[CP]

I'd check the cam timing - it sounds like classic 1 tooth out on the belt syndrome.