Hi folks, Over the past few days my T2 1600 has been really struggling with accelerating and is finding hills particularly difficult. Getting up to 25mph on a steep hill that used to be more like 35. Getting worried. What I've checked so far: Valves. Twin dells - one was a bit loose but tightened now. No improvement. Exhaust is missing one nut so I'll see to that when I find one but surely that can't be all? I have electronic ignition. About 18 months old Accuspark. How do you check if that's working? Otherwise I'm at a complete loss. The engine sounds absolutely perfect ticking over. Sounds like it's straining at full power. I suppose I'll change the fuel filters but the clear one looks ok and it's a constant problem not intermittent. There's an electric fuel pump but it's ticking away fine. There's an adjustable regulator that I suppose may have moved. Anyone know what it should be set to? I partially rebuilt it 18 months ago. Any particular bolts that will have loosened that I should check for? Any ideas appreciated. Thanks.
Check thermostat/cooling flaps on bottom of fan housing, these may be stuck shut so could be overheating?
Is the dizzy advancing? Do you have a vac advance distributor? If you do, check it is advancing by taking the vac tube from the carb. Take off the dizzy cap and suck on the vac pipe. The base plate should move slightly. If it doesn't there is an issue, or you are not sucking well enough. Timing? Is it spot on? 30 degrees at 3000 rpm max advance. After that fuelling and after that compression check time.
Could happen for a number of reasons. See above plus. Had this with fuel pump issues on a couple of occasions.
Thanks for the speedy replies! I had checked the timing a few weeks ago but just did it again with a light. Hardly out at all, but it's spot on now. The advance does advance - it turns anti clockwise about 5 or so mm when I suck. Thermostat and flaps are not present. Which, of your suggestions just leaves fuel and compression. I will have to get a compression tester and check the fuel delivery next... How much of an exhaust leak would it take to cause such a drop in performance? Cheers.
Most likely reason is an ignition issue, leads etc, check your points gap and if the distributor is advancing
You say one of the carbs was loose, are the linkages still synced? Also, have you got an accuspark coil? I had similar this week on a bus with one of their red coils on, it was fine for a while, then started breaking down under load. New Bosch coil sorted it.
