no power in the low end????

[hpmad]

hello,

I seem to have a problem with my car, namely there is no low end power.
for example, in 2nd gear, starting at 1500 rpm and flooring it the acceleration is really bad (like an automatic transmission low end american car)... and then, when arriving around 3000~3500 sudently, it's a jolt (if I am not carefull, I end up in the previous's car bumper!)....

I have a 1980 3.0 ...

does anyone have pointers as to what can be going wrong?

thanks, Cyrille

[livi]

Not other than the possibility that it is normal. These engines need a good revving to come alive. But then it is all relative - how slow is slow ? If you take her up threw the gears, shifting around 3.5 - 4k, will she still feel slow ?

Not saying nothing is wrong with your car, just that it is possible it is normal. Did it change for the worse, or has it always been this way ?

[kach22i]

My first guess is that the ignition timing may be off.

When was the last time you had a full tune up including:

Ignition Timing
Spark Plugs
Distributor cap
Rotor
Wires
Air Filter
Fuel Filter
Fuel Accumulator
Valve Adjustment
...........what replaces points on a 3.0L?

Start with taking the distributor cap off and looking for condensation and cracks, along with rotor and cap wear.

EDIT: Could just be some bad gas or dirty injectors.

[911s55]

Did somebody stuff an early 930 motor in it when you weren't lookin?:

[TheMentat]

Originally Posted by 911s55

Did somebody stuff an early 930 motor in it when you weren't lookin?:

I had a similar guess... perhaps you accidentally got some debris wedged up under your rear bumper... have a look... does it look like this?

[hpmad]

hello

Originally Posted by livi

Not other than the possibility that it is normal. These engines need a good revving to come alive. But then it is all relative - how slow is slow ? If you take her up threw the gears, shifting around 3.5 - 4k, will she still feel slow ?

Not saying nothing is wrong with your car, just that it is possible it is normal. Did it change for the worse, or has it always been this way ?

it did change for the worse, it used to be much better... and the suddent acceleration (scarry/ arm wrenching, ok, not that much, but hard, kind of when a turbo kicks in) at around 3.5K is much more than the normal.

I had an engine rebuild 3.5K ago, so all the stuff should be normal... I guess I should go back to Red Jones and ask him, but I would like to get some pointers/ideas before hand....

cyrille

ps: no, my engine has not been swapped, and does (saddly enough) not look like your picture...

[livi]

Ok, so it has changed. Another story then. I would start like katch22 suggests with the basic. At least check plugs, dist cap, rotor and wires before handing it over along with open wallet to the shop.

[kach22i]

You know 1,000 miles is just long enough for those terrible multi electrode platinum plugs to start malfunctioning.

What kind of plugs did they put in?

[burgermeister]

I had multi-electrode platinum plugs in mine from PO ... ran fine all things considered. Running Bosch copper now. I am unsure how the platinum multi electrode plugs have the correct gap - distance between electrodes looks like 2 - 3 mm to me & is not adjustable; gap spec for my car is 0.7mm.

I'm with kach22i - look at basics. His list is pretty complete.
Also check advance mechanism in distributor for stickyness & other obvious issues. No harm checking spark output from coil either.
It's gotta be fuel or spark quality / timing.