Loss of Power

[Guest]

I have recently had a problem with loss of power in my 1973 MGB. I will be accelerating and let up on the pedal and when I push down it coughs and sputters. Also, When I make a sharp turn there is a loss of power. It is like it ran out of gas, then it will sputter and run fine. I have added several of these alcohol "fixes" because a friend told me it had to be water in the fuel. It does not seem to go away. The engine starts and idles fine. I only have the problem when I drive the car. this is not good!

Jim Wofford
1973 Mallard Green MGB

 

[SilentUnicorn]

hmmm.... have you run low on fuel lately? have you changed your fuel filter? it may be possible you have a clogged jet? can you drain the fuel bowls? certianly sounds carb related. what carb(s) do you have? starts and idles ok...but dies when you step on it tends to mean water to me...but there are i am sure a number of reasons...


more info please

mark

 

[Matthew E. Herd]

What is the carburettor? Perhaps the float levels are too low ... ?

 

[BOXoROCKS]

Best guess...running lean, pull choke out a little when at speed see if it runs better, if it does ,you are running lean.if so start by putting oil in the slides. then go from there.

 

[Steve]

My gut feeling on this one was to make sure that the carburettor dashpots have oil. Cheap fix too if it's correct! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[mjamgb]

Drain gas tank next time you get good and low. If you have KAKA in the tank then a good rinse is in order. Also, pull the fuel pump and rinse the screen.

Mike!

 

[Bruce74B]

I had the same symptoms once...and lucked out with a fix, so this is a long shot...the instant "bogging" while cornering is the tip here. I found that I had several minor problems at the time and am not quite sure what corrected it, but this is what I found and corrected:

My choke cable mount was loose...theory was the cornering caused the weight of the cable and sheath to pull the choke, causing the bogging associated with the g force from turning or sudden deacceleration / acceration you describe.

I checked and cleaned out the floats in the the carbs...found nothing there, except a little gunk, but you prob got that with the gas treatment you used.

I changed the oil in the daspots...sucked out the old and added new 20-50 oil...I think the PO had used something lighter.

If I was a betting man, I would bet that my choke was the problem, but I did all of these at the same time and my problem was cured.

Good luck! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

Bruce /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif

 

[Guest]

I tried all of this and now it is running fine. Just wish I knew for sure which one really corrected the problem!

 

[Bruce74B]

I wish you had done them one at a time too....I always wondered what fixed it too...but once ya do one, ya might as well do the rest too...glad you got it fixed though!

Bruce /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

 

[Steve]

Well, at least we know that one of them worked......so if that happens to us, we know what series of tasks will work the fix. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif