| Author |
Message |
    
Lisa Buckleton (203.59.180.217)
| | Posted on Tuesday, 22 January, 2002 - 21:45: |    |
My 1939 Wraith suffers from a lack of power. I have to go into third gear to get up the SLIGHTEST incline!
It is fitted with a saloon body. The engine (including carby) is original. The points appear good, the plug wires are about 2 yrs old and the carby has been examined for floating debris a couple of times. I don't think there are any leaks in the intake manifold. It feels like there is just not enough petrol
Are Wraiths just gutless or is there something else I can check? |
Bill Vatter (12.92.203.82)
| | Posted on Wednesday, 23 January, 2002 - 10:07: | |
It has been my experience that unless someone has been messing with the carburettor, or unless the car has been standing long enough for goo to form in the carburettor, the carburettor is usually the least likely source of problems.
I would check compression, looking for 80 lbs and all cylinders within 10%. Then I would check ignition timing, looking for the points to open at TDC using the rear wheel off the ground to turn the engine with the plugs out. Turn the wheel very slowly in the forward direction only. Don't turn the engine with the starting handle to set the timing. That is to avoid an inaccurate determination caused by the slipper flywheel winding up while you turn the hand crank.
Has this car been sitting a long time?
Did this come on suddenly?
Is the car overheating? That could be an indication of retarded ignition timing.
When there is fuel starvation, often a car will spit back through the carburettor. Again, fuel problems would be my last guess.
Is the engine missing?
Is it smoking a lot at the tailpipe or engine breather?
Wraiths are not powerful cars, but they are really quite drivable if everything is right.
Good luck! |
Martin Cutler (203.18.6.104)
| | Posted on Friday, 25 January, 2002 - 08:45: | |
Hi Lisa,
I found that the exhaust system plays a big part in the amount of torque you get from my MK VI. The manifolds where warped and where leaking, after setting them up in a milling machine and machining the warp out of the cast iron, the amount of torque the engine produced increased dramatically. The car had the original exhaust system on it, full of rust and I guess partially blocked up. A new exhaust pipe and mufflers greatly increased it's "get up and go" as well.
Retarded ignition timing would be my other guess. |
Bill Coburn (144.139.225.63)
| | Posted on Wednesday, 10 April, 2002 - 23:27: | |
Lisa, Check that when the accelerator is fully depressed, that the throttle (butterfly valve) is fully open. |
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