Gutless!

Hi, clueless owner of a '89, 1.8 clipper in need of help!
Over the last few weeks, my pride and joy has been suffering with what felt like a lack of power, slowly getting worst, till the point that when I gave it a 'little boot' she started pulling back and jumping. This only happend on the motorway to start with, but was soon down to anything involving touching the accelarater. I changed the rotor arm as I was told the resistor may of gone, and this improved the problem, but only up to 40mph! So I changed the leads, plugs and dizzy cap. This improved it even more, but it still lacks the power it had, and should I put my foot down or get to 70 mph mark, it still wants to pull up…..anyone any suggestions of what else I can try? Seems strange that for each ignition part I change improves it a little more, yet nothing sorts the problem completely.

Are clippers carbed engines?  If so look for a vacuum leak/vacuum pipe collapsing on load

Yeah they have carb's, mine has a weber conversion, done before I bought her. All the air hoses r new as a few had split and cracked, so replaced them.

Deano - I'd check that your timing and that the dizzy auto advance is working correctly as a next step

This is exactly exactly what is happening to mine!!! please help deano, as it will help me know end!!! How do you check for vacume leaks??

Will do ricrhind. She is getting taken away to garage end of the week as I now cant even get her to run 100 yrds without coughing spluttering and dying. Will let you know soon as she is sorted.

Last night, after cleaned out fuel lines, cleaned spark plugs (were dry and covered in sot) checked leads, dissy and arm. Found a loose peice of studding and a nut in the carb ffs. Checked and cleaned all vacum hoses.
Wtf is going on its not chufin worse than ever!    
i feel for you deano

Spot on the money crazyquiff, it was the timing, had gone completly to pot….probably my fault, playing around and tinkering like the clueless idiot I am where I'm not wanted! Get the timing looked at ricrhind, with any luck that will b same problem. Let me know how it goes. Cheers people!

Just read through all the posts and now im laughing! I have had that problem for months and no garage fixed it, but i did. 6 hours yesterday.
do this and you should be fine.

1/ replace HT leads

2/ New fuel filter

3/ remove fuel sender unit and thourouly clean crap out

4/ remove drain (mmmm petrol tates nice!) :mrgreen:  and clean and flush tank.

the crap that came out of mine was unbelievable.

5/ tune/tweak the carb again. mines a webber 32/34

6/ Redex and away you go.

hope this helps.

Watch you dont come a cropper on the motorway like I did…I did all that you have done dougelove, barr draining it and flushing, and my car was back to her old self……for 200 miles…..then she started it again, few little skips, then jumping, then stopped!
And while I'm here…..yes the timing did sort it out people, for about 200 miles again!!! What the hell is up with her???? Giving up and putting it in the VW garage to be sorted now, will keep u posted.

Hey people, she is back with me, running better than I have ever had her!  VW garage sorted her, the fuel pump was knackered. Check the fuel hose before the filter, any air bubbles? Yes? That will be the pump leaking air in. Cheers to everyone that offered advice! I Love the site

Glad you sorted it - fingers crossed