Car: 85GS (carbed)
Issue: No power at wide open throttle.

Specific symptoms: Car would start and idle fine. I could drive it around the block without issue. But try to get any kind of power out of it and the further you depressed the gas pedal, the slower you would go.

An important note to separate this issue from a clogged fuel filter or failing fuel pump: Get up to speed on the highway (it would do this if you eased it up there and took your time), then let off and coast for a few seconds, then floor it. Still had the exact issue. The theory here is that, if it is a fuel delivery-to the carb- issue, then the float bowls would have a chance to refill during coasting.

Resolution: Clogged primary jets in the carb. Rebuilt the carb the first time, but missed this. Rebuilt the carb a second time and pulled the jets and cleaned the gunk off of them (what can I say, I was still new at the time).

 

Another one....

Conditions: High speed run
Problem: 1st gear like a bat outta hell. 2nd gear, no problem. Reaching the redline in 3rd gear and all of a sudden she starts dying off and just won't go anymore....

Resolution: Replaced fuel filter.

 

And another...

Pulling out of gas station, car suddenly running like crap. Barely able to drive it, no power to speak of. Pulled over a few minutes later and popped the hood, then saw smoke coming off the engine even though she did not indicate overheating according to the temp gauge. Exhaust manifold cherry red.

Resolution: Tracked it down to a dead coil on the leading ignition.

 

^ Finally an example of a common occurence on our 1st gens and a answer to boot.
Nice job kentetsu. And someone finally paid attention to detail on the instructions of this thread.

 

Or how about this one...

Driving to work at night. Sudden increase in power and lights got brighter. I thought this was a good thing!

Tried to start it in the morning when I got out of work, and there was no power to the starter or ignition. Tried push starting it, no go. Lights still worked, so was not a battery issue. Left me scratching my head for a while.

Resolution: Tracked it down to a burnt fusible link wire (the center one). So I replaced it with an inline fuse holder from Autozone, a couple of crimp on connectors, and a 30 amp fuse.

 

Hmm...

Car running like crap. Strange grinding noise coming from distributor cap. Removed the cap and all of the contact points in the cap and on the rotor were torn up.

Cause: Cap was misaligned when installed, which is amazingly easy to do.

Resolution: New cap and rotor (installed correctly this time).

 

Ah, here's another good one!

Applies to any 12a model with beehive oil cooler.

Symptom: Changed oil, referring to the Haynes manual for information on how much oil to add to the engine. When finished, car smoked worse than James Bond's car during a high speed chase. Most noteable on deceleration at high rpms.

Cause: Haynes manual will give you the incorrect information in regards to how much oil the system holds if you have a beehive cooler. The information they give refers only to the early models which have a front mount oil cooler, and therefore require more oil to fill the system. To get the correct information, you have to refer to the appendix at the back of the book which gives updated information for the later models.

Resolution: Drained off about a quart of oil, then she was happy again.

 

Ok, I still had the strangest and hardest diagnostic problems so far.

 

I have a 1982 GSL which is completely stock.

Symptom: Car running normally and then all of a sudden while brakeing for a stop light the engine stumbles and dies. Engine will start after 5-10 minutes but idle very poorly and kept on by reving over 3k rpm.

Resolution: Air Control Valve had a major internal leak. Rick sold me a used but operational one for $175 and my car ran good again.

I think i need a new fuel filter now because when I read Kentetsu's post about losing power in 3rd gear this is what happens to me when I am climbing up a hill. I hope it's not the primary jets because I am too lazy to take apart my carb right now lol.

This thread is a great idea because in just a few minutes I found some possible senarios I could be going through such as the one I described above. It's really easy to get good information from!

 

^ big possibility on the fuel filter. I recommend every 7 owner with a carb keep a spare fuel filter in the car at all times.
If it turns out the filter is not the problem then test the pump for volume and make sure a line didn't get pinched.
And theres always the possibility of a clogged cat if you have the cats still on.

 

I have cats. theyre fairly new since august. its a bonez system so it is sure to handle the higher temps. if the fuel filter doesnt help much i will definately look out for the fuel volume. thanks a lot!

 

[QUOTE=boyee]I have a 1982 GSL which is completely stock.

Symptom: Car running normally and then all of a sudden while brakeing for a stop light the engine stumbles and dies. Engine will start after 5-10 minutes but idle very poorly and kept on by reving over 3k rpm.

Resolution: Air Control Valve had a major internal leak. Rick sold me a used but operational one for $175 and my car ran good again.

The same thing can happen if the gasket for the ACV is bad and when you use the block off plate when installing a header system if the Plate is not sealed adequately.

Trochoid, when you come across this post. Please post up that issue you had with the Se.

 

problem car dieing once comin to a stop. running outa power once past around 6500-7000rpm.ideling all over from 700-1500rpm...

causing it.. vaccum leaks,improper air/fuel ratio,bent throttle linkage,plugged jets..

what solved it?? a rebuild by me



hehe i like my bling..

 

79, dual weber carbs (36 dcd), and i took it in to have them adjusted when i first bought the car. about a week after i got it back is when it stalled so i had to wait to take it in to them when i had a chance. when i talked to them they said the one of the carbs got stuck open. so i assume it was just flooding when i tried to start it.

 

RX ran great till about 1/3 of a tank of gas, then it would start stalling. Sit for a few minutes, started back up, drove another 1/4 mile - stalled. Fill tank: worked fine TILL down to a 1/3rd of a tank. Changed fuel filter but prob persisted...
problem:
Fuel tank gunked up - gunge plugs fuel outlet when low on fuel.
Fix:
pull tank -POR15 sealer kit - re-install newly coated tank
(and a new fuel filter)
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska

 

Problem:
car dies after 2-3days driving or 60-80 miles: battery dead. Not charging. Pull alt, electr shop sez its working fine ;P Belts OK. Wires all atached correctly. Fuses good...
Problem:
Nice newly powdercoated alt BRACKET does not permit Alt to ground, so no charge output.
Solution: ($75 later with Real Mechanic roubleshooting it
attach ground wire to alt and wire to block
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska

 

Haha, that's a funny one that I'm very familiar with. I pc'ed mine and had the same problem. Solution, sand the pc off one of the mounting ears, alt's charging again.

 

It was the alternator, but I guess it sounds like an old battery.

 

this summer early july after installing an efan i overtorqued the head off a bolt to hold my w-pump pulley on w/o noticing, which lead to seizing my water pump, needless to say the next day on my attempt to drive to milwaukee for summer fest i didnt even make it to i-90 before the car over heated. then that night i had to drive it home w/o a workign waterpump.

 

more like you used the wrong bolt. Its too long.

 

Well, if you drove the car for any distance without the water pump working the motor would have seized. And if the water pump seized up the alt belt would not of turned either. Sure you didn't seize something else?

 

Wacky, I was waiting to your thread going something like this.
My most difficult driveability issue was that when driving on the freeway I could not keep the car under a 100mph.
Solution, I put a 5/8 bolt under the accelerator pedal, adjusted it so the pedal would only go down a 1/4 throttle. Then I drilled a hole thru the side of the bolt and put a bullet proof lock thru. Afterwards I threw away the key.

Happy Wesenday buddy.

 

for the 15 mi drive home i loosened the belts and it just slid over the waterpump pulley. and yes i did make it home, but i never drove over 35 mph and had it in cruise most of the way to make sure it was a constant speed.

 

Milton, if the water pump was not turning because it was seized(seized meaning cannot move) then there is no way you could of driven any distance without blowing up the motor.

 

lol