I have a newly purchased '83 gsl. The car is beautiful, and seems to have been well taken care of. Now for the issue. The engine only has 147k and runs smooth under acceleration, but does seem to lack a little bit of power. While at an idle it has a "miss"(?). It's not regular like a fouled plug though, but you can hear it. Just a quiet popping in the exhaust. It also does this at cruise speeds. It has new plugs (although the trailing are autolites, the leading are ngk's), new wires, new coils. The exhaust burns your eyes from 10 feet away, even with the new carb. Any Ideas? Maybe carbon?

 

I'm sure that if you buy and install 2 new NGK spark plugs for the trailing the popping will stop.There's no other plug in most peoples opinion other than NGKs for the earlier 12a engines.

 

Just installed all new ngk br8's (Platinum), and wires. The car seems to have a lot more power, although it's hard to tell on wet roads. The popping is gon at idle after some carb adjustments (still there a little at cruise),but now my hydrocarbons are at 2500 on the analyzer. What the hell man? I'm thinking I might just swap the motor and be done with it, but I don't think it's bad, and the local rotary guy bailed to PA. late one night (bastard).

 

the HC on my 79 is over 5000.

 

Damn!

 

So, today I timed it, Gutted the cat, and changed the fuel filter. The popping is still there. Through process of elimination, I've determined that it isn't the coils, cap and rotor, plugs, wires, or a plugged cat. I'm starting to think maybe it's a problem with the friggin tires, Maybe faulty lug nuts. Tomorrow I'm changing the carb. Someone must have some clue. I think I could buy lybian military secrets with the cash I'm sinking into this. How much money does it take to buy a rotary secret?

 

mine pops also. doing the powertune seemed to help.

 

mine as well and i have 120k miles in it and new everything. no cats too.

 

Ok, todays progress report, I looked at the carb for a long time (it didn't move at all, just kinda sat there). Never did get around to changing it. I put in 8 ozs. of marvell mystery oil, and filled the tank. I drove around for about a half hour at around 6 grand. I'm sure everyone thought I was gonna blow up my car (you know, the piston people). Anyway, I'm hoping the mystery oil does the trick. Anyone with any experience with it, please speak up. I did try to adjust the carb, but no adjustment, no matter how drastic, seemed to make any difference at all in how the car ran. So, now for the big question, Could this be a carb issue, or am I barking up the wrong tree?

 

Oh yeah, also, How long does the mystery oil take to work? Do I have to burn the whole tank, or maybe have to go through a couple tanks with it?

 

Floats are set to high

 

I'll try that, and see if it works. If everyone wanted to come hang out in my garage, I'd buy some beer, and you guys could fix my car. Actually, I've got five 1st gens, so it could be a lot of fun.

 

Holy S#!T MAN!!!
After all the bs including coils, wires, $15.99ea. plugs, power foam, mistery oil, carbs, and everything short of a new motor, I think the problem is a huge vac leak in the spacer between the carb and the intake. But, now for the big question. I replaced the spacer with another used one, and the leak is still there. Should I keep going through spacers, looking for a good one, or is a warped carb or intake more likely? Oh yeah, I also forgot to mention my new exhaust system to at least quiet the problem a bit.