What is it?

Okay,
The car runs great; 1300 miles on the 2110 dual weber 40's. However, When I kick it up to 4000 rpm the engine hesitates and drops 25% power. Checking the plug wires I can pull off # 3 and the car runs the same. #3 wire is sparking but there is no power in the cylinder. John Steele believes that it's a carb issue and will take care of the problem after Knotts. I'm just curious to find out what you all think it is. By the way, after I turn it off an let it sit for a spell, the engine usually fires on all four.
Thanks,
Terry

terry, it could be something as simple as plug gap or a plug that was
dropped[cracked] prior to installation. swap your wires [both ends],
and replace or swap your plug. at least you will eliminate your
ign., good luck.

Dead cylinder on a new engine with dual Webber 40s? I'm betting carb problem.

I would try taking off that cylinder's plug wire, and try swapping it with another of the same length. If the problem still occurs, try swapping a plug with another cylinder's plug.

If the problem follows either of the plug or the wire, you've found your culprit. If it doesn't, I agree - it's the carb.

Bad plug wire or bad plug or bad plug connector or bad distributor cap or something plugged up in a carb jet/passage or a valve is too tight (doesn't close=not enough compression=no firing - could have clearance when cold but not when hot).

Where's Jake he'll know.

Bet money that you will find a speck of dirt is in the main jet on the # 3 cylinder carb throat.......Alan

Could it be low fuel pressure or partially plugged fuel filter?

Ante up ....I still think that you will find a bit of dirt in the main jet on the # 3 cylinder carb throat.......

I would think that if there was dirt in the jet then it would shut down and stay shut down. The fuel filters are clean. the wire gives a spark. It only happens above 4k or under a heavy pedal. Interesting thought on fuel pressure. I am running an electric fuel pump. Could it possibly be a sticky float?. I'll send a prize to the person with the right diagnosis.
Thanks,
Terry

terry, the reason i'm sticking to my "ign. thought" is your
"underload" description. "under load" your cyl. press goes up and
sometimes your plug cannot fire [due to numerous reasons] across
the gap. But its easy to check. With that said, I've been wrong before.

I'll throw my vote in with Alan - a partially clogged jet on #3 carb.

It's open enough to pass enough fuel to run "ok" at low RPM, but when you rev it up and try to pass more fuel it reaches it's limit and that's all she wrote.

Has anyone suggested that it could be a dirty carb? That is what I think it is. Just had the same problem on a car.

AND THE WINNER IS....Alan Merklin!
I took 'Penny' in to the mechanic today and he found a little piece of metal about the size of a grain of sand trying to get through the jet. I've passed kidney stones before.....I can understand why the girl was hurting!
Anyway, Alan, name your prize. How about a hat from Knott's Replica Rendezvous? Let me know.
Thanks to everyone for your help.
Terry

Atta boy, Alan! If I have Speedster problems at Carlisle I know who'll get a call from me!

alan=sharp

Alan - Clean off the bottom of your shoe!

Terry,

Kidney stones are no friends of mine either!

I recall all too well pulling a towel rack clean out of the bathroom wall as I sank to my knees passing a stone and believe this, it had actually got hung up half way out!
This is where it gets funny...well kinda after the fact that is, There I am with dropped jeans under god awful pain pondering the all too famous ....."what the hell do I do question" .....

Off I go and waddle to the kitchen seeing bright lights frrom afar and pound down 3 large Coors Lites with haste and wait until the proper PSI ( Piss Per square Inch )has reached the "I can't stand it anymore" status. Return to the bathroom and with caution to the wind let it rip ...... If there had been a full moon, the neighbors would have sworn it was "that neighborhood dog" howling again.......

.....see above results!

Seriously, glad I was able to steer you to the source of the engine problem. My "prize" has already been "sent" see the Bruce and Bruce posts. If you will, pick up a West Coast hat for me and I'll gladly reinburse you for it.

Alan....Chambersburg,Pa.

More information than I needed, Alan.

Maybe it's time to bring up the subject of my ongoing problem with diarrhea..unless this is a crappy time to do so...so I'll dump it on you later.
Ron

Ron,

Corks work for a while.....

OHH Gawd...when is spring break gonna be over ???

Okay...again,
Since passing her 'kidney stone' The car has been running great, until yesterday.
Out for a drive, everything just great, all of a sudden a drop in power and the engine starts making a thrashing noise, like the sound of marraccas. I pull over, lift the lid and act like I know what I'm doing. No oil puddles, dipstick not too hot to touch, everything looks fine. Pull #3 wire and no difference in the rough idle. Turn the car off and figure it has something to do with # 3 cylinder. Perhaps damage from # 3 not running well because of the carb problem? I called John Steele and he figures it's probably a broken valve spring? He tells me to have it towed to my mechanic. So, here I am, 2 weeks before my trip down to Knott's. My mechanic is hopefull that everything will be fixed in time.
A note about the tow truck driver. He shows up with a flatbed as requested. He doesn't ask about the car although I volunteered that it was a replica. He spent a good 30 minutes getting the car just right on the truck. I watched these guys in the past with $100,000.00 cars and they're like baggage handlers with suitcases. Then, after driving slow enough to watch the grass grow he arrives at the mechanic's shop where it got really weird. The mechanic pulled a mercedes out of the garage to put my car in for safe keeping! It's just amazing to me the attention and respect these little gems get. And I'll tell you, 'Penny' looked gorgeous on the back of that truck
Terry

On the flip side, I recently had need for a "cheap" tow home - about 16 miles. Flat bed arrives, scoots the car up real slick, didn't take even three minutes. Even used an old 2X4 to make sure the nose didn't drag on the truck bed. After getting to my destination, he backed it into the driveway and left me in good position. Then he charged me his "cheap" rate, plus two upgrades: One for "lowered vehicle" (afore mentioned 2X4) and one for "special handling" never did figure that one out). Tow not so cheap anymore. File this one under Lessons Learned.
Today I bought a tow bar to fit the type 1 beam. All ready got my own pickup truck. I'd rather take a ration of grits from the wife than pay a tow truck driver for services not rendered.

David

Search the files section ....someone, some time ago, did a fabrication using a VW tow bar to fit a speedster with no clearance problems.....Alan

I use a regular VW tow bar,,,,,but you have to have about a 8 inch drop on your hitch ball


Gclarke "The Vacaville Guy"

The best deal for towing a Replica with a tow bar is get a standard bar and make it longer, about 12 inches. The car will tow like a dream. In fact, I added two tabs on the front of my beam and modified the tow bar to attach with two pins.

I can hook the car up in about three minutes and tow it without the herky jerky short bar feeling.

If you make long distance drive, always take a can of carb cleaner and the neccesary tools to tinker with your engine. Also, since the fuel tanks are easily removed (compared to your family mini-van), remove it every so often and flush it out. You would be surprised on the FOD (Foreign Object or Debris)you'll find at the bottom. Crud hangs around in the bottom and if it is picked up, it will be eventually transported to your engine. If it is not arrested by your fuel filter, it will end up within your carb. I use the larger canister type of fuel filters you can find at your friendly neighborhood auto parts store (make sure it is for carbed applications since the EFI ones sometimes require more pressure due to the element within it--I found out the hard way). After some use, I like to cut them open. You'd be surprised how much FOD you'll see entrapped in it. You ever see all that crud laying at the bottom of your carb fuel bowls?

BTW, How many of you are going to the Knott's deal? When is it?