Loosing power uphill

[Brendeni]

Hi All

My van keeps on coughing and spluttering when I climb uphill. It sounds like its choking. Its getting rather cold here in oamaru, NZ and I wondered if the van was taking a bit more to get warmed up. Just started doing this recently. It has new oil and filter, air filter. Its struggling to get up quite small hills in the second gear and sound like it just want to cut out. I usually drive it with the choke out for a few minutes at the start, if I push the choke back in after 5 mins of running it, it just stalls, Is this a carb tuning issue?
Any help offered would be appreciated. It is running the original 2.3L Vauxhall slant motor. 4 Speed Gear box. 1978 SWB.

[Jeff]

Hi Brendeni.
It sounds like air is getting in and weakening the mixture.
Check for leaks around the manifold and carby, and any hoses leading off them.
Another possibility could be muck and rust coming through from the tank.
I don't THINK it's electrical because the choke helps it.
But it is a Bedford, and they're cantankerous bloody things.

[Banksx2]

I'd start by nuking all the usual suspects - replace the plugs, leads and points. Check the connections to the coil. Do the timing. Then you KNOW it's not them. (It's worked magic for me in the past and it doesn't cost that much)

As Jeff says, check all hoses and connections to the carby.

If the problem's still there, drop the float bowl off the carby coz you got stuff in there that doesn't belong. If you find that there are things growing in there, pull the carb, strip it down and blow the whole thing out hole by hole with either carby cleaner or compressed air (best is both). If you tear any gaskets you're up for a carby kit - best to replace any gaskets that you can anyway and not use old gaskets. LOOK at where the holes line up when you remove/replace them. Use a camera if you have one. It's not a hard job if you lay the bits out in order as you strip it down and take your time - you'll be surprised at how easy it is.

Unless you have dropped a cam lobe (doubtfull - you'd hear the engine missing) this should solve your problem.

Just remember that if these old motors have spark and juice at the right time they are going to run - go gettem Big Fella! 

Cheers,

Garry

[Brendeni]

Awesome Fellas, I will give it a go:)

[declan64]

All great ideas, but I would check the timing first.
I have had this problem a couple of times, a quick adjustment of the timing fixed it right up. If this dosent work, try one of the other suggestions.

[Rogue Trooper]

I'm with Jeff. Those 2.3's are bloody old now and I'm betting you've probably bumped an old vacuum hose or something while replacing your bits and created an air leak somewhere. Get under the hood while it's running and listen for a sucking or whistling noise if you can hear anything over the rattling.  What is the condition of the hoses?