zx losing power

cjb8721 · Post by **cjb8721** » 21 Sep 2005, 02:04

I have a 1.4 1992 ZX (carburettor). It has developed a problem running. The car will go along fine and (especially when the revs are high or it needs to pull up hill) it will suddenly lose power. sometimes it will kick in again and be fine, other times it just judders along, sometimes stalling. The car's just had new plugs and leads. I have checked the fuel pump & filter, both are fine. I had a look at the float and needle valve in the carb, the float is in good nick and the valve seems to operate freely. My first thought from driving it was that there was no petrol getting to the engine so it was a problem in the pump or with the carb but i've cleaned both and the problem is still there. Anything to do with the distributor / rotor arm or am i in completely the wrong area?
Thanks for your help.

Post by **martyhopkirk** » 21 Sep 2005, 03:11

Had something similar once with a VW Polo - traced eventally to a spilt rubber pipe causing a loss of vaccum.

citroenzx · Post by **citroenzx** » 21 Sep 2005, 03:18

is it loosing power whenever or when you hit the gas? mine has problems when i accelerate at first but then gets over it. apparently the coil packs degrade after 80k, so i'm assuming thats the problem with mine.

cjb8721 · Post by **cjb8721** » 21 Sep 2005, 03:34

The car will do it regardless of whether it is warm or not.Sometimes if i accelerate really hard the car will looses all power. When i pull in to let it rest, it will sometimes stall, the engine sounds very starved and pushing the throttle seems to make no difference to the engine. Often when i leave it 20 mins, it starts and drives again fine but the problem doesn't go away.
Couldbe a split tube though i've had a look in the float chamber of the carb after it has refused to idle and it seems full of petrol.
I know it sounds strange but could the carb be iced? ZX carbs have a plate which heats it in order to prevent icing. If ice was forming, this would surely affect performance, especially if its drawing in alot of air.

cjb8721 · Post by **cjb8721** » 21 Sep 2005, 03:37

btw. it is a distributor ignition, so wouldn't have coil packs would it?

citroenzx · Post by **citroenzx** » 21 Sep 2005, 03:42

well if it has a distributor it wont have a coil pack, dont know when the brought them in. have you blasted it with some carb clean to make sure all i moving nicely?

rossnunn · Post by **rossnunn** » 21 Sep 2005, 04:21

check the fuel filter. Does it have a manual choke?

cjb8721 · Post by **cjb8721** » 21 Sep 2005, 04:44

i've just replaced the fuel filter, the old one was really bunged up. It has manual choke, seems to be operating freely.

cjb8721 · Post by **cjb8721** » 21 Sep 2005, 17:40

Anyone think it could be the clutch? The biting point is quite high & i suppose the more the engine is pushed (i.e up a hill or at high speed) the more this might become an issue. Just a thought.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 21 Sep 2005, 20:32

Start engine, put hand brake on and apply footbrake firmly, put in 4th or 5th and rev hard and drop clutch. Engine should stop rapidly.
for best results point front of car at neighbours house and release brakes! - in other words be careful you don't have a target in front in case car moves forwards rapidly.
If you have a rev counter you should see revs rise with no corresponding increase in road speed.
jeremy