Re(2): Engine falters in 1st gear

[steveb@newkla.kla.com (Steven Buchholz)]

Rob rote:
> 
> I've had similar problems with my '81 Coupe. In my case, it seems tied to low
> RPMs, e.g., rounding a corner in second gear and getting down around 2K. On
> accelaration, the engine cuts out for a split second causing a major lurch.
> I've also noticed that while idling at about 1K, if I gently depress the
> accelerator, the engine stumbles and the RPMs drop to about 500 for a second.
> This happens about 50% of the time. Maybe a vacuum leak?
> 

Your last problem (where the engine stumbles off idle) may be related to the 
EGR (if you have it).  Try disconnecting the vacuum line to the EGR valve.

I've had two problems on the '78 Fox of loss of power in turns ... one of the 
solutions made sense, while the other is a plain non-sequitur.  

The first one was a case where the engine would lose power during WOT accel-
eration in first gear when making a LEFT turn.  Right turns ... no problem.  
I checked fuel pressures, control pressures, filters, you name it ... problem 
still there.  On a lark I decided to replace the carbon canister for the fuel 
vapor recovery system - fixed the problem right up.  Go figure .....

The second problem also occurred on left turns; it was not dependent on 
speed or gear, but it did happen when the gas tank was getting low (~1/4 
tank).  This one threw me for a loop because the fuel pump takeoff is on 
the right side of the tank, a fuel starvation problem should only affect 
right turns, correct?  Well, since it was the obvious thing to check I 
pulled the tank sender out and looked inside.  The pickup is in the left 
side and there was a pipe that went across the tank to the right side.  
There was a cylindrical screen in the tank.  The problem was fixed after 
I replaced the screen.  

Steve Buchholz
s_buchho@kla.com

"Don't make left turns!" - Audi's right hand rule