[T3]Loss of power + muffler explosion = dead on the freeway. Thoughts?

[Chris Wright <Christopher.Wright@Sun.COM>]

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There are only 2 scenarios that I can think of that can cause bangs and 
loss of power.  Either as someone said, you've dropped a valve (no 3 is 
always the first suspect) which you can check with a compression test as 
you turn the engine over by hand.  A broken valve will mean 0 
compression so it's easy to spot even with a thumb over the plug hole!  
Chances are if this is the case, it's smashed the piston top and maybe 
other damage too.   When my daughters went, it smashed a huge hole in 
the piston and the valve head hammered the head to a point where you 
couldn't even determine where the spark plug came through!

The less alarming possibility is the distributor drive broke and the 
timing went to hell while the engine was running.  This should be pretty 
easy to check just by seeing if the rotor rotates as you gently turn the 
engine a little.  Then try twisting it by hand and see if it just 
rotates right round.  If it's the dizzy drive, the rest of the engine 
may be fine.

Good luck
Chris



Subject:
[T3]Loss of power + muffler explosion = dead on the freeway. Thoughts?
From:
"C.Rochambeau" <T3@binauralaboratories.net>
Date:
Thu, 24 Nov 2005 07:07:58 -0700

To:
"Type 3 mailing list" <type3@vwtype3.org>


[[This is a resend w/ the "T3" in place. I forward my apologies if this ends up doubling
up, but it's been about 8 hours and I haven't seen the original email cycle through]]

Hello all,

I was travelling along at 60-65 this evening when the car suddenly felt like it was
starved for fuel [hard deceleration], then there were one or two muffler explosions [I
actually recall seeing a flash from the rear of the car]. As the engine died, I was
coasting onto the shoulder.

The car is a 1970 FI system, more or less stock

*I'd *just* filled up, so it's not out of gas.

*The voltage regulator [new production Bosch] was quite warm to the touch, is this normal?
*When the emergency flashers were on, the gen light and idiot light were also blinking.
This is a first for this car. 
*Unhooking the D+ to the generator made the gen light stop blinking along with the flashers.
*I was unable to hear the fuel pump running, but that was due to the perpetual rumble of
traffic flying by.
The engine turns as normal, it just sounds as if there is no ignition at all.

I'm going out tomorrow morning to see if I can get the car started. Any insight as to what
could be the problem? I plan on having a good look at the charging and fuel delivery
systems, but those aside I have no clue what else could have given. I had been on the
freeway for about 3 hours [speeds varying from 0 to 70], and the car was running as usual
before this happened.

Have a pleasant holiday,
Curtis

http://binauralaboratories.net

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