Alright everyone, I need a little help.

I have a '73 914 with a 2.0. Spent the last 7 months rebuilding the brakes, suspension, interior and painting it. PO said the engine was recently rebuilt. I haven't checked the compression yet. It has a single carb, Weber/Redline 32/36 DGEV recently rebuilt. I didn't record the jet sizes. My problem is that it just doesn't pull hard at all. Took me almost a mile to get to 45mph and 4th. At rest, when I work the throttle, it responds great and spins up to high RPM quickly. I verified that the accelerator is opening the throttle all the way. I have verified that I don't have a break/caliper that is stuck.

Not sure if it is related, but just to have the whole story, it also has issues starting. With a newly rebuilt starter, new fully charged battery and with all the ground straps removed, cleaned and tightened. It turns over for a second and then just stops, hesitates and then turns over again but very slowly. Key off/on and it does the same thing.


I know the aerodynamics are not that bad! So where do I look first and then second?

Thanks.

Get rid of the single carb. Can be tuned to run ok but never great. Look for dual Weber carbs.

Those are the worst thing to ever happen to a type-4 motor. They NEVER run right, only less bad.

Retarded timing will make for a lazy motor too.

That sounds to me like very advanced timing, firing too soon & stopping the starter motor dead in its tracks.....

Whole I agree on getting rid of the single, it still should do a bit better than that.

Sounds like a number of things were changed so you just have to start working through the list. Try the following and drive after each step to note any changes.

1 Timing. I can only say this because I have done it. Make sure that you don't use the 27 mark on the 2.0 impeller as TDC. It makes your car run very poorly.

2. Verify your fuel pressure is not over 3.5 lbs.

3. Clean out all of your fuel filters and verify the float level is set correctly.

4. Blow out your idle and main jets with air.

5. Set valves

6. Check compression.

Check your timing. Additionally, verify that your spark plug wires are connected to the right cylinders.

Without giving it a though, I pulled the spark plug wires off the distributor a few years ago because the PO had the distributor cap marked where the wires get connected. The markings were wrong (had two cylinders mixed up). I had very similar problems to yours.

In addition to what has been mentioned I'd check your points are adjusted properly as well when you go to look at your timing. I've had a similar situation arise from points that were gapped too close due to frictional ware on the plastic piece that rides on the distributor cam lobes.

Thanks for all the advice! But I have a follow up question... All my prior experience is with Type I engines. When looking at the distributer from the passenger side (directly over cylinders 3&4), the cylinder#1 mark is at about 3-4oclock position. I'd expect it to be between 1or2oclock. However, the wire at this position goes to cylinder#3. So maybe just wired wrong AND advanced?

Only allowed limited garage time during the weekdays so I can't just go tinker.☺

Should look like this.

Click to view attachment

Hmmmmm... Not even close!

I think that might be the first thing to address.

Get your engine to top dead center and be sure the rotor is pointing to the location of where # 1 is shown. If not the dizzy may be incorrectly installed.

For some reason that drawing strikes me as wrong. Let me check on some things before you change.

The drawing is right. I have been putting the wires on 914s like that for over 25 years.

I would float test that carb. Throw it in a lake, and see if it floats. If it does, use it on the car.

Check the distributor and see what model it is. Some distributors, like the infamous 009 should be float tested with the carburetor. If you do have a 009, you will get some lousy performance because the advance curve is completely wrong for the engine.

So I found the wires for cylinders #1 & 3 were reversed. Connected them correctly and adjusted the timing to 34BTDC per the Pelican Article. Now it smokes like crazy! Works well to keep the mosquito's away. It starts great too! Just a bump of the starter. Because it has been switched probably for quite some time, do I run the engine for awhile to see if it stops or is it already toast?


Thanks to all for the input so far!

I believe your timing is still to advanced. On my 2.0, I set it to 27 degrees BTDC. Glad to hear you are firing on all four cylinders again.

While that is a recommended setting for carbs, I found that single carbs seemed to do a little better with less advance. Of course that is not saying it will make a huge difference.

I would think that there is a good build up of less than completely burned deposits in 1 and 3. I would run it a while and use a premium gas. It may clear up.

Good point Mike. After I installed my engine from the shed after three years, I was only running on 3 cylinders for a period of time. Whatever was keeping the last cylinder from firing broke loose on a long straight away and smoked like hell for a while.

Are you running a carb or FI?

And I just went up/down my street. Holy #$&@ Batman! This thing flies.

I thought 27 BTDC is where your timing should be set?

Correct for FI systems. But carbs will need more than 27.

Correct for D-jet systems--and that's at ~3500 RPM, with the centrifugal advance all-in.

L-jet is timed at idle, to a different setting. (About 5 deg BTDC or so?)

Don't know about carbs.

--DD