1. Registration trouble? Please use the "Contact Us" link at the bottom right corner of the page and your issue will be resolved.
    Dismiss Notice

No Power In Second Gear, Under Load..????

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by 1928 Chevy CJ5, Mar 6, 2021.

  1. Well Here is what I have been doing.... to try to remedy these symptoms;
    no power, giving it any gas in second and it bogs down and I can only drive it in First gear, normally.....
    Pulled the prestolite distributor and rotated it to the next position so the points are opening on the shorter cam lobe, and not on the previous long cam lobe....... (Odd fire Dauntless)
    Moved all the spark plug wires over one terminal... for proper firing order
    Timed it with a timing light, vacuum plugged...... 0 TDC
    Then, adjusted the idle mixture screws on the rebuilt 2g

    Took it for a drive ..... NOTHING HAS CHANGED........... drives exactly as it did before I changed the distributor timing..... No power under load or going up a slight hill........ So could that mean..... that it was NOT the distributor .... or the Timing..... or the plugs ( all cleaned)....... or the points.... (they Look good, gap set)

    I will move the distributor back where it was, move the plug wires back and re-time it...... It actually ran a little better (Poorly), Before I changed the distributor position.
    What could it Be.....???
    It accelerates smoothly with no load (in neutral)....... and driving in First Gear, it does fine.......
    On level or slightly downhill in second gear. Fine..... But slightly up hill......no power and will Not accelerate....... instead bogs down and Dies ...?????
    What could it Be...?????
     
  2. Ol Fogie

    Ol Fogie 74 cj5 304, 1943 mb

    fuel starved ?
     
    Last edited: Mar 6, 2021
  3. tcfeet

    tcfeet Member

    sounds like the timing needs to be advanced..
     
  4. Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    I agree, to me that sounds like the timing is retarded. Is the distributor off a tooth maybe?
     
  5. jpflat2a

    jpflat2a what's that noise?

    Didn't Adam have this problem years ago and it was an incorrect carburetor base gasket for the Rochester 2bbl ?
     
  6. PeteL

    PeteL If it wasn't for physics, and law enforcement... 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Intake vacuum leak?
     
  7. Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    From TDC, you should be leading into a short lobe on the points cam I think. The firing order should be
    • 1
    • 150 degrees to 6
    • 90 degrees to 5
    • 150 degrees to 4
    • 90 degrees to 3
    • 150 degrees to 2
    • 90 degrees back to 1
    It does sound like it might be fuel starved. Things to check for that:
    • Make sure any fuel filters are not clogged
    • Verify the float level is correct.
    • Run it under load until is wants to die, shut it off, remove the air cleaner and actuate the throttle by hand to see if the accelerator pump nozzles are squirting. If they aren't it indicates and empty fuel bowl.
     
  8. Twin2

    Twin2 not him 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    I am just going to throw this out there
    last year on my jeep . it had a mid range stumble / lost of power ( I mean . when I would try and accelerate with my foot in it )
    went through all the regular stuff . points/condenser . cap . rotor . wires . plugs . stumble still there
    changed fuel pump and filter . stumble still there
    was getting ready to change carburetor . but I just couldn't convince myself . that was it
    jeep ran fine . would idle . drive . just wouldn't take the foot on floor
    got me thinking what haven't I changed . The Coil . what's it going to hurt to try
    changed it . jeep ran like a scalded dog again
     
    Ol Fogie and Fireball like this.
  9. Boyink

    Boyink Super Moderator Staff Member

    Yep.
     
  10. Ol Fogie

    Ol Fogie 74 cj5 304, 1943 mb

    X2, had the exact same problem with an F-134 once, coil fixed it.
     
  11. timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    JMO - the best way to test a coil is to replace it with your spare coil.

    Every Jeeper should carry a spare coil. Sometimes they fail slowly, sometimes all at once and you'll be stranded. BTDT.
     
    Ol Fogie likes this.
  12. Ol Fogie

    Ol Fogie 74 cj5 304, 1943 mb

    X2, Along with a spare set of points,condenser, and fan belt.
     
    Rick Whitson and Jrobz23 like this.
  13. OK... thank you for the suggestions..... I would like to try a new coil....... would I just go to the parts store and ask for a 1969 CJ5 Dauntless Odd fire , 12 volt coil...?? Or does someone out there have the correct Part #....? If it was starved for fuel...... wouldn't that same problem have showed up, when I drove it to town (18 miles each way)...... it ran fine in first gear all the way.....accelerated fine...
    it even ran fine in second gear and accelerated fine on the level areas......... but bogged down on an incline.... Would it rev up and accelerate, strong as it should, in neutral, and while driving in first, if it was fuel starved or the accelerator pump not working...?
     
    Ol Fogie likes this.
  14. ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    And test the spare before you head out on a long trip. Diagnosing a coil issue by using another bad coil really confuses things. :banghead:
     
    Jrobz23 and Fireball like this.
  15. Ol Fogie

    Ol Fogie 74 cj5 304, 1943 mb

    It would seem to me what you are describing is the jeep is running fine under low fuel demand situations. When you encounter a higher load situation where you began to press harder on the accelerator like when pulling up a hill or even hard extended acceleration on level ground is when your problem shows up when the fuel demand is heavily increased. For example if your fuel lines or fuel filters were only partially clogged up there could be enough fuel supply to keep things going smoothly until you increase demand suddenly for pulling the hill.
    First I would try swapping out the coil.(you need an extra one anyway). If that doesn't help I would check fuel flow, volumes, and pressures. How old is the fuel in your tank? Was it purchased at a high volume station? Name brand? 6 months old or more drain and change it to a popular brand of non-ethanol.
     
  16. 3b a runnin

    3b a runnin Active Member 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    X2
     
  17. PeteL

    PeteL If it wasn't for physics, and law enforcement... 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    This is much more likely than a bad coil, IMHO. I have never had a coil fail, ever.

    Putting a vacuum test gauge on the engine might tell you a lot, and costs almost nothing.

    You said you cleaned the plugs. Did you check the gaps?
     
    dozerjim and Ol Fogie like this.
  18. Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    I believe if it was fuel delivery the engine would start misfiring, not continue running smoothly but weak since the air/fuel ratio would become unbalanced.
     
  19. OK... I am going to buy a new coil and try that.... I can rapidly accelerate in 1st gear no problem.... and in neutral sitting still rev it up to about 4,000 RPM rapidly and hold it there... no problem.... but driving along at in first gear at about 15 MPH.. shift into 2nd and try to accelerate .... and the engine bogs down. will NOT increase RPMs .... will not accelerate.... No Power.... But in 1st gear plenty of power and smooth acceleration....... I will replace the fuel filter and replace the coil... and buy a vacuum gauge...... and buy some carb cleaner to spray around the base of the carb....
     
  20. Oldpappy

    Oldpappy A.C. Fults - Curmudgeon at large 2022 Sponsor

    Read through this thread, and the other you opened on the same topic.

    I still think the timing is off. Did you put a timing light on it as suggested? What the book says is just a starting point, it may need to be advanced a few degrees.

    It could also be the mechanical or vacuum spark advance. A leak in the vacuum can, frozen weights, or broken springs could all cause such problems.
     
    dozerjim, Ol Fogie and Glenn like this.