Hi I have a recurring problem with my Polo MK2 1985 model year. This is the first time in recent years I have had it mot'd, taxed and insured.to use on the road. I am suffering from a running problem. The car ticks over and I can rev the engine while stationery. But when I an driving it on a dual carriageway. I cannot go above 40 mph because the car starts to stutter, vibrating a jerky sensation. It is points ignition with an advance and retard distributor. It is fitted with a Webber 32IBF Carburettor. Which is new. I am suspecting the ignition coil or could it be the petrol of today?

fresh fuel ?

fuel filter clear?

air leak at carb base ?

check the points /dizzy cap /arm 

 

dosent sound like a coil to me...will it rev in 1st gear or no , id guess at fuel starvation 

Sounds like fuel starvation, is the carb specific for your engine and jetted correctly?

 

It could also be something electrical breaking down under load, especially if it revs freely when stood.

 

If it’s points there will be the condenser, check dizzy cap for cracks and also spark plugs/rotor arm for arcing. If it’s been stood so long I’d renew all these as a matter of course as well as fuel filter, air filter etc.Also check fuel pump is delivering ok, you should see a steady stream of fuel passing through the filter

 

Don’t use the E10 petrol either, but even if you have it wouldn’t cause the problem you described, it’ll just wreck rubber hoses/carbs over time instead.

Edited 18 October, 20214 yr by mk2tastic

Thanks for the usual pointers,which I have considered already. Also performed the checks, supplemented components. Take tonight, after fettling it this afternoon I took it out for a run after discovering a loose retard vacuum pipe. Thinking I had solved the problem. I put £20 of Esso supreme in E5 99 Ron. I took it along the dual carriageway near me to open it up. It picked up went through the gears smoothly up a hill. When I crested the hill and tried to push it to 70mph it started to misfire it seemed, So I eased off and it would not run properly again. In fact it stalled on the hard shoulder. I put my hazard lights on, popped the bonnet to check electrical connections were tight including hoses. All seemed well. It took a while to fire up again. I kept cranking it over, but it wouldn't start, eventually I caught it, then from then on I was able to limp home at around 20 mph, if I tried to gas it. It would bog down again. Also my temperature warning light was blinking brightly. But the system is full of 50/50 coolent and soft distilled water. One thing I have been told, which  is nothing apparently. Is that the main jet is a 170 it should be running a117.5. I probably need to strobe the ignition timing but then why if it was running ok momentarily? I am stumped. It looks like I will be having to hire a car this weekend on a prearranged visit to Kielder observatory

can you see fuel in the filter ? maybe a weak pump 

When my fuel pump packed in it started with what seemed like the car running out of fuel. I was low at the time so filled up and drove off without issue. 
 

a mile down the road it started stuttering again, this time it packed up altogether and it wouldn’t restart. The fuel filter was empty which was the clue it was fuel related and not something electrical.

 

 

Weber 32ibf for 1 litre (1043cc) Polo has 125 main jet and 170 air corrector.

 

...and 1.1 litre (1093cc) has 127 main, as Weber don't do a 126... 

 

The main jet is in the fuel in the well. The air corrector is visible.

They are joined by an F87 emulsion tube.

 

https://www.clubpolo.co.uk/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=87489

Edited 19 October, 20214 yr by dvderlm

Thanks for the Weber 32IBF insights. Yes I agree the jet in the float chamber is 125 and the air jet on the top is 170,the pilot jet on the solenoid is 45. I think I might of cracked the problem, given my fuel filter was full and there was fuel in the carb reservoir. The carb being new old stock. I suspected the Distributor as the issue. I stripped it down completely, driving the pin out of the cam drive pinion. I took the shaft out and checked the auto advance springs all seemed ok. No obvious wear. However I noticed oil all coating the inside of the  distributor, there was oil on the points. I know that can cause a misfire. I am hoping that is the problem. I also noted a perished felt washer where the shim washers are on the drive shaft. The shaft was moving up and down indicating looseness. This movement allowed engine oil from the cam shaft tunnel to capillary action it's way into the distributor. I hope I have sussed it now, given I have put a new replacement felt washer in to act as a packing spacer to stop vertical movement. I will let you know in due course if it runs properly again.

"Most carburettor faults are ignition related ".

 

or perhaps even consider one of these

https://vi.raptor.ebaydesc.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemDescV4&item=363401865643