Uh Oh - 2.5L Porsche 914

[[email protected]]

Hey all:

I have a '72 Porsche 914 with a 2.5L Blueprinted motor with about 5,000 miles on it. 300 duration cam, 97mm stroke / 103mm bore.
Dual 45mm Dellorto DRLA's.

Driving back from Vermont last weekend, I experienced a loss of power after a stint of "enthusiastic acceleration". The motor mechanically SOUNDS fine (ie: no grinding/clunking etc), but bogs down starting at about 2700 rpm. Idles well, runs cool (for a 2.5) and the whole bit. When engine bogs, a snapping & popping can be heard in the exhaust and carbs - sounds like fuel starvation and/or timing issues.

SO: I replaced the points, condensor, distributor cap, rotor, plugs & wires hoping it would fix it (the points were pitted a bit). This really smoothed out the idle, and the timing is stable, too. Checked the Dwell - Perfecto. Now, I can only get about 23 degrees of advance before the motor bogs down at 2700 rpm, ironically, the same rpm for the maximum advance to occur.

IN ADDITION: a few weeks ago, an oil leak started on the TOP RIGHT side of the motor - and only at highway speed / higher RPM's. Oil is collecting on the top of the tin between the intake manifold and the engine tin seal. the quantity of oil is hard to determine, but its not much, and its under pressure, hence leaking UPWARDS. Sitting in one place, either idling or off, there are no oil puddles evident. This seems to be the oil cooler seals failing - I hope. The oil cooler itself isn't leaking. I can't think of anyplace else it would be coming from. The distributor seal is fine, the sending unit is too. Where else could this be blowing by? The heads/cylinders are dry of oil & residue...

I'm afriad that this might be a valve guide problem. I'm going to measure the lash tonight and re-adjust if necessary, and check the torque on the head studs that are visible with the valve covers off.

Does anybody have experience with these problems?

Please email me at: [email protected] with any suggestions/questions/comments! I'm baffled! (and worried)...

...and not driving the car...

Thanks in advance, everyone!

Cheers,

Greg Fulcher
'72 Porsche 914 2.5L
'73 VW THING 1600cc
'98 New Beetle (for sale)

[BergRace]

103 * 97 ?? Do the math, and you see that it makes no sence. A typo?

J.

------------------
-56 T1 hopefully soon with a F.I. T4 (AN engine)