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Hello everyone, so a while ago I had an issue with my cooling system, but it turned out just to be a faulty gauge and everything was fine. But ever since I bought my '81 4x4 Luv with the 1.8L gas, it's been extremely underpowered. I know Luvs aren't powerhouses, but I have to floor the gas just to get up to 65mph, and in return, I'm getting at least 12mpg to the gallon. I tried to adjust my carb to get it to stop running rich, but still smells like gas. I am looking to buy a new Weber 32/36 redline series since I'm pretty sure my current carb is old and junk and not worth rebuilding, but how can I know this is really the problem? I tried using seafoam and gas additives and carb cleaner, only have a slight slight difference.

The engine is fine, compression is good, spark is good, have no issues starting it or driving it, just I have to give it a lot of gas to get up to street speeds and it extremely struggles going on hills, while my friend's Luv does 40mph on the highway and has no power issues. I know the 4x4 dings the mpg but there's no way it can be that slow and suck up more gas than my crown victoria. Is getting a new carb really the best route?

First check the ignition timing before spending money. Should be 6 degrees BTDC at idle speed. Then while looking at the mark move the throttle linkage by hand and speed up the engine, the mark should move left off the scale with increasing speed. Symtems sound like late, improper timing. I'm betting on this.
If that is fine my next guess would be the secondary in the carb may not be opening. Make sure the choke is fully open when warm or it will lock out the secondary.

I checked the timing, at 6 degrees. My Luv has a really old Weber with electric choke, not sure what type it is, but it uses a round small aircleaner rather than the box ones. I never flooded the carb too, would looking into a fuel pressure regulator be something worth? I know I'm probably going to have to get one if I get a new weber since I have no idea what's my fuel pressure. I usually have to give it 40-50% throttle to get up to 45, and 90% to get up to 65.

I agree to check the timing. The weber will do a lot towards the running.

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Certified pilots, looking down on people since 1903.

As above, make sure the timing advances with engine speed. I would also (engine stopped) look down into the carburator throat while someone floors the throttle from inside to make sure the throttle is opening all the way. 4x4? Make sure your hubs are unlocked, in free position. Just a couple more things that came to mind.

Thank you guys for the tips, I'm guess I'm going to get my timing checked and adjusted again and see if that does anything/check the carb plates. Also Egg, yes my lock hubs are in free. If nothing else helps then I guess it boils down to the carb.

did you disconnect the vacuum line to the distributor and plug it?

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1979 4wd Mikado. G200, Gemini 250 Turbo, Clive Cam, Offenhouser Intake, JE Pistons, maXspeeding Forged Rods, Blow Thru Weber, Trooper 5spd, Intercooled

I don't believe I have, would that make a difference? There's no line vacuum line that goes from the valve on the distributor to anywhere.

I've also re-timed my engine and got it to line up at 6 degrees, but only slight improvement.

Huh, well actually I went ahead and compared engine bays to my friend's '78 Luv. Turns out I was missing that vacuum line from the carb to the distributor, so I found an identical line and attached it in. I did an oil change and so far I only have to give it 15-20% of throttle to get it up to 45mph, but freeway and hills are still around hefty use. Is there anything really else I can do to improve the fuel consumption? At least to 25mpg on the highway?

Replacing the vacuum line gets you halfway there, as I said timing could be the issue. Next--with the engine idling, disconnect and plug the vacuum line you just connected, and while speeding up the engine to freeway speeds monitor the timing mark (6 deg)and make sure it moves up the scale like 6--8--10--12--and beyond with the increased engine speed. If it does not you have a frozen/stuck advance inside the distributor. If it does advance ok then you are almost done, just be sure and reconnect that line back to the distributor and you are good to go.
There---distributor operation 101. You should be getting about 25 mpg on the freeway with all this stuff working correctly.

Clean your dist and lubricate all of the weights and the vacuum advance mechanism.

Did you plug the vacuum line and set dist to 6 degrees?

It does make a difference. I think mine reads 12 degrees at idle with the vacuum line on.

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1979 4wd Mikado. G200, Gemini 250 Turbo, Clive Cam, Offenhouser Intake, JE Pistons, maXspeeding Forged Rods, Blow Thru Weber, Trooper 5spd, Intercooled

Whoo, gotta deal with more timing now. Alright, I'll clean the dist and plug the vacuum advance and re-check/correct the timing. If it doesn't move up the scale mark at high rpms then I'll replace the distributor advance.

Well whoopdie-do. Just as I fixed the distributor advanced problem, I got caught in a nasty flood zone and now my Luv keeps dying only when it's at idle. It'll run fine when I add gas, but when I need to come to a stop, I have to feather the gas to keep it from dying out. I'm not misfiring, and I didn't throw any rods or so/no new noise coming from the engine. Sometimes when it's idling, the engine will run at a very very low rpm, did one of the jets in the carb take a dump? I have a 3 inch lift kit so I doubt any water got sucked into the engine.

Or should I try to re-adjust the throttle cable linkage, I'm guessing something got loose and completely closes off the throttle plates.

I'm no mechanic, I just do all the repairs my self to my luv. But when I bout my 76 it had the same issue. I was pedal to the floor and barley going 20 up small hills and it always smeled like gas.

It sounded to me like my luv wasn't getting into gear all the way. I got under it and followed the lines from my clutch. I ran it to the bleeder valve and found that the piston that came out of it to the lever that controls your throw out bearing was adjusted wrong. All I did was move the bolts to the bleeder valve and it allowed the truck to fully engage. It's now peeling out and hauling a$$ up hills and down dirt roads.