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Ok, I know i posted about this awhile back but I have since fixed the carb and I know its new clutch time, but it still doesn't add up... everytime I hit a hill in 3rd, the truck slows down and I end up having to downshift and roar my way up. This happens even with my foot on the floor. The engine does not over-rev when this is happening (i.e. like with a slipping clutch). Its as if the engine has no desire to increase RPMs going uphill even with my pedal to the floor. This does not happen going on straightaways. It otherwise picks up speed just fine.

Whats the deal? Any ideas? This happen to anyone else? I know I have a bad clutch, but once again, the engine isn't over-revving or anything when this happens so I have no idea what I'm dealing with. Any advice or help would be much appreciated. Thanks!

how steep of hill are you talking about ? mine was like that on a couple hills around my place. sounds like you just need a good tuneup

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1980 luv sport 4x4 Just a memory now
Frame rusted from the inside. Truck stripped and now looking for a new donor in southern ohio

My luv has done that on some steep hills in mid CA. Though I know on mine the engine is tired.

could your gears in the rearend been changed?

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434 pushing 732 hp with no spray!!!

I suck at estimating things, but if I had to guess as to the grade on the hills, I would say right around a 30 degree incline. As for the tune up, it has good plugs and I even converted over to electronic ignition so I know that part is good. I've even tried recalibrating the ignition multiple times to make sure it isn't that and each time I end up back at the same setting it was on before, so I'm almost certain that its correct as well.

As far as the rearend, I had it rebuilt a couple years back and I know for a fact that it has the factory 4.10 rear still. As for the engine just being tired, I'm leaning more towards that. The only problem is that I only experience problems on hills. Is that possible? These are all great suggestions and I thank you guys. But the problem remains... I actually just came inside from tinkering with it again. Its driving me nuts! Any more ideas?

This happened to me once. My truck wounldn't pull a greased hair out of a monkeys ass! But check to make sure all the plugs are firing. I had one that for some reason the gap closed on it. Naturally the engine lost 1/4 the power. It doesn't take much with a 4 banger. Check the wires too.

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1980 4X4 LUV

Check the compression of the engine. Anything below 75 psi and the cylinder wont fire. You could have a cam lobe gone flat. Just some ideas.

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1980 4X4 LUV

Valves might need adjusting. The further out of adjustment they are, the less they open, the less air/fuel goes in. Just a thought and worth doing if you haven't for a while. Recommended interval is something like only 15k miles, so it should get done fairly often.

You could have some carbon buildup in the combustion chamber too perhaps or on the tops of the pistons. Usually with that if it is enough to notice power loss you will hear it ping when you're pulling a hill. I've gotten great results from Seafoam Deep Creep using it as a carb cleaner and letting it soak in for a while.

I tweaked and adjusted stuff for quite a while on my 79 trying to get more hill climber power out of it. I finally settled in on a bit more advance on the distributor and a good clean of the carb and intake. Fixed a couple of vac leaks along the way too. At this point it does a pretty good job for itself and only lags behind my 77 because its hauling 4x4 running gear and trying to turn a bit larger tires.

Have you the standard Hitachi carb on it? If so, check out the diaphram on the actuator that opens the secondary throttle plate. It it doesn't open, you wouldn't get the extra power you want.

How steep is the hill? Is this low speed or High speed.If low speed Very steep than maybe the carb float could be it. Fuel filter clogged up(high speed). Going up a hill your putting a load on the engine wanting more gas.

Was the timming chain changed or is it stretch causing a retard timming in the higher rpm ranges? Retime or advance the chain.

Sparkplugs, wires OK ? No arching/jumping

my 80 is like that, its only an off road truck so i don't know about hill climbs but it will not race up under a load, almost like it misses under a load. but this is a recently rebuilt 1.9, with new plugs, wires. it has electronic ignition, and i tried another coil. i feel i have carb problems. my clutch is also new.

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1980 chevy luv 4x4 1.8 liter
1979 luv long bed parts truck
1984 2wd isuzu pup parts truck

"A man who says it can't be done shouldn't interrupt a man doing it."

hi there beetlevh, i had the same thing on my truck, rebuilt the carb, new fuel filter, points,plugs, cap new coil,,,,etc,,,,etc i even clean out the fuel tank,,,,,, it was driving me crazy..but then i did a pressure test on my fuel pump,,,and found out that it was only putting out 2.8 lb and it S/b 5.0lb or better,, so i went to napa and got a new fuel pump and its been running great ever since and that was 3 years ago hope i could help....Matt

OK guys Ive looked thru all thats been said here and i am most likely to agree w JUSTCRUISIN. In Idaho back in 1979 i drove a BRAND NEW Luv for the parks dept and there is one hill north of Boise that lil truck just refused to climb in any gear except 1st and floorboarded then. At the time the truck only had maybe 2 or 3,000 miles on it and sure enough when we took it into the dealer and told them our prob w it on hills they checked it out from stem to stern and come to find out it was a weak fuel pump. it surprised us all. but after they put on a new one it went up the hill just fine.

Thanks everyone my truck was having the same problem now I got some ideas on what to do..

Hi,
BEETLEVH
I would consider looking at what Robertcda said.(-Did he say diaphram Acuator??-).

On the stock Hitachi carb the secondary barrel throttle plate is opened by a vacuum operated actuator after the linkage is unlocked by opening the primary throttle plate almost 90 degrees. If the diaphram has a hole in it, the secondary doesn't open. Hence, no oomph to giddyup the hill.

That's right-once the diaphram gets punctured-it's all downhill from there!
lol, Oh wait was I thinking of the right thing?

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77 2wd - Back on the road
05 Ford Five Hundred

"Love endures all things, Love never fails." - 1 Cor. 13:7,8.

oh great, fuel pump issues, By the way I checked out everyone's suggestions and decided to twaek the dist around a bit, plugged vac leaks. All new vac hoses, reconected the carb auto choke, turn signals. Oops, forgot to start the engine... and what do you know, I have a smooth idle and smooth run all thr way through. Woo! I know I still need a new clutch but boy does this make me feel better. Robert, You helped me fix the bi metallic automatic chock issue I was having right off the bat. If you have a stock carb that you have issues with and are someone mechanically inclined, then talk to him, you will be thoroughly impressed.

Anyway I can go UP HILLS AGAIN! No more waving byebye to the little old lady passing me everytime as I sit and and ascend a kill in 2nd, going 15-20. THANK YOU ALL YOU LUV-LUVING MANIAC MECHANICS Now I'm ready to fix the clutch. If theres any advice on that, look at my other post. All help considered. Thanks again!

It could be the begining of a plugged up cat if it has one.

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OK, I'm over it. Where's the beer?

My truck has same issues I think the secondary diapragm on my hitachi has had it. (After 23 years) She has a recently built engine 30K, just had the fuel hoses changed. (still waiting on filler neck) I did a fuel pump in 2002.. I'll tell ya I need about a 1/2 mile on a on ramp to get up to 65 MPH!

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"In the end, all business operations can be reduced to three words: people, product, and profits." - Lee Iacocca