200K service = reduced throttle response?

El LeonEl Leon Band Wagon
in Engine & Drivetrain
Hi all, last weekend I went ahead and did a 200,000 mile service on the Wagovan as it's new to me and the T-belt was of unknown age/mileage.

Where the car used to have rather impressive and spunky throttle response, it now bogs, requires about 800 additional rpm to smoothly roll from a stop, needs WOT to actually pick up any revs and feels considerably down in power.

So i'm asking you all, the best and brightest, what could possibly be amiss with the throttle and what would you do/check to regain the throttle response that seems to have disappeared for no reason????

New parts installed:
  • Timing belt
  • accessory belts
  • tensioner
  • water pump w/gasket
  • spark plugs (oem heat range)
  • valve cover gasket
  • upper/lower spark plug gaskets

Notes:
  1. T-belt was installed at factory spec of TDC on the cam pulley and white mark on the lower pulley.
  2. Distributor has already been advanced as far as physically possible, this is the only way the car is actually able to accelerate at all currently.
  3. Not enough care was taken with the camshaft while removing the valve train in the lower plug seal gasket install
  4. There was an ENORMOUS amount of oil in cylinder plug hole #2 (from left to right), the others showed the usual small amount. She smoked like a beast at start-up while burning off the oil that went into the cylinder during the work.
  5. Throttle cable was not adjusted and has just a hint of play in it (~3cm)

Comments

  • MrWhoopeeMrWhoopee Wagonist
    Just guessing, based on what was changed during service. Might the spark plug wires be mixed up?
  • El LeonEl Leon Band Wagon
    It would be exceedingly difficult to mix up the spark plug wires due to their specific lengths from the disi to the plug tube.
  • arries289arries289 Wagonist
    Well, seeing that you only disassembled the timing, I would double check everything there very closely. It sounds like you are off (retarded) on the cam timing. Verify TDC with a screw driver in the spark plug hole. That is really your only option with the parts list you provided.
  • MrWhoopeeMrWhoopee Wagonist
    El Leon wrote: »
    It would be exceedingly difficult to mix up the spark plug wires due to their specific lengths from the disi to the plug tube.
    Assuming they weren't also disconnected at the distributor.
  • jb2wheelsjb2wheels Wagonist
    When I bought my 90 2WD wagon, it would barely idle and not rev. After much troubleshooting and parts swapping, the freshly installed timing belt was off by one tooth.

    I used to have a picture but lost it over the past 7 years. It's easy to have the top sprocket off one tooth.
  • Live Fee or Die RT4WDLive Fee or Die RT4WD Band Wagon
    arries289 wrote: »
    Well, seeing that you only disassembled the timing, I would double check everything there very closely. It sounds like you are off (retarded) on the cam timing. Verify TDC with a screw driver in the spark plug hole. That is really your only option with the parts list you provided.

    i second this. My 1.6 was off a tooth (did not time using the timing cover), and sounded exactly like your symptoms.
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