'83 SR-5 falls on it's face...

[spamalope]

So, I've got a sweet '83 sr5 that was sitting for 5 years and I got it running. A new battery, some fresh gas and she's up and running. A bit hard to start, doesn't idle well, and worst of all it totally falls on it's face when it get to about 4k rpm. Once it's gets to about 4k it's like somebody kicks in the clutch, it totally cuts all power. So I'm assuming it's a fuel issue cause it had some fuel in the system for 5 years. Is there a switch over to a different circuit in the carb at about 4k that could be jacked up or maybe the fuel filter? I plan on doing the filter anyways but I'd rather not dump $400 into a rebuilt carb if I dont need too. I've got a tank full of seafoam in the mean time. Any clues?

[keith]

Sounds like the advance weights in the distributor may be stuck. There is a little drain hole in the bottom of the distributor (as you look at it) that is just opposite the weights. With the engine idling, spray a little WD-40 into the hole. The weights should free up in a few seconds.

[spamalope]

Dizzy was my second guess, good call on the adv. weights. I'll give it a shot this weekend and let you know what's up. Thanks

[Petros]

It sounds more like fuel starvation. Either the filter is plugged, or the screen on the fuel line intake in the gas tank is plugged or corroded. It is possible the fuel pump is marginal but it usually does not act like that, you also might check the carbon canister is working the way it is supposed to.

A bad coil could do this too, though it usually does not act quite this way. A bad coil might idle okay, but as you increase load and rpm on the engine it will get progressively worse and cuts out as rpm goes up.

good luck.