Now I know these things aren't built for speed by any means... but should my top speed on a straight-away be better than 75? Which it almost struggles to reach.
I would say yes it should. Is yours a 4-speed or automatic? I'm not sure that makes a difference, but it might.
It's a 4 speed. I've reached slighty higher than that before but I don't like to push it. I'm just not sure why it struggles for that speed
I've had my automatic wagon close to 90 & it still had more in it. On a good day under perfect conditions I'd guess 105 to 110 top speed before wind resistance overcame horsepower.
Quote from: Pinto5.0 on January 22, 2013, 02:29:03 AM
I've had my automatic wagon close to 90 & it still had more in it. On a good day under perfect conditions I'd guess 105 to 110 top speed before wind resistance overcame horsepower.
Agreed. My 77 has been up to around 90 & wanting more. If you're barely getting 75 then something is wrong.
When I got my wagon the timing belt was several teeth off & I struggled to reach 65 mph. Timing at the distributor may be off or a bad distributor vacuum advance can slow the car as well.
Then there are either airflow restrictions into the carb or an ill performing carb that can cause lack of power. My guess is that the timing at the distributor is off. Set it to specs & see how it runs.
Make sure that your catellitic converter is not clogged .
Assuming that you smell no Burning clutch or brake linings, a tachometer reading is in order while driving. The fuel consumption might give a few clues too.
Also, how does the car sound when you're trying to accelerate to the higher speeds? The sound of the engine could be an indication as to what may be going on.
I don't smell the clutch burning, it seems good to me. When it gets up in rpm's it's pretty darn loud. The cat may be clogged. I wouldn't doubt it. I've never really messed with timing on any of my cars. I've always been scared to do it after having my Bronco jump time. How do I go about setting the timing on the distributor?
Get a dial back timing light & set it to 10 degrees. Connect the leads to the battery, the clip on number 1 plug wire, start the car & turn the distrubitor(after loosening the bolt a little) until the zero on the lower pulley lines up with the arrow on the timing cover. Tighten the disributor & that's it. 5 minute job usually.