Posted by Drew on August 26, 1999 at 16:18:57:
For the last 3 days I have been driving my '47 WDX to school and back everyday and it has been running great. Then yesterday I came up a hill on the way home in fourth, it lugged down some but not bad. When I got to the top it never really it sounded a lot rougher and was really sluggish. It was getting low on gas and so I stopped to get some and when I went to start it the cranking sounded differently and I ended up having to get a jump start. It started but it continued to run badall the way home, it would accelerate very slowly and I had to rev it more before releasing the clutch each time. I got home and took the spark plugs out and the front three were a bit oily. I ran a compression test on the front 2 (couldn't get to the 3rd) and there was little or no compression. The back 3 were fine. I put penetrating oil in them overnight and tried to start it in the morning. It wouldn't because of the oil but this afternoon It started rather quickly. I drove it down the road and it still runs about as bad. I can't figure out how such a difference could happen just going over a short hill. One person suggested maybe a blown headgasket or misadjusted valves but it sounds more almost like a gasket since they are all together. less than a half year ago I replace the gasket although I never drove it to speak of until the last week and a half. (about a tank of fuel altogether)
I don't know if this will help you guys out but when it I opened the hood it looks like the carbuerator is leaking a little bit of gas at the gaskets. I don't know if they are linked. Maybe that is just caused by the fuel not working in the 3 cylanders. I don't think it was doing that before (well maybe slightly).
Sorry about writing a novel here but I like to explain the best I can.
Thanks a lot,
Drew