Just been towed from the M62 all the way up to county durham. Yesterday she was hitting speeds of about 70 no problem, but towards the end of my journey topped at about 60. Today she has decidd that she will not go past 50, 30 if going up a hill. The accelerator cable had come loose from the bulkhead and I put that back but she is still not herself. When I put my foot down all the way in 4th she makes a noise that I can only describe as like rain on a tin roof and I get no more power at all.

The problem is my haynes manual is 200 miles away, I am here on my own for a week and do not know any mechanics who know the first thing about 2cvs in the area and am certainly not the most mechanically minded person, thats my other half's job, although have the same problem as with the haynes manual!

I need donna to be up and running at a proper speed by the weekend or I'm in some deep doo doo! I could really do with some help!

sounds like pinking to me! check timing.

artyclarty,
that noise you heard is definitely 'pinking', which is caused by the ignition timing being too far advanced.
The problem is that if this has been happening for some time, the engine may be damaged...

Wherabouts in Co Durham are you?
There's someone in Darlington who knows about 2CVs, in fact she works with Geoff Archer at his 2CV repair place in Northallerton.

ken

Thanks for the replies guys. My 2cv man repaired slipped points on thursday and from my very limited mechanical knowledge the timing stuff is right in front of that, so I am not best pleased. I'm about 20 miles away from darlington, but in the poor state she is in, I'm not even sure I should move her...

Would you like me to speak to the darlo crew and see if they can help?

I would really appreciate that. Saw the front taken off on thursday but wouldnt have a clue how to actually correct the timing other than gueswork and knowing me, that would just make things worse! Only been on this board for like a month, everyone is just great! Thanks so much.

sounds like the timing was set by guess work in the first place

if you are confident as to how to get in to it the points box needs to be turned anti clockwise by about 1mm at a time untill your timing doesnt pink.

however sounds like the dammage has been done
expect oil leaks from now on

Sean

I agree that it sounds (no pun intended) like it's pinking, but that isn't necessarily because the timing is out. If it is speed limiting itself it may well be running chronically lean; restricted fuel flow, weak pump or a blocked jet will make it lean out. Lean running will also cause it to pink.

good point (geddit?? )

however the "case history" of someone being in there fiddling with the points makes you think? plus time for the points to bed down to their new position, closing the gap, will make a marginal timing set up start pinking

Also chronically lean usually has it hiccoughing on acceleration and needing choke on start

sound familiar Artyclarty?

Actually, I think since I've got her, I have used the choke once!