i have a 1987 gl wagon and its having a lot of trouble getting up hills i have to put it in 1 just to keep it from dieing and im not sure if its just because the car is underpowered but i have no idea what it is so any help would be appreciated

Tune that baby up!

 

EA 82s ARE underpowered...... but you should be able to take *most* hills in at least 3rd gear.

 

Change your:

-Plugs

-Air/fuel filters

-wires

-cap/rotor etc.

 

Could also be a plugged cat converter (check 'er at night after going for a drive - make sure its not glowing red)

 

Hows your cooling system / temp gauge?

 

Edit: Is it carbed or F/I ? If its carbed.... give it a good cleaning/spraying

how steep are these hills?

there not to steep, it is carbed and its not the cat

it a auto trans and the temp is fine

i just replaced the plugs and im getting a new air filter so ill see how it does

Fuel filters are your first step.

 

GD

If it's carbed, shouldn't it have a vacuum advance? If none of the normal maintenance helps, I would think that may be it, if it's having problems under heavy load like that. Just an idea though...

If it's carbed, shouldn't it have a vacuum advance? If none of the normal maintenance helps, I would think that may be it, if it's having problems under heavy load like that. Just an idea though...

It should have a vac advance but it doesn't do anything under load. (Full throttle)

i put in a new fuel filter in and it was idling at 2500 rpms for the rest of the day and then i started it the next day and it was back to normal does that always happen?

i put in a new fuel filter in and it was idling at 2500 rpms for the rest of the day and then i started it the next day and it was back to normal does that always happen?

 

No.

 

GD

Hmmmm well now its back to normal so i think its alright

Don't those cars have two fuel filters? One under the hood, and one near the fuel pump?

the manual i have does not say that is has two.

i changed the one that's under the body kinda by the right back tire