How to get more horsepower - the easy way....

[Conti]

Today I adjusted the valves on my MKII and for this reason I had to remove the air cleaner......and again I have found some kitchen towels.....

Someone closed the inlet of the air cleaner with paper towel (when the painted the air cleaner) and forgot to remove it when they reinstalled the assembly. I always had the feeling that my engine is missing some power - on the highway it felt a bit exhausted.....now I know why.

Now my Mark is like I had an engine rebuild, more power, faster throttle response and better idle.

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[lld]

It's amazing what you find as you start working on older cars. Luckily, they didn't start burning from a backfire.

Larry

[Don Henschel]

They won't backfire they will just flood and run rich wasting fuel like if the choke stayed on. Back in the early 80's while working at an International Harvester dealership a customer brought in a 4020 John Deere pumping so much oil past the rings it smoked white! The engine was disassembled with everything showing absolutely no wear whatsoever with puzzled faces looking at the parts. The owners son walked in and all of a sudden remembered that he removed the radiator prior to this kerfuffle and the air filter is sitting in front of the radiator with an intake tube passing over the radiator. He placed a rag in this intake pipe and coupler hose to "keep sparrows out" and in reality it kept them out and also air causing oil to literally get sucked past the rings being a Diesel engine and able to run compared to a gas engine that would flood to death. An honest mistake and fortunately it wasn't my project as well😂 The mechanic was an apprentice mechanic like myself back them and didn't remove the injector nozzles that protruded less than a quarter inch below the cylinder head. He slid the head off the block and zip zip zip all six injectors got the tips de beaked! My my my what an expensive rag.

[Sam Meeks]

This isn't the easy way but wow, horsepower!
3:20 into the video, Mark II engine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mr1z7iiBysk