Alright, so my Datsun B210(automatic trans) has a new distributor, a new fuel pump, a new condenser, new points, new spark plugs, new carburetor and new wires and yet it is barely getting 17 mpg. I'm pretty sure it should be getting around 30 mpg. Any suggestions as to what I should do/check?

are you having any other problems? smoke, sluggish behaviors, dried cement in your trunk?

Sadly, no dried cement in my trunk. Darn.

My car does have a lot of trouble going up hills though, but I assumed that since it has such a tiny engine it just doesn't have much power to chug up big hills.

It drives in town fine, just slow acceleration, but once again, I thought simply because it is an "impressive" 4 cylinder engine.

The exhaust has been pretty horrid lately, and I know it is not the fuel mixture since I had it recently adjusted to its proper specs (before it was too rich).

On the highway it can go about 65 max. After that it struggles.

When I bought the car they said it had not been driven for a while. I have been driving it for 3 months with no improvement and I have put in fuel treatments/cleaners.

Thats all the info I can think about that might be helpful.

Maybe a plugged exhaust system?

Mark

Yeah, I'd start looking at the exhaust system. Plugged catalytic converter maybe? If it ran too rich for too long, that can happen.

you shouldnt be having acceleration problems with a healthy a14, its a small motor holds up well enough. personally i would start with the PCV valve, i had one that broke open and had all the problems your describing although my idle was almost nonexistent too. does the exhaust generally only occure on acceleration?

My car has no catalytic converter. My exhaust looks normal, it just smells bad sometimes but I didn't notice the smell today. The idle is very firm/normal.

I took it to a few mechanics, and they said that I will have to redo the fuel mixture after a while since it is a new carb(seals expand and all that).

They also said it might not be getting the mpg it should because the gas in the USA now has ethanol in it (which is not good for my engine apparently or any car still using a carb)

Are you 100% sure? I know most '77 Datsuns didn't, but problems with the cat will also cause it to have a really bad smell...

100% sure, I had a mechanic that specializes in exhaust systems look into the plugged converter theory, and he said there wasn't even one installed.

Plus I looked myself.

sorry, but did you check the PCV valve yet? its located just below the carburetor on the in intake manifold connected to the only hose thats coming out of the back of the motor, pull the hose off and stick a screwdriver in the valve, it should feel like poking a spring.

that ethanol shouldnt have that much of an effect -i still get about 28 mpg on my '76, and your loss in power proves other problems.

Have you checked/set the timing? If the exhaust checked out, maybe the timing is retarded, causing the last of power? Maybe installed the new dizzy a tooth off? Have you checked the valve lash? May have a tight valve causing a compression loss? Both are super easy to check.

Mark

Sorry guys, I have been dead to the world thanks to school x.x, alright, so acceleration and power is fine now, no more exhaust problems either.

The main concern now is still mpg. I was getting 20 (yay it improved) but now that we have hit winter time in missouri, it plummeted to 10mpg. I know the cold will affect it, but not THAT much!

One thought I had was a bad coil spring, but I have no idea how to check that on an automatic choke. Any ideas guys?

Oh and timing is good and I have no idea how to check a tight valve