Hi for the last week every now and then as I'm going along the buggy does a quick power loss thing like there's a fuel blockage or something then it rights itself for a day or two, water had got into the top of the distributor but I've changed it and dried it all up .any ideas ? Thanx

Could be a bad connection on the fuel shut off valve on standard carbs.

Have you checked that there is still fuel in the carbs and you haven`t got a float chamber valve stuck?   

Old empi 34 carb I might change it sometime, I've seen solex carbs for sale on line it would have had one originally so maybe I should look at one of those, I got a 1600 flat type 3 engine what's best most reliable fuel friendly way to go without twins ?

A standard solex in good condition will be fine but twins will give you better economy as you loose the restrictive long inlet. You could get a single 34 ict spanish one not chinese empi.
Trouble with second hand carbs is exactly that secondhand and worn unless like webers they have bearings not bushes on the shafts.
What type 3 engine have you got?

Not exactly sure the numbers are not in the usual place all I know is it's a dual port type 3 like out of the fastback variant I believe , today I cleaned all the connecting wires and tightened them went 6 miles with no problems but that's what it's like will prob do the splutters again in a day or 2 will see. Thanx

Is your coil getting hot when its starting to splutter ?   

Hi,been busy for a while building a spray shed down the garden to learn all about metalflakeing , almost there I can't believe how much stuff one needs to get started . The buggy is still doing it's go good then crap thing it just stopped 3 times yesterday but it starts again then may be fine for a bit then stop or splutters and loses power again and if I'm going along in forth gear but not to fast it ain't very happy juddery. I took the float out of the carb and there was a little bit of black sandy crap in the bottom I got it out but it's still the same, I didn't use carb cleaner just got it all with cotton buds , I'm not sure if the coils hot when it's playing up Dave I just noticed your reply and have been busy I will check, any more ideas , thanx

It may be some of the crap you removed blocking a jet when running and when you stop the engine it settles down again and clears. You will need the idle mixture screw out and the idle jet cleaned as a minimum.
Screwing the mixture screw out when the engine is running may allow the restriction to pass through and clear so engine off screw the mixture screws in fully gently counting the turns should be around 1.5 then wind them back out to start position. then start the motor and Remove one screw at a time fully and reset to original place this will alow any muck to pass theough.
Remove the shut off valves and blow through the jets and then refit them.

Thanx snoopy I will try that tomorrow and let you know the result after I've drove it for a day or 2

I had something similar to this a while back, turned out to be the fuel pump, (which was an electric one).
It was delivering enough fuel at slow speed and when on tick over it would fill the float chamber, but not pump enough when you started to give it a bit of throttle and it would use the fuel in the carb faster than it could re-fill, so it would just die.

just a thought..

H