hey guys.. need some advice if anyone is able to help?
i have a 76 mk2 1600 auto and have been having some issues with losing power / bogging down under load.
if i'm driving up an incline / hill or getting onto the highway / need power to overtake on the highway, the engine
power just decreases, and regardless of accelerator position it just loses power and speed, eventually will cough and
splutter, seemingly a few minutes later the issue is gone and i have power again.....
 
points were horrid - changed those and the mechanic adjusted the timing, seemed ok for a day or two and then started doing it again. all other dizzy parts were 'good' so i'm told, except for the cap. replaced the cap, leads, plugs, coil. issue got really really bad. it would normally only do it in top gear under load, now it is doing it in second gear also. 
 
bought a timing light today and had a play, at idle with vacuum disconnected, was about 12 degrees btdc, and then would advance up under higher rpm. i brought the timing back a bit, maybe to 10 degrees, went for a drive, the power / bogging issue was better, but not gone all together. i brought it back again, maybe to 6 degrees, went for a drive, no bogging down issue but obviously, has a lot lot less power.. 
 
i haven't checked the spark plug gap yet, but any other suggestions or ideas? my manual doesn't list what my timing should be, just how to change it. does anyone have those specs? (oh the vacuum advance seems to work also, advances quite a bite more under higher rmp when its connected) 
 
thanks in advance. 

What carb is on it mate?? My mk2 1600 manual would do very similar was the float level in the carby a bit of a tinker and found the sweet spot its great now,

Standard carbie. I feel like the issue is more timing related, since it changed as i changed the timing? How can I check the float anyhow? Thanks for the reply

Might be worth checking the low tension wire, had this problem with a kent engine in the past, could explain the shagged points aswell...
Cheers Drew...

Yeah could be a few things there to try..
1- low tension wire. .. Drew suggested.
2- the coil is on its way out ,
3- needle and seat in the carb sticking shut from low fuel level in the bowl ,
4- float level too low and starves of fuel when extra power/revs needed usually under load , ..mk1 escort73 suggested.
5- a cracked dizzy cap .
Timing a few degs wouldn't really make the engine pop and carry on . Try one at a time to eliminate the problem,
Cheers

I remember my mechanic making mention of some of the wiring around the coil not being original, and him saying he didn't think it was 'right'... Maybe I should look at replacing this. The low tension wire is the incoming to the coil right? Otherwise the coil is new and dizzy cap, leads, plugs, points, rotor. So I'll look at the wiring and carby. Thanks Guys!

Also as a point of reference, what are you all setting your timing at? On a standard 1600? 10degrees static?

Low tension wire....!!!!!

'Now there's ya praablem'! some tentacles spraying out of that wire! That would reduce the amps to half or less which could be the cause .
Been a while since I've worked on a std pushrodder, tho some say between 8-10deg btdc for a stocker. Anything above GT spec is advised to remove the vac line and block the pipe .

I'm gonna die a little inside if I fix it and still have the issue ha!

fingers crossed mate...