1986 hp vs 1987?

Got a customers 86 in the shop. N.A. like my 87. Looks like original injectors and injection pump on his.

His is an automatic vs my 4 speed. His is much more responsive than mine! Whats that all about?

I have my timing set and his is probably retarded with age and I have my fuel turned up as much as I dare. His will run circles around mine and doesnt smoke.

How can this be? My engine seems to be healthy with no blowby.

The HP for both years was the same....... That said, there could be many factors that you don't know, like is the injectors & pump really original, the gearing could be different! Without knowing all the variables hard so say why.

You might want to turn /down/ your fuel. Adjust it to where you get a very slight haze at WOT only.
More fuel won't help the power situation, and will make the EGTs hotter.

I'd also play with timing. See where it's most responsive.
When IPs get old, timing control is the first to go. They'll still run, but not advance as much or quite right under load.
Just adjust it until it feels the best at the high end, full acceleration etc.
Then, if idle is too rattly or too quiet, adjust the light load cam position to compensate.

I've done this on a number of IDIs; really wakes them up, especially when you can't really go drop $600 on a new IP right now.

Also, if you do get it 'optimally' timed(which may be nowhere near the 'book' value due to the screwy timing circuit), you'll probably want to adjust the fuel screw again, to match the new timing.

Whete is this load cam?

I think most here have called it the timing plunger.
The arm that runs down to the bottom of the pump.
I think that's what he's talking about. Lol

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According to the DB2 manual, it's called the "light load advance cam".
It's a cast aluminum piece that sits on the driver's side of the IP, on the throttle shaft(so it rotates as you give it throttle), and actuates the lever that goes down the driver's side of the IP. at the bottom of the lever is a plunger which, when pushed in, /retards/ the timing.

So, the light load advance cam effectively has the plunger in the furthest out(advanced) position at idle, and as you give it throttle, it retards the engine. Effectively giving extra advance under light load/idle conditions.

That's right, advance cam. Lol

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I'd like to add, although it's a month and a half late, that I've had zf-5 and e4od in otherwise reasonably similar '90s.
Zf-5 takes a minute to get started, unless I skip gears (empty), it's not fast even then but at least I might not hold up traffic.
Automatic just push the go pedal as far as desired acceleration required, torque happened and speed piled on quick. I think it's mostly that the gear changes are quicker and farther apart on auto, no synchros to worry about.
Butt dyno says engines pulled about the same, but with half of the time in neutral on the manual..

Only way that ^^^^^ could happen is if the clutch were slipping.