I appreciate the suggestions on the timing chain and it makes sense but there is no way I am getting involved in that job with this P.O.S. death trap. I have actually advised my friend several times not to keep sinking money into it but he has some sort of strange attachment to it. (like me and my truck but that's a different story) I get into these exercises for my own fun and to hang out with him but I hate to say I'm not fully engaged in it like with my own projects.

Maybe there is something to the chain being off in this situation though. When I was a tech, I remember doing a timing belt one time and ended up off a tooth. On the road test it was real sluggish like described above, foot to the floor, no power. Brought it back in, re-installed the belt in the correct spot and it was back to normal. Didn't make time on that one but learned a good lesson.

Again though, I'm not digging into it here to figure it out.