Loss of Power

That sounds more like one or even two cylinders aren't working. At all.
Have you checked that all cylinders are getting spark? (Sorry if you
already answered that, my stupid newsserver is expiring anything older
than a week...)

 

I have not checked the cylinders.

 

As maybe the least knowledgeable poster on this newsgroup, might I ask
if it could be water in the gas? Did the 86 still actually have
distributor points? I had an 87, but unloaded it long since.

J.

 

Pretty sure they were all electronic ignitions by then. The ignitors
have been known to fail as well, but that would generally cause it not
to run at all. If one or two cylinders aren't working, that would more
likely be the distributor cap itself, the spark leads, or the plugs.

 

clogged catalytic converter?

 

Could be. If it's the cat, you might also have overheating (the exhaust
carries off waste heat). Could also be fuel problems or ignition
problems. Or internal engine problems.

Or, perhaps, you have gained lots of weight over the holidays and the
car is working just fine. ;-)

Jeff

 

My old professor had a clogged cat. on her VW, long time ago. When she
complained that it wouldn't go above 60 mph, the dealer told her she
shouldn't go above 60.

 

We had a clogged cat once. Vet made us force-feed him a buncha
fish-flavored vaseline.