Thread: Need help

Riddle me this guys.

91 SE-R, short ram, advanced timing, 2.5" cat back.

When I first start my car (coolant is cold) the car runs fine, lacking a touch on the power side but still fine overall. Once the coolant reaches normal operationg temp (midline) I loose ALL power. I press on the gas and it is like I am trying to go up a cliff face, no acceleration and it takes an act of god to get the rpm's over 4k.

Just recently replaced the distributor, and reverified the timing afterwards. At first I thought it may have been a bad TPS, (and yes it was bad) put a new one on and still no dice.

I need big time help guys, this is my DD and I am really getting tired of driving my wifes car.

Replace your ECT sensor. When mine started to die my VE started running like crap and eventually stopped starting.

Also another thing, distributors cause issues after the motor runs for a little bit when they are dying. My friend joe with his u13 would run great for 40min, then when he would go to accelerate, it was like the car would just come to a stop and jerk a little bit then start to go an a slower rate than it should.


Just 2 things for you to test out, hope i helped.

First, make sure all cylinders are firing correctly. You should also check your fuel pump, fuel injectors, and fuel filter. what is your timing advanced to? if you have the timing advanced beyond 13 and you are running regular 87 octane pump gas, then you are definitely going to have power issues. Possibly the O2 sensor? I make no fame to claim as an exert, but those are my thoughts .

Cylinders are firing correctly as far as I can tell, no misfires or anything. Timing is currently at 17-18 deg BTDC so only advanced 3 from stock. I only put 93 in this car, never anything less so no issue there. O2 sensor was replaced last year before I went to Afghanistan.

I had thought about the fuel pump, injectors, and fuel filter, but then I began to wonder about why if there were issues with them would it run fairly ok when it was cold, but die when the engine hit normal operating temp.

I will give the distributor another look, although I just got it replaced I may have received a bad rebuild.

Ok well got a replacement distributor and still no luck. As soon as the car get's to the midline on the temp gauge it is like the car has lost all of it's will to accelerate. ECT sensor is next in the chute then fuel filter, hope it doesn't get much further past that, lol. I appreciate the help guys, this is really starting to bug me, I miss driving my car.

Update:

Decided that I am just going to take my baby off the road and get me a motorcycle. This way I still have transportation and I can strip my car to nothing and start over from scratch.