Car Trouble

[mrmora]

So I was driving my 87' automatic Tercel today out on the highway. I was heading west from Spokane and made it about an hour and half out, when trouble began. I was going 70 and heading up a slight incline when I noticed that my car started to buck and lose power. The speed decreased to 65, but I was able to get it back up to 70. A little while later the bucking of the car started and it took a while this time for the car to get back up to 70. I decided to head into a rest stop and let the car rest (wasn't over heating/ the temperature guage was working just fine). So, after a while setting at the rest stop I started the car and began to drive off, yet the car wouldn't reach a speed no more than 30 and eventually died. The car would start and rev a bit if in P, but if in R or D, the car would just die. I eventually was able to push the car up towards where I was at before I had left. Parked there for even longer, I decided to give the car a once more turn of the key. The car would come on, but hesitated to turn over for a few second, then afterwards the car turned over and it seemed as if a rush of gas was able to reach the engine. I could drive the car around the rest stop, but I didn't try going out further along the highway. If anyone could give me some advice, it would be much appreciated.

[dlb]

can you be more clear about what happened the second time you tried restarting the car? it sounds like it hesitated to crank but eventually started and you were able to drive around the rest stop. is that correct?

did you notice your lights or other electricity-drawing devices dimming? if the car slowly got worse while driving and then had trouble starting again, i would guess alternator. use a volt meter to check the charge on the battery. if the alt is dead/dying, the battery charge will be low (under 12 volts). next guess is fuel starvation, which could be from clogged fuel filter, clogged fuel lines, or faulty fuel pump, but i'm leaning towards my first guess.

[mrmora]

So the second time I tried starting the car, I left the key all the turned and left there until the car started to turn over. The engine was was on, but it didn't have any power. After leaving the key turned over for a few seconds, the engine finally turned over and it started up and stayed running even after a good idle. The lights weren't dim, all the dash lights were on. The fuel filter is new, but the others... I haven't checked into yet. I apologize if I'm not being clear on what I had experienced. To me it seemed like a clogging was going on, after leaving the key turned and letting the engine run and finally turn over... it was like a clog had passed through. But would that cause the car to buck while driving? I appreciate your quick response.

[Petros]

two things might cause it to behave like that all of a sudden. either a large vacuum line came loose, or your fuel filter just became partially plugged up. When the fuel filter is partially plugged it will start and idle normal, and even drive okay until you put a large demand on the engine (up hill run, or hard acceleration), when it will stumble and sputter because of fuel starvation.

IT will get worse the longer you drive it as the filter plugs up further. emergency repair is to by pass the fuel filter, easy fix is to replace the fuel filter. do not forget to check all of the larger vac lines are connected and not leaking too, that will also cause it to be too lean and behave the same way.

[mrmora]

I checked the lines, I didn't see any one that came loose. Speaking of the fuel filter, I just replaced it two months ago... would a faulty fuel pump create a problem that could make the car behave like the way I described? The car is drivable now, I was able to bring it home, but I still feel like there could be a vacuum leak somewhere that I haven't checked yet. When I first got the car, there was a hose missing from or near the manifold. I replaced it, but I wonder if the large amount of air that was going in before I fixed it, created a problem with fuel, that could still make a problem now with a hose on it. I'm not a mechanic and I'm learning as I go with this car, I thank you for the replies back and the help you guys have done. It's encouraging to know that I have help on this site. I'll keep you guys posted with the fixing of my car.

[4wdchico]

Just change the fuel filter. See if you can blow air thru it easily after you have let the gas drain out of it. Take off the oil filler cap and give it a sniff, if it smells of gas your fuel pump diaphragm is likely blown and you are loosing fuel into the crankcase.

[Petros]

You would not likely cause any long term harm by running with a missing vac line.

Another issue came to mind, if your coil or spark igniter, or spark plus or wires, are marginal and has become temperature sensitive, it can act this way. when cold or under light load, it acts normal, but when hot or under high demand it can start to miss fire. Presuming your fuel supply (filter, fuel lines and fuel pump) is operating normal, and there are no large vacuum leaks, it could be something in the spark system. You either have to pay a shop to put it on a scope to check spark under engine load, or simply go get a distributor assembly from a wrecking yard and swap it out as a test. The distributor contains the coil and the spark ignitor in one unit, so swapping it out will check all of the possible problems. Replacing the spark plugs and spark plug wires is not a bad idea if they are old anyway, easy to do yourself. to replace the distributor you need a timing light to reset it correctly.

[celtglen]

Same darned thing is happening to my 84 today after dropping $200.00 (my last $) on having the timing belt and tensioner replaced. Had to be towed TO the shop and towed AGAIN when she died about 1/2 mile later trying to make a hill.

It was scarry--I had to free fall backwards (with hazard lights on) and make a quick turn on to a residential street..this was at 9:30 tonight.

Thank GOD I have AAA...they picked me and the car up (again) and brought us home.

I noticed that the dash lights as well as the gear shift lights (autoTranny) are OUT they were fine. So Petros, you mentioned the electrical pick up (I guess) that is in the dizzy...maybe loosing the dash lights is an indication?

My landlord got on my backside abut repairing my car on property which is one of the reasons I had to have her taken to the shop. I guess I will have to check her out after 9pm hoping he will be asleep. I just hate dropping 200 bucks for -- well not really nothing ( did get the belt and tensioner replaced) but damn!

[dlb]

more details on exactly what happened to you please, glen. for instance, were the dash and gear shifter lights completely out, or just dim? were the flashers normal or were they also dim?

dash and gear shifter lights shouldn't be affected by the dizzy. the dizzy just takes electrical current and sends it through the spark plug wires. it supplies power to nothing else. once again, my first guess it alternator, but we'll definitely need more details to give you a better answer.

[celtglen]

more details on exactly what happened to you please, glen. for instance, were the dash and gear shifter lights completely out, or just dim? were the flashers normal or were they also dim? Flashers fine including hazards. Headlights fine..just the lights in the dash and the shifter are OUT not dim OUT. They weren't before the mechanic I took her back to install a new timing belt and tensioner.

dash and gear shifter lights shouldn't be affected by the dizzy. the dizzy just takes electrical current and sends it through the spark plug wires. it supplies power to nothing else. once again, my first guess it alternator, but we'll definitely need more details to give you a better answer.

Yeah prolly not the alternator no indication of that before hand and the charge "idiot light" actually works pretty well in this car---no dimmed -ness in the headlights while trying to drive it.

Once he got the belt etc. on the engine kicked right over..perfect idle etc.

Once he put the belts , hoses and radiator back in--it stalled. Poor devil took out the dizzy twice to be certain the gear was properly set--it was. He also worked more on the timing area and got it to the timing marks with and without vac advance..BUT only with the idle set to JET SPEED in order to set the timing..which is way wrong.

Gonna check the engine relay, fuseable links, and fuses in the engine compartment AND the Gagues fuse in the kick panel..

I'll update! thanks!

[Petros]

dash lights and loosing power are not related at all. did it buck and stall, or just cut out? Might need a fuel filter. more demand on the engine on hills, take more fuel and a partially blocked fuel filter will start and run nomal, but will cut out on high demand, like on a hill. Fourtuantly the fuel filter is cheap, and you can test this by just by passing the filter using a short section of 5 mm tube with two hose clamps.

Could also be a bad vacuum leak, make sure all the vac lines are connected. The mechanic many not have noticed.

Good luck.

[ARCHINSTL]

https://tercel4wd.com/forums/viewtopic.php? ... ter#p51127
See Petros' thread on using a Corolla filter.
Tom M.

[celtglen]

https://tercel4wd.com/forums/viewtopic.php? ... ter#p51127
See Petros' thread on using a Corolla filter.
Tom M.

Thanks for the tip I will ask someone for a ride tomorrow and grab a corolla filter. AZ use to carry Fram, which I have used for years without any problems.

With regard to the dash lights etc; pulled out the ign and gagues fuses in the kick panel, put them back in they were not blown. Fuses in the engine compartment checked and the fuseable links--nothing blew. I rechecked the dissy electic cable and it is plugged in. So seeing nothing blown I got back in the car and the dash rehstat was way over to the NO LIGHT side. Turned it the other way and VOILA dash lights AND the shifter lights are back on.

The mechanic must have kicked a fuse loose and his knees turned the rehstat--I've done as much myself.

She starts up (roughly) but continues to cut-out and die with acceleration--then cannot start enough to even begin idle speed adjustment. Re checked the vac hoses all fine and new..been working on that--I'm betting on the FF..thanks for the Corolla TIP Petros

More to come maybe this will end my problems

[toughtercel]

I had that similar problem last year, 3-4 separate times with in a year , It might not make any sense , I found the problem that I drove my car till gas almost dead empty then fill her up and continue drive it with in an hour or next day , once cause jerking, then start loosing power on Freeway then I had to downshift from 5th , 4 th then 3 rd till I got steady power then I go faster but same problem then remain 3 rd gear at 3,000 RPM for 10 min then pop out then drove the car like a rocket , same month later every time I drove up the hill which need more fuel but lost power and downshift til low as 2 nd gear , after 2-3 week later it back to normal for good without touching the carburetor but later pull the plug out at front of the carburetor to empty the tank .
Guess My problem is the gas tank might be very dirty ,and I drove it till gas tank almost dead empty which cause dirty gas once I fill her up . If I make the same mistake again on empty tank then I wait for 15 -30 min after fill up till dirt settle to the bottom of the tank .

[celtglen]

Update; Replaced the FF..no improvement. Got the car to a place where I can work on her checked vac hoses 3x. A mechanic happened by and worked on the timing for 2 hours. He checked the timing marks and even took off the Valve cover and hand cranked the engine to ensure TDC.

With the valve cover off, AS he hand cranked, he noted that valves and compression look good.

He set timing to 13 or 15 degrees and we got her started he left me to adjust the idles. I did that and once again she would die in R or D. I turned off the key and held the butterfly open to watch for gas while working the pedal by hand--stream of gas IS present.


While I was setting the idles, I noticed the TP would not drop RPMS back to idle when the hose to it was re attached. I turned off the car and I blasted the TP's linkage on the front of the carb and the inside of the carb with cleaner, that appeared to un stick the TP linkage.

When I got the car running again, I sprayed cleaner around the carb. When the cleaner hit the the linkage for fast idle, choke and the curb idle screws the idle sped up...a leak somewhere. I had to crank up the TP adjustment to get AROUND the block to my parking space. Had to drive alternating the brake and gas pedals to get home.

Sat in the car a while (10 mins?) needed to straighten out my parking job so I stared the car again..ran and did not die in R nor D but did run roughly. I gave up for today..5 hours on the car.

Thanks to this guy the timing mark in able to be set between 5 BTDC and 15 BTDC --- HUGE improvement.

Over the years I have had trouble setting the TP's RPMs, now it appears the TP is done, or at least unreliable.

Luckily I have a rebuilt carb I bought on eBay a few years ago. It was packed well-- I hope nothing dried out-- it hasn't been around dirt or grit.

BUT it worries me that the dizzy HAS to be pushed all the way towards the FW to get to 13-15 degrees. I know this cannot be a good thing.

Thoughts?

Sorry for the LONG update..just trying to give you all as complete a run down as I can.

Thanks
CG