12-07-2007, 01:49 PM
Hi folks. I've been reading up on some other problems that people have had with rough running, hard starts, and the like. My problem with my '92 which has been steadily getting worse is this:
Runs poorly while accelerating (hard or mild) - as in coughs and sputters without making full power. Idles just fine. Appears to be more noticeable in first and second gears as opposed to accelerating in the same RPM range in other gears, though it may just not be as noticeable to this driver given New Mexico roads. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/dry.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> Occasionally demonstrates hard to start problems. That is, it takes more cranking than it did when I first got the car. When that happens (~50% of the time), it doesn't matter whether I engage throttle or not while trying to start, and appears to be independent of being cold or warm, though perhaps more common on cold starts (engine cold, that is).
I've already replaced the O2 sensor, mostly because it was old and needed it anyway. No positive effect at all - in fact, it's still slowly getting worse. I hesitate to go replacing all sorts of parts, and I plan to take someone's advice in the "hot start problem" thread and inspect the cables, plugs, and any/all vacuum hoses I can this weekend.
I drive at very high altitude (5000' to ~8800' - mostly lower than 7000') and over long freeway miles (~90 miles a day at average with a mean speed of ~60mph - I'll keep median speed classified <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/wink.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> ), and neither altitude nor temperature seems to have any affect while cruising along, which leads me to believe that it's most likely fuel related. I kinda doubt it's spark plugs since cruising/set throttle or RPM works fine. Cruise control even works fine, for what it's worth - no problems with hiccuping while the computer is controlling, but then the cruise control isn't really doing any hard accelerating on the freeway.
I am hoping that this might be a Hall sender or DME relay issue (though I only know what those are from diagrams) and not a MAF sensor (which I do understand, but note that it's very expensive to replace!). Anyone else have this problem? I'm not familiar with the DME relay or Hall sender, but since it seems that everyone has had problems with this and it seems simple enough to clean the DME relay ... I'll probably try that too. Dunno 'bout the Hall sender.
Any other experience with this problem (which seems somewhat different than others, but very similar) ... ?
Thanks in advance!
- Jon
Runs poorly while accelerating (hard or mild) - as in coughs and sputters without making full power. Idles just fine. Appears to be more noticeable in first and second gears as opposed to accelerating in the same RPM range in other gears, though it may just not be as noticeable to this driver given New Mexico roads. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/dry.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> Occasionally demonstrates hard to start problems. That is, it takes more cranking than it did when I first got the car. When that happens (~50% of the time), it doesn't matter whether I engage throttle or not while trying to start, and appears to be independent of being cold or warm, though perhaps more common on cold starts (engine cold, that is).
I've already replaced the O2 sensor, mostly because it was old and needed it anyway. No positive effect at all - in fact, it's still slowly getting worse. I hesitate to go replacing all sorts of parts, and I plan to take someone's advice in the "hot start problem" thread and inspect the cables, plugs, and any/all vacuum hoses I can this weekend.
I drive at very high altitude (5000' to ~8800' - mostly lower than 7000') and over long freeway miles (~90 miles a day at average with a mean speed of ~60mph - I'll keep median speed classified <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/wink.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> ), and neither altitude nor temperature seems to have any affect while cruising along, which leads me to believe that it's most likely fuel related. I kinda doubt it's spark plugs since cruising/set throttle or RPM works fine. Cruise control even works fine, for what it's worth - no problems with hiccuping while the computer is controlling, but then the cruise control isn't really doing any hard accelerating on the freeway.
I am hoping that this might be a Hall sender or DME relay issue (though I only know what those are from diagrams) and not a MAF sensor (which I do understand, but note that it's very expensive to replace!). Anyone else have this problem? I'm not familiar with the DME relay or Hall sender, but since it seems that everyone has had problems with this and it seems simple enough to clean the DME relay ... I'll probably try that too. Dunno 'bout the Hall sender.
Any other experience with this problem (which seems somewhat different than others, but very similar) ... ?
Thanks in advance!
- Jon
(This post was last modified: 12-07-2007, 01:55 PM by JonNelson.)
