Help: '88 Carrera stalling during acceleration

[Carloe]

Oddest thing happened this weekend. On my way home from a 4 hour weekend drive through the hills my engine started “dying” at around 80mph. When I release the gas pedal to slow down the engine would immediately come back to life. When I return the gas pedal to the same point, same thing happens, the engine cuts off. It feels very much like a rev limiter kicking in. As I drove home, the speed at which it would die got lower and lower. Going up hills the engine would cut at about 65 mph.

I can go through 1st and 2nd gear at full throttle just fine. But at half throttle in 3rd, 4th, and 5th the car is cutting.

It feels very much like a fuel pump or fuel pressure problem. The problem seems to start a few minutes after the car has warmed up. It runs just fine cold.

I’ve replaced the:
Fuel pump
DME Relay
Fuel filter (8000 miles ago)

Before taking it into the shop is there anything else that I might want to check? (These seem like unlikely culprits. ugh...)

Ignition coil?
Cylinder temp sensor?
Cap/Rotor?

On a good note, I got some great photos during the drive.







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Carlo
Redmond, WA
1988 911 Carrera 3.2
1990 964 Carrera 4

[Zendalar]

"I changed fuel filter 8000 miles ago"

Heh I change mine almost every week (rust in tank). Take off the fuel hose and check the pressure/volume, if not enough fuel is coming out, check the filter first then the pump.

My car acted exactly the same, at idle it gets enough juice, but after you drive it, it starts to die.

//Zen

[Milu]

I've had similar symptoms from contaminated fuel, cyl head sensor, and connection to sensor. All worth checking before going for an inflated garage bill

[gr8fl4porsche]

Check out the ground to the engine. Several brown wires come together and tend to corrode.
My '87 did the same thing under hard acceleration. Cleaned up the ground and everything has been fine so far.

[john walker's workshop]

do that head temp sensor swap if it's still the single wire type. seperate the white plug to the left of the engine and see if the mounted plug has one or two terminals.

[Carloe]

Ok. I picked up a new fuel filter at the dealership this morning. I'll replace it when I get home.

I haven't ordered a new head temp sensor yet. I haven't check but since the car only has 70K miles I'm sure it's still got the original single wire sensor. I'm still confused why that would cause a cut in power during acceleration.

Thanks for all the advise guys. I'll let you know how it goes.



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Carlo
Redmond, WA
1988 911 Carrera 3.2
1990 964 Carrera 4

[john walker's workshop]

i just told you. head sensor, head sensor, head sensor. causes jerking, cutting out, dying, etc.

[Carloe]

Hmm... So what you're saying is I should change the head sensor. Just kidding. I just order one from the dealership. It should be in next week.

Thanks John.