poor acceleration

[mytrplseven]

Engine idles fine, starts right up, goes the full rpm range. Under hard acceleration, however, stumbles noticeably. Car has sat for a while (several months) but was doing this before it was parked. It was driven from NM and ran fine and got great gas mileage (29 to 30 mpg).

I replaced all the ignition components, i.e., plugs, cap, rotor, wires.

Looking at cleaning MAF, changing fuel and air filter, checking fuel pressure specs and if that doesn't help, pulling the injectors to see if they're spraying properly. I heard about a noid light. What's that and where can one be acquired?

Any other ideas?

[John_AZ]

This is a noid lite. Most auto part stores have them (not at this price).
It is used to see if the injector is getting the DME signal.



If you have accelleration or stumbling issues you may want to do the AMF DIY on Clarks.

Air Flow Meter (AFM) Operation and Testing

Have you checked for any vacuum leaks? This will cause poor accelleration.
Check all hoses. Use a vacuum guage. Change all pinch clamps to screw type non perforated. Use fuel injection clamps on the smaller hoses.

Do not clean the MAF with carburator cleaner--too harsh. Get a fuel injection and throttle body cleaner. CRC was mentioned. Clean the ISV while you are at it>

GL
John

[mytrplseven]

All good stuff. Thanks for the link on the AFM. That's right down my alley. Electronics background.

[mytrplseven]

You aren't gonna believe this. The PO said he had recently changed the air filter. The mouse who made the nest from the sheepskin seat cover didn't get the message.

[mikepellegrini]

I believe it! Most of my nest was gone by the time I thought to get the camera. This is from my kid's 88 Celebration Edition car.

The rat chewed a hole through the filter, then made the nest in the lower part of the airbox.

The car had set for seven years. We'd just finished a belt job and it was running good, then I gave it some gas and it started running badly. Turned out it had sucked lots of the nest/bedding into the throttle body - to the point where the car wouldn't hardly run.

We vacuumed out the airbox and the throttle body, and after trying for some time, finally got the car to run. After 15-20 minutes of running badly (and spitting "stuff" out the exhaust), it evened out and now runs great.

After this, I think in the future, I'll always check the airbox before I start a car that's set for any extended time...

[VINMAN]

I though poor acceleration was normal for these cars?

[mytrplseven]

It really isn't. the myriad of items that affect acceleration have all got to be looked at. Once all have been dealt with this little 4 cylinder motor is really a joy. I know that mouse nests aren't normally on the list but I'm going through the rest of the list until I get it right.

[John_AZ]

Originally Posted by VINMAN

I though poor acceleration was normal for these cars?

And rats and mice

[VINMAN]

WTF is that??

[Heeltoe914]

Don't bring that thing to California, me a city boy don't much like things like that.

[ncspit80]

I think that is a woodchuck or groundhog around here.

[mytrplseven]

It's actually the sheep skin from a seat cover that was removed by the PO and the mouse used it to build the nest. I was told the air cleaner was recently replaced so I didn't suspect it would be part of my accel problems. I couldn't believe it when I pulled the top of the air box.