Major Problem With My Car, Need Help!

[Wease]

OK, about a month ago, I bought this 1989 Dodge Colt. 4 banger, 4 speed, new wires, cap, rotor, tires, radiator, injectors cleaned out, and I think that's it. It had been running perfect, until about a week ago. I thought it was bad gas, but not now, as I just filled it up yesterday. At first, at low RPM's, it was running kinda rough. But when the RPM's got up there, it kicked in. However, it's been getting progressively worse, until today, when I left this evening for something, I have to rev the shit out of it to get it going from a stop. Just to get up to speed (I barley accelerate), I have to almost put it to the floor and rev it out through every gear. Every gear, every RPM it runs very rough. I've looked at the wires and plugs, everything is there and in order. I do hear some squeaking of belts when it's cold, but I think I barely got it home tonight. I'm at my wits end with cars lately, and this isn't helping.

 

The first two things that come to mind are timing belt and ignition module. I haven't done anything else to it yet. Any thoughts on why it's running so rough? This is my daily driver and I can't even drive it right now, I don't want to be stranded. I have checked for vacuum leaks and nothing. It will stay running (though very rough), but I rev it when stopped just to make sure it does. It starts fine, too. Not hard to start. But it just runs rough. Someone please help me...

[Guest nevarmore]

That sounds like what my old Sable did when it was puking trans fluid out of a bad pan seal.

[SHIEF]

Go through the basics that could cause this. If it was my car I'd check spark (like you said). Then go fuel because it sounds like your not getting enough fuel. Change the fuel filter, you'd be amazed at what that can do for an older car.

[nurkvinny]

Do you have access to a fuel pressure guage?

Also, is the engine light on?

[Dave1647545494]

is it stick or auto? tranny could be slipping. check the fuel filter.

[slow4now]

Sounds like you've got some bad injectors.

[302Powered]

I had the same problem with a sunbird. It was a bad rotor button.

[Wease]

I will check the fuel filter, but the injectors were just cleaned. Enging light is NOT on, I do not have a fuel pressure gague. It is a manual tranny. It just got really bad, really quick, this week. I'll keep everyone posted, thanks for the responses thus far. If you have anything else to add, please feel free... smile.gif

[Boost-n-Juice]

I have a fuel pressure gauge you can borrow, i'd start there. I'll PM you my #.

[desperado]

Rotten 2.2 I bet. the timing belt is causing that if it is indeed a 2.2 motor. Been down that road with those several times with the Reliant I had and a couple od Horizon's too.

 

I would do a quick compression check too, it could possibly be the head gasket. Iam betting if you ain't got smoke, that it's between 2 and 3 if that is the case.

[Nitrousbird]

Sounds like my Blazer, when it's 2nd Autozone pump died.

 

It got progressively worse. On the highway, barely pushing the gas, it would run fine. The harder I pushed the gas, the rougher it ran.

 

I datalogged it, and found that the harder I'd push the gas, the leaner it was running. Tossed my FP meter on there, and sure enough, fuel pressure would drop every time the motor was revved. New pump = all good from then on.

[Wease]

Originally posted by Desperado:

Rotten 2.2 I bet.

Negative, it's not the Dodge 2.2. This is the Mitsu 1.5. I had an Omni once. Never again will I buy anything with that 2.2. graemlins/thumbsdown.gif

 

Today I changed the fuel filter (the old one looked pretty new) and put new plugs in. Nothing changed. So it might be the fuel pump, the fuel pressure regulator, maybe a bad injector, but after hearing what Joe said (that's what it was doing Joe, except it's worse now. I have to rev the hell out of it to get it to go), I'm thinking fuel pump next. Again, I'll keep everyone posted, thanks for the responses thus far... smile.gif

[Buckeye1647545503]

what did the plugs look like when you changed them the 2nd time? That tell you tons

[Wease]

Originally posted by buckeye:

what did the plugs look like when you changed them the 2nd time? That tell you tons

They were pretty dark, missing a lot of the "puck", one of them may have had oil on it too.

[SHIEF]

If they have oil on them, then you need to change the valve cover gasket, and the little rings that go around the spark plugs. Any word on your problem yet?

[Wease]

Originally posted by SHIEF:

If they have oil on them, then you need to change the valve cover gasket, and the little rings that go around the spark plugs. Any word on your problem yet?

I changed them, the rings around the plugs. There was really only oil on one plug. I won't get back to looking at the car until Friday...

[Wease]

OK, new wires, cap, rotor, plugs, and fuel filter. No change. Time to move on to more expensive shit...

[SHIEF]

I guess I'd have to hear or see it to know. Next thing I'd check out would be the idle air conrol valve (if it has one), the tps sensor, and maf sensor if it has one. Oh, and there are no check engine lights right? I dunno what else to tell you without seeing it myself. Hope you get it figured out, keep us posted.

[Wease]

OK, my Colt is fixed! Get this, on cylinders 3 & 4, the fuel lines leading to the injectors were packed with rust! I have no idea how all that crap made it past the fuel filter. Got that all cleaned out, it's running fine now. I might need to clean my gas tank, however. I knew it was a fuel problem...

[Guest nevarmore]

Originally posted by Wease:

OK, my Colt is fixed! Get this, on cylinders 3 & 4, the fuel lines leading to the injectors were packed with rust! I have no idea how all that crap made it past the fuel filter. Got that all cleaned out, it's running fine now. I might need to clean my gas tank, however. I knew it was a fuel problem...

Good. Now do you have to courage to see how your Omni stacks up against Team Buick? Team Fastiva won the drag portion but bitched out on the rally. Does Team Colt have the balls (brass ones perhaps?) to run against the uber-beater Buick from hell?