Missing under load

[odiekokee]

This morning, after about a mile drive, the car started to miss under load. I drove a mile or so before i had to stop at a red light, and i was beginning to wonder if i was going to make it away. It got a bite and ran for another mile or so with a little stuttering. I figured it was just the typical grumpyness i get in the mornings (reving up until i slam the gas and let go, etc)

I kept going, and it kept getting worse. When I clutched it, it idles fine, and it would rev smoothly. I pulled over, and it was still idling fine and reving up fine, until i started to pull away, and it started it again. I finally turned around on the highway headed back towards home. I almost didn't make it off the side of the road, as it'd miss and stutter till it stalled every time I tried. It kept missing, at least one, and possibly 2 cyl, all the way home.

Overall, the car doesn't know whether to stutter, jump, start, fart, or fall.

Help?

[mattdickmeyer]

what year is it?

[gorgonheimer]

Check fuel pressure and volume, clogged fuel filter, make sure disty is advancing. That's all I got for now, kinda sounds like... maybe... plug wires?

[odiekokee]

'88 Manual. Has a new fuel filter, and it revs just fine when not under load. I don't think it's fuel starved.

vac gage shows 20-23 in/hg idling. like i said, clutched or out of gear, it idles smooth and revs up easy smooth and fine.

Will check the plug wires. The vacc advance/retard may be extra retarded or some such. I've got a weber on the bench waiting on the adapter. Not sure how to go about hooking up all the stuff, but it's gotta be better than the 17 vacuum lines going all over.

advance problems could explain why it keeps wanting to go dead when i'm coming to a stop or coasting down before actually getting on the brakes. iiirrritating.

[Biff]

wait till dark and watch the plug wires in the dark as you rev the engine?

[mattdickmeyer]

engine missing under load is usually ignition related. difficult to diagnose manual trans as you cant apply load at idle. remove spark plugs, check for fouling to isolate suspect cylinders. have found problems w/plug wires. also remove distributor cap & check for battery terminal like corrosion. usually green in color. if present, scrape off & spray out w/ether. also check for good contact between metal tab on center of rotor & carbon ball in center of cap. if problem still persist quick way to check fuel volume is to pinch off bypass hose @ fuel pump. that will increase fuel to carb.

[GenevaDirt]

This morning, after about a mile drive, the car started to miss under load. I drove a mile or so before i had to stop at a red light, and i was beginning to wonder if i was going to make it away. It got a bite and ran for another mile or so with a little stuttering. I figured it was just the typical grumpyness i get in the mornings (reving up until i slam the gas and let go, etc)

I kept going, and it kept getting worse. When I clutched it, it idles fine, and it would rev smoothly. I pulled over, and it was still idling fine and reving up fine, until i started to pull away, and it started it again. I finally turned around on the highway headed back towards home. I almost didn't make it off the side of the road, as it'd miss and stutter till it stalled every time I tried. It kept missing, at least one, and possibly 2 cyl, all the way home.

Overall, the car doesn't know whether to stutter, jump, start, fart, or fall.

Help?

did it rain the night before or was raining when you went to work? Maybe a lot of dew that morning?

[odiekokee]

No rain last night or before. No more dew than normal for the Southern US this time of year, nor different from the last couple of weeks.

[GenevaDirt]

hmmmm...ok....and there is no little coolant leak or anything? Just that it sounds a lot like when I had issues with cap and wires getting wet...ran fine till under load and was ok once drying out,

[odiekokee]

no leaks of any kind (except oil from the front main, but...that's a different matter)

[sanjeet]

I had a problem similar in another make of vehicle and what was happening the timing belt was jumping out of the guide sprocket when the engine was hot and under load (ie at night) when the car was first started no probs but when coming home in the dark after about 7-8 kilometres it would run like a hairy goat

[GenevaDirt]

I had a problem similar in another make of vehicle and what was happening the timing belt was jumping out of the guide sprocket when the engine was hot and under load (ie at night) when the car was first started no probs but when coming home in the dark after about 7-8 kilometres it would run like a hairy goat

no guides on these belts. They are wide and flat and have teeth on the belt that wrap around 2 gears that mesh with the belt perfectly. So there is no way for it to slip back and forth. Unless one of the pulley/gears is moving on the crank or cam.

[odiekokee]

And it was just after startup from an overnight rest. How do i check the distributor vacuum advance/retard for it's level of retardedness? and how do i fix it?

[FestYboy]

you need a timing light and an older auto tech who knows how to use it.