pressing gas + climbing rpm = aspire dieing

[rotinaj13]

Ok I notice the problem in my 97 aspire, manual, starting in 3rd gear at around 35 mph once it hits there poof engine acts like it is running out of gas hit the gas harder and acts like it died but once i left off and engine slows down it will pick up rpm again. With that being said going up big hills will make it act like this regardless of speed, gear, rpm and cursing. It likes to do this and give me the middle finger when it is good and warm most of the time but will sometimes do it when cold. Thought it was a plugged pcv changed it no dice. Interestingly enough if when it does this if i keep it in gear and key off the engine for a few seconds and key it back on poof I can accelerate to red line. Im kind of baffled by the symptoms and do not want to just toss cash/parts at it. I was thinking maybe fuel filter some obstruction clogging the out and once suction is gone it magical goes else where, what can I say I do not know where to start!!! FB where r ya could use ur knowledge right about now *kneels and prays to the ford gods to send forth thy mighty trainer to keep another hell hound from the after yard*

[drddan]

Have you got a multimeter? Check the ignition coil. Sometimes when getting hot, coils can do what you described.

[rotinaj13]

Yeah i have a multimeter and will give it a look. The odd thing is that I noticed say if I stopped for fuel (at first thought it was a fuel pickup problem) and then get back on the road car was acting up b4 getting fuel but after was playing nice and only stopped for 5 min or so. Yeah I know sounds like a fuel pickup problem but even on full after the stop if I beat the crap out of it then the problem gradually comes back. As far as the coil goes does it test like a standard coil? I know it has a built in path to the cap so no wire is needed.

[FestYboy]

all aspires are external coil, they sit on the driver strut tower. i also have a 97 aspire and the GF has a 96.

also, since you're car is OBD2, get a scanner that has live data and look at the TPS and MAP sensors.

[rotinaj13]

lol well i guess i should have paid attention a little more when i was under the hood. Been a little while since ive been on that side i guess. I will take a look at it possibly tomorrow. I have access to a scanner that does live feed, do i need to drive it with scanner attached or anything special?

[rotinaj13]

Ok no coil on strut tower. Replaced air filter and fuel filter. I will see how it is running when i drive it to work which is when it is acting up.

[FestYboy]

really no coil on tower? where does the center lead run from the dizzy? whatever it touches is the coil, it just might not LOOK like a coil. as for the scanner, you can work it either KOEO or KOER. if you're wanting to see what's happening while in motion, have someone else drive while you opperate the scanner.

[rotinaj13]

Center lead runs to the side of cap and is built into the cap. Well no need to get the scan tool I found out what the problem was. I found a strip of duct tape hanging and seen where a moron at work taped over the inlet for my airbox once I pulled the bolts out. Nice little trick to play on someone I just wish it was warm so i could JB weld him back!

[Nerd Racing]

NO aspires have an external coil, its inside the distributor. no center lead on the cap at all.

[rotinaj13]

Ok i guess it is scan tool time. The airbox made an improvement but did not fix it. I still get a stumble after 2 hours of driving seems like when i go from in town stop and go to highway and drop the hammer it starts to breakup. The interesting thing is if I keep gas pedal position and key it off for 10-20 seconds and key it back on it will accelerate like normal and climb into high rpm and repeating this every time it breaks up. I from that i would say it is electrical. it being the coil would make sense for the breakup but not being able to key it off then on and it work right again. I am kind of wondering if this is egr related. It really pi@@es me off that the car is obd2 and is not getting any codes what so ever, (any other of my cars throw a dummy light for low washer fluid)

[rotinaj13]

Ok messed with it a little over the weekend. Code scanner I could use did not handle live data. I changed the wires, plugs, air filter, fuel filter, cap, rotor. it has a new fuel pump as of 5 months ago with new screen. The old plugs had a white look to them. On cold starts it revs pretty high a little above 1k for about 15 to 20 seconds then starts to drop off. It is running worse now that I messed with it. It is acting like it is running out of fuel except the engine does not stall just goes back to idle. If I keep steady foot pressure on the gas while it breaks up and drops speed once it slows way down to the mph that is equal to about 1200 rpm the engine will produce power again. once it has been running for a while the idle seems a bit low. vac leak? egr stuck open? coil fried? crank position sensor? Come on guys give me some ideas this is the diagnosis I hate because it is not a constant thing but getting closer to constant. BTW no codes in computer.

[rotinaj13]

Went out and froze today messing with the car. I took a propane torch around all vac lines and intake idle did not change. Hooked a vac gauge up to brake booster port, 16 in draw @ 1100 elevation. roughly .5-1 in flicker downward. cracking the gas drops it to nothing and on release it goes to about 19 in then settles back to about 16 in. I thought without a shadow of a doubt it was a vac line due to the white plugs. Someone give me some ideas only thing I can do after this is a FP test as soon as I can get the tester from my dad.

[mattman]

silly as it sounds change your fuel filter i had a crx that acted like that an it was a clogged filter it was fine at idle but it would act up under aceleration im no ace grease monkey but it is worth looking at

[rotinaj13]

I wish it was that simple I changed the filter about a week ago with no change. The fuel pump was changed late july or 5k ago with a new screen. I am at a loss it ran great then one day out of the blue it started acting up.

[rotinaj13]

okay got bored and changed all the small like 3/16" vac lines today. Found a leak in the gas line and replaced. I need help here guys!!!! This car is going to get me killed and frankly I will not take it to the shop I have never taken a car to a garage for service ever, I will sent it to the car crusher first and frankly I am about ready to send it off. Once again once the engine is warmed up it sputters, breaks up and all together quits under harder acceleration like going up a hill after going down the road just fine maintaining speed. Some times I can key it off and start it up and it will have power again. It seemed like keying it off while keeping the car coasting turning the engine over with my foot on the floor then lifting off and bump starting it was working pretty good. The more I drove it the worse it got. I had no other way to go but the highway and could only go 10 mph this morning 2 semis nearly killed me, please help!