Engine Woes, computer issues? Sensors? Options

[sn0wfr0g]

OK - so this is the first real problem I have had with my Celi, but nevermind the jibberjabber - I will get straight to the point.

Car started this just a few days ago - I would punch it and it would kind of stutter then catch and go.. Did not think too much of it at the time untill a couple days later when it did the same thing twice in a row pretty close together then started dieing just about every time I gaev it gas.

Current condition:

Car will start cold fine, run and idle, everything seems fine but as soon as the car reaches normal operating temperature, any time I give it gas it chokes and dies. Car will idle fine at normal temp, and if i gas it VERY slowly it will get up there.

Things tried so far:

Pulled the air intake off and tried to reproduce issue to make sure that it was not an airflow issue via the filter / short ram - same thing happens.

Fuel filter(s): One in the front replaced which we were _sure_ must be the issue as it was pretty clogged and it seemed like all was well but no dice, i went for a test spin, got a ways down the highway and it started doing the same crap again..

So we repulled the same filter to see if it had clogged again and it seemed to be fine.

Disconected the front filter and hooked up a line to the fuel line to check for sediment and fuel pump functionality - everything seemed fine..

Then I pulled the back seat cusion out to check inside the tank / check the pump and filter in the tank - filter seemed fine / nothing abnormal visable in tank as far as I could see.

Had some people checking out the readings on the TPS sensor with a VU meter - they seemed pretty convinced that it was my issue, and wanted to pull it off to check it out further, but it was already getting hella late and because nothing else so far had seemed to have any effect it did not seem wise to start getting too far into the realm of things that baffle me.

I am sure there are some things I have missed that we did do / try last night, but I was up messing with this till damn near 4am (SO glad the time changed in our favor last night) so the brain is a bit foggy.

What else should I be looking at / trying?

Admittedly I am a computer geek and a vinyl DJ, not a car mechanic - however I have a bunch of friends that are (yay living in Texas).

<wanders off to drink some coffee / have a smoker / make some calls to try and get this resolved >

edit: hmmz.

This post has been edited by sn0wfr0g: Oct 29, 2006 - 4:35 PM

[Outsider]

I had the exact same problem with my truck. It was a bit hard to start but it would start no problem. It would idle fine for hours on end. As soon as I gave it some gas It would run rough, sputter, knock and die. I went throught everything that has been talked about so far and none of it helped me out. My problem turned out to be a fuel pump that was just strong enough to permit the truck to idle but under load it would shut down. I changed the fuel pump and solved my problem. Could be worth looking into when every other option fails.

[sn0wfr0g]

I had the exact same problem with my truck. It was a bit hard to start but it would start no problem. It would idle fine for hours on end. As soon as I gave it some gas It would run rough, sputter, knock and die. I went throught everything that has been talked about so far and none of it helped me out. My problem turned out to be a fuel pump that was just strong enough to permit the truck to idle but under load it would shut down. I changed the fuel pump and solved my problem. Could be worth looking into when every other option fails.

IT'S ALIIIIIIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, I had been driving a corolla in the meantime and it's just not the same.. At all..

OK - here was the deal.

Oil in the distributor cap. *shudder*

Replaced the cap and rotor and not only does it run now, it runs better then it has in a while. The weather in Texas just got cold(er) then it has been in quite a while and I took a road trip one hour out of town for work to make sure nothing was gonna blow up again. Flawless. Very responsive, solid idle, fun times.

I know I need to look into the cause of this. The guy at the parts place mentioned an O ring in the distributor that was a likely culprit. From what I have read around online getting the distributor to reseal is a huge pain in the ass, and replacing it is MEGA expensive (~$380 for parts).

Suggestions?

By the by - Has anyone else here noticed how nice it feels to look at the cars around you and realize how hot your ride is? I know I do.

EZ
-Jimi