The car is my 84 5K wagon (CIS). After coming down a long grade, using engine compression, the car began haltering and losing power under load. Fuel pump is fine. Ignition is fine. Checked air flow plate and found to have a fair amount of resistance. Cleaned away accumulate crud around the plate (which is well centered) so that it moved freely, although still a fairly heavy feel when actuated by hand from underneath. There is a fair amount of sticky fuel residue or oil residue around all air flow plate mechanism. By revving motor without load was finally able to clear rough running/haltering, but after a couple of minutes driving under load, it would start haltering again, and slowly progress to a full loss of power. Next, with engine idling roughly, I released tension on the fuel filter banjo bolt to again check for fuel pressure. Engine died as expected, but then would not restart by starter as before. Actuation of air plate by hand while starting also had no effect. I got it started by towing in gear at 40+ mph. It ran fine for a few minutes under load, and then begian the progressive haltering and loss of power, which cannot be revived even by revving under load. Presently car will briefly try to start when cranked the first time in the morning--and then followed by no reaction to cranking at all. If I let it sit over an hour, it will again flirt with starting, but then go back to no reaction to cranking. When I tow-start the car and it first begins to run, it runs perfectly smooth and full power, even now--until the haltering under load sets in. So obviously everything is capable of running fine except something kicks in that halts fuel flow gradually. Anybody got any suggestions?
Best, Joel Skousen
jskousen@enol.com
http://www.xsw.com/securehome