Tired talon needs help

[Twostitch]

Ok, I have a 90 talon tsi awd w/ 230K miles, new clutch, alternator, fuel filter, plugs and wires. I'm not a car mech and really don't know about doing much on the car. The car will run at the moment, but it's not what should be normal. I has this problem that has plagued me for some time. It will act like it not getting enough fuel. like it looses power and will not rev over 3000 rpm. When you step on the accellerator it feel like some thing is plugged, but all the lines are clear. I had the fuel filter changed and that helped for a while, but it started doing it again.

When you are driving and it "cuts out" sometimes you can downshift and it will kick backup and run fine. A couple of times it stays that way and after it sits for the weekend, it will start up and be just fine, like nothing ever happened. The last time it happened was last tuesday and I stopped and had my friends take a look and they figured it was plugs and wires. I changed them on Sunday. It ran fine on Mon and Tues, then wed morn half way to work it did it again and I've not been able to "kick it out". This time it did not matter if the car was warm or cold either. It is currently idling at 500 rpm. And just to see if it sitting since I came home Wed changed anything, I just started the car it is still "plugged".

If anyone has any help or suggestions for an illerate and very frustrated female talon driver I wloud be eternally grateful. I would have just gotted rid of it when my husband totalled(rear-ender) it, but we needed the cash and it was driveable, so here I am w a salvage car that is not worth shit and has way too many miles for anything on the car to be worth a shit as far as parting it it, YET it is my daily driver!!! SOMEONE PLEASE HELP!!!

Candi - Twostitch
[email protected]

 

[falcone4g63]

maybe the capasitors in the ecu leaked and thats what is causing it. the ecu is behind your radio, take a wiff down there and see if you smell a fishy smell.

 

[Twostitch]

Never noticed any fishy smells. Nor any other smells either. There is some smoking when the car is running fine when accellerating, but when running fine its good just tired all over.

Oh and the engine lite does come on, but can go off while it is "plugged" but comes back on in a few seconds.

Mind you the car has been doing this on and off for several months....

 

[falcone4g63]

get a voltameter or whatever its called, take the positive pin and put it on the top, right terminal on the diagnostic port. then the negative to the bottom left terminal. do this while the car is running and the cel is on and write down how many long and short pulses the meter shows. then look them up in the repair manual.

 

[Twostitch]

Voltameter???
Diagnostic port???

My husband has a multitester Is that the same?
Where is the diagnostic port? Are the terminals like the battery terminals???
And what is "cel"?

 

[falcone4g63]

that should work. its located to the left of the clutch pedal, its a white plug next to a fuse box. look inside the plug and they are metal prongs. also look at the inside of the plug with seven prongs on bottom and five on top. the top right is the obd output and the bottom left is the ground. cel= check engine light.

 

[Grimis]

volt meter is what you use to test volts/ohms and stuff, get it at walmart for $10-15
CEL is a Check Engine Light.

and the port there talking about , is on a 1g, on the bottom left of the driver side, by the floorboard. If my memory is correct. Its a plug thats just there . Its used for the dealer and if you have a code reader/pocket logger to pull codes and to tune your car with, Hope this helps.

 

[Twostitch]

alright I found the page in the book, found the diagnostic port, and found the voltmeter, BUT what do you set the voltmeter on??? It's got a whole bunch of numbers, ect on it and its all greek to me

I really appreciate your help. I know history and social studies, but obviously not cars. Thanks

 

[falcone4g63]

just try any of them. the needle on the meter should bounce back and fourth quickly, thatwould mean the ecu is in normal state. but since you have a check engine light it should have long pulses followed by short ones. count how many long and short and look it up in your repair manual or post it and ill tell you.

 

[Twostitch]

Ok tested.......
Had 4 long and 4 short. Book says it's ignition coil or ignition power transitor
what does these entail and are they do-able by self or shop?

Oh and where is the ignition coil on the car? I've got some pictures, but it's hard to tell what I'm looking at.

 

[yoshimitsuspeed]

After reading this I am pretty sure you will need to replace one or both of those. I would ask on NW DSM to see if any one has one used. You could probably switch them out or have me or someone else do it, see if that's the problem and if not give it back.

 

[Defiant]

How old are the plugs and wires? Replace the plugs ONLY WITH NGK BPR6ES gapped at .028, and treat it to some new ignition wires.

 

[Eniygma]

I have both a coil pack and transistor, I could sell you for $50, for both

 

[yoshimitsuspeed]

How old are the plugs and wires? Replace the plugs ONLY WITH NGK BPR6ES gapped at .028, and treat it to some new ignition wires.

I looked at it this weekend and I am pretty confidant it's more than that. I don't know which plugs she has but she just replaced plugs and wires.
You can tell the wire farthest from the timing belt (I can't remember if it's #1 or #4) is getting a much weaker spark. It also seems to fluctuate. I tried to get a better conection on the wires but it made no difference.

 

[Eniygma]

That would seem to me to be caused by a bad coil pack. See if you can find one to use (or borrow) to see if that helps.