92 Laser .. Dumb guy needs help :(

[itsjpl]

I have a 92 plymouth laser I just bought from a guy 50 miles from me, Its a 5 speed, a smaller engine than the 2.0 so I guess a 1.8, While I am test driving it , he tells me its hard to take off. So I see that I have to rev it to 2 grand or so before I can let off the clutch to make it move. After it gains rpm, it drives smooth... no knocks, but the oil light has been on. I drive it 50 miles back home on the highway, it drives fine, still seems sluggish in every gear, ... like if I push the gas to the floor it doesn't acknowledge it, ... Well I get home, turn it off, ... start it back ten minutes later, drive it again, still sluggish, park it, now when I start it, ... it stays at 1,000 rpm or under, and even if I give it gas, it doesn't move.

I was told it was the cat conv... I removed the headers from the exaust to let it breath to diagnose it, ... still doesn't go past 1k rpm.

If anyone can help me, I would be so appreciative, I am at a library hoping someone replies to this with some helpful information. I am broke down .. and need a vehicle.
Thanks in advance guys.. im sure someone out there can help me.

 

[DSM1G90]

Ya, got some big issues with that little 4G37 (1.8L) .. how's the oil level for starters where you say the light comes on, yet, what did the oil gauge showed when the light came on? If so, then the sending unit wire is off the sending unit underneath.

Belt and a tuneup is in deparate order here on that thing. Bet the ECU is bad as well .. TPS isn't set right. .. et.al.

Good luck and hope yu didn't pay much for that thing...

-DSM

 

[pest007]

First off you should do a compression test to see if it's all ok, and a leak down test wouldnt hurt either.

Not to sure about the 1.8 but if its similar in some ways to the 2.0, check the spark plugs and coil pack, (unless it's a distributor). Every time i blow up my plugs or my coil pack it runs similar to what you described!

 

[DSM1G90]

He has a distributor with coil pack within, which is mounted below the rotor...

...in which I bet that a worn belt did a tooth hop and threw the distributor (which runs off the front end of the cam next to the cam sprocket) way out of time where the ECU can't correct the timing any.

Here's a simple test that he can do: Roll the crank til it's TDC on both marks-being down on the crank pulley and the cam sprocket mark -being right below that dimple on the back plate of the cam cover which is also on top) then pull the dist cap and see where the rotor is pointing at. If he's at 5*BTDC with all marks aligned, the point of that rotor should be just before where No.1 sparkplug wire is located at on the cap. If not, then it's way out of time.

Good luck as always - DSM