Today while driving my car it lost massive power. But then it occasionally got it back and running up a slight grade on the freeway I could barely keep up with semi's.

when it starts doing it my check engine light immediately comes on and my tach starts jumping a bit. The power loss isnt a stumble it's like it just losses power occassionally on a few cylinders. Kinda like it's pulling a 5,000lb boat.

fuel pressure is at like 12psi

Im getting a lean code when it starts doing this

fuses are fine

not tune up related

can a distributor randomly stop firing plugs ???? I took it to a shop they couldn't find anything wrong with it. then drove it home and it started doing the same thing.

 

More like a fuel pump not delivering the volume you need under load. The only way to check this is to have a gauge reading while you are driving. It's not very practical in most cases.

If it were me, I'd swap the pump. I wouldn't just put another crap TBI pump in, either. The choice pump is the one from a 97 Suburban with an r code vortech 350 engine. It's also the same one that the 89 Turbo T/A uses. It's in stock at most parts houses. Your regulator will do a fine job of keeping the extra pressure in check and your car will never have run better!

It's about 75 bucks...

 

It has a TPI pump in it and when it has been running bad fuel pressure never fluctuates at all. It always maintains 12-14psi I can't imagine this is volume related with a TPI pump.

 

Do you have a gauge plumbed to read fuel pressure all of the time while you're driving or are you testing in your garage?

If your ignition was cutting out, that should make it run rich with unburned fuel, not lean.

Maybe you're having TBI unit problems, like the regulator or the injectors themselves.

Maybe a fuel filter going south?

 

no I just have the pressure gauge on in the garage but when it is doing this like I said pressure never drop or spikes or anything just remains where it's at. but even with no load on the engine just trying to rev it up you can tell it's struggling. I had thought maybe it could be a clogged cat but my exhaust isnt glowing under a load when its driven.

and with sufficient fuel supply why is it showing a lean condition. So if in fact it was ignition related like you said it would be rich.

I'm going to fart around with it more tomorrow and see what happens.

 

Maybe one of your injectors is going bad or is clogged. Have you tried looking at the spray pattern? If you were only running on one injector that would cause a lean condition.

 

ACTUALLY, Ignition problems will often show up as TOO LEAN. It blows air right past the O2 sensor from the missing cylinder(s).

 

Its not a crossfire car by the way so even if injectors were the issue one could still feed opposing cylinders right.

I was going to check spray pattern but after the first intake backfire that was the end of that idea!

 

ok I just went and started the car. Nice cold start right, so naturally it should be in a cold start enrichment state ... Anyways just idling you can tell something is wrong doesnt have a throaty sound to the exhaaust more like a gurgling noise. So I let the clutch out and give it gas and I can feel the engine struggling really bad and the rpms just drop and a fireball comes out of my hoodscoop followed by alot of smoke. OK not like a nuclear blast but but a puff of fire.

 

I believe that each injector supply's fuel to half the cylinders only. Did you get the intake backfire while revving or idling? You should be able to tell if an injector is working correctly at idle using a timing light to check the spray pattern.

 

under a load but it tries to burp at idle too

 

Well I guess one thing you could try to rule out a bad injector is to disconnect the harness to each one, one at a time and see if you notice a difference.

 

well both fuses are getting power but I have "inj1 & inj2" fuse but when I disconnect 1 of them it makes no difference car still runs the same. However when I've pulled the other one the car just dies.

 

Thanks everyone

Car is fixed!

 

What fixed it?

Inquiring minds want to know!

 

One of those retainer clips (the thing you squeeze to release the injector plug) for the injector plug broke causing the drivers side plug on top of the injector not to be secured so it was just kinda resting there and not getting a good connection. I plastic tied it down and the car runs fine now ... I am going to order new ones though if I can find them.

Well I hope that was the cause. I haven't driven it just idled it but it hasn't skipped a beat since so it should be fine now.

 

Autozone likely stocks them in your local store. They are GPSorenson part number 800-9225. It was about $12.00 the last one I bought. It comes with the little rubber grommet too.