hey 2.3 gurus......need help with daily driver

[beast351]

i am not a 4 banger guru,but i need one..... i just bought an 88 I-4 5 speed coupe a couple weeks ago,an i has issues....really annoying issues..... after it runs for a minute or so, it boggs, sputters, what ever term you use, it doesn't go....unless you hit WOT....then it runs fine at whatever throttle position you hold it to...until you give it even the slightest bit more throttle. when it does this, i can turn off the key switch for just a split second, and it runs great.....for about a minute......i have swapped so far the intake temp sender, the water temp senders, the intake air temp sender from another 2.3 that has other issues than this one......i have not swapped O-2, or computer, since the other car is an 88 automatic......any ideas?.....please help.....i'm almost to the poinjt of searching out a cheap carb'ed V-8, but i like the gas milage i would get from a decent running....er....(NOT POSESSED) 4 banger....

 

[Red_LX]

Have you tried throwing another TFI module on there? I would try that and see if it fixes the problem as it very well might...my old '90 was doing the same thing and I suspected a bad TFI, but never fixed it and sold the car for parts.

 

[cavi]

a few things, first I would check the throttle position sensor, second the fuel pressure regulator, and of course check the spark plugs and wires

 

[Lboya]

Get yourself a can of carb cleaner and clean out your Idle Air Control Valve. If you have a high mileage engine over time carbon will build up inside of the valve and idle performance will decrease. I cleaned mine out the other day and it runs like a champ now.

 

[Shinlee]

yo lboya, i did what ya said, because mine was acting a lil groggy on starting up, and that fixed the problem right quick.

great advice.

 

[rd]

Have you pulled the codes out of it? I would do that before I did anything else. My 89 did funny things, some of which are the same as yours, and it was a dead map sensor. I would not have found it w/o checking codes.

 

[jgt58]

def sound slike a throttle position sensor problem or an o2 sensor , prolly both.