i have a 1991 4 cyl turbo charged toyota mr2 with 120,000 miles. the car is in very good condition exception for one thing. i could be driving along for 100’s of miles and then all of a sudden the car will lose power. it does not stall or shut off. it just doesn’t move. i have to quickly get to the side of the road and wait about 5 minutes, rev the engine a little and it seems to be fine for weeks or maybe even months before it happens again. i bought the car new so i have been the only driver except for my son once in a while. i also store the car 9 months out of the year. any ideas on what’s going on with my car. i really enjoy driving it and would hate to get rid of it. it has become a part of my family. all the mechanics i know tell me they can’t diagnose it if it doesn’t do it all of the time. thank you & help!!!
mj
Oh it’s totally broken. Unrepairable. Better sell it to me 
I’ve heard of this happening before but I can’t remember what causes it. Check out http://www.mr2oc.com
Those guys will set you right straight away. They’ve helped me tons with my 93 NA.
My guess right off the top would be a failing fuel pump. These can come and go with no apparent timetable; work fine for a month and quit with symptoms just as you describe.
If the fuel filter has never been changed then it could very well be the pump. A partially clogged filter may allow the engine to run fine but over time will cause the pump to work harder, leading eventually to failure.
thanks alot. i’ll give them a shot. i certainly hope they can help. it really is a great car. thanks again,
mj
My guess is a possible clogged charcoal canister or vent line. The gas tank breaths in through the activated charcoal in the canister, and if it’s mostly clogged and the tank can’t breath well, a vacuum can build up in the tank as the gas is pumped out until the pump can no longer pump gas. Waiting 5 minutes can alllow the vacuum to dissipate through whatever air can come through the charcoal. The next time it occurs, try removing the gas cap. If you have a hugh sucking sound and the car then starts again, that’s your problem.
A weak pumps is also a good possibility, but try the cap first.