Hi,
I have a 1992 Toyota AllTrak wagon (Corola). It has about 208,000 miles on it. I live in Bend, Oregon (dry and cold and high desert-like climate). I started getting about 26 MPG, now I’m up to about 29 MPG on a consistent basis.
Ever since I bought it a year and a half ago it has stuttered and stammered. Sometimes when cold, sometimes when hot, sometimes for a long time, sometimes short, sometimes not at all. I have tried to fix it by shot-gunning the things I thought caused the problem. Right after each ‘fix’ it seemed good. Psych!!!
This is what I’ve done:
* New plugs
* New Rotor and Cap
* New Wires
* New fuel filter
* New Air filter
* New oil
* New oil filter
* New cup holder (actually it doesn’t have one, so I had to install one)
* Detailed inside and outside
* Lubed the front drivers-side brake caliper that was sticky
* Switched the studded tires for normal tires
* Replaced the broken antenna with a coat hanger (metal)
* Hmmmm…
* Now what?
The stuttering and stammering is less severe than before, but still makes itself know, on a less frequent basis, yet just as much of a stutter and stammer as when it was first noticed by this car owner.
Any suggestions? Injectors is my next guess.
Do a compression test.
What’s that going to tell me? I like the idea…but then what?
The compression test will give you an indication of the condition of the insides of the engine. Uneven and/or low compression, signs of a worn out engine, can cause an engine to run unevenly, especially an engine like yours that was modestly powered to begin with.
I’d add to that a fuel pressure test to determine if the pump has grown weak or the regulator malfunctions, and link up with someone skilled and put the ignition on a scope. A scope will show details of how the ignition system is working. It’ll show uneven firing, low voltage (from a weak coil…you may have some shorted windings), and a myriad of other ignition related issues.
I’m guessing you have either a weak fuel pump or a weak component in the ignition system.
Yes, a sticky injector is a possibility. I’m guessing that has throttle body injection (a single injector up by the throttle body rather than an injector at every intake port???), so a stick injector could easily cause your symptoms. It can be cleaned with a parts-store solvent at little cost.
i think it’s a faulty cupholder. Or coolant temperature sensor.