1. Home
  2. Automotive Technologies
  3. Car won't accelerate on just one trip

Car won't accelerate on just one trip

Yesterday as I left from work, my 86 Corolla (has a carburetor) which has run well for 200,000+ miles, started off real rough and would hardly back out of the parking place.

Then it picked up, but on the way home, it ran OK most of the time, but once on the interstate, going up a slight grade, it wouldn't get above 45 mph. Then when I tried to merge into traffic once, it wouldn't accelerate although I was giving it gas; after a few seconds, the car suddenly accelerated. It was about 40 degrees outside, and rainy.

I don't know if this makes any difference, but the gas was low.

After I'd been home about 20 minutes, it started up and ran as it normally does. Ditto for this morning (when the engine was cold), but the weather still cool and rainy.

Vapor lock maybe?

Thanks in advance for any input,

Ribeldi

Reply to
Ribeldi
Loading thread data ...

Ya don't get vapoor lock when its 40 and you do a short trip!

Gas low? Crud in tank (change fuel filter) or water in gas (add dry gas/carb cleaner to gas).

Raining - runs rough? Replace distributo cap (could have small crack or moisture getting into it), rotor, and plug wires --- and plug is not done in last year. USE OEM yota parts there.

Reply to
Wolfgang

I had a '76 Datsun pickup that acted similarly. I never resolved it, but was told that it could be (in order of cost):

Fuel filter Fuel pump Catalytic convertor

--- Rich

formatting link

Reply to
Rich Lockyer

You can add stuck choke as another possibility. Did you notice black smoke out tail pipe?

Reply to
bobby

I would be checking the distributor cap and rotor first. If moisture gets in there, it will act just like you describe if it has any dirt or carbon tracks.

If you shine a strong light inside the distributor cap and see any spider web shaped black or white faint marks, you likely have found the trouble. Also check the rotor for tracks, I have seen some that have tracked down the side and they will go nuts in moisture.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Ribeldi wrote:

Reply to
Mike Romain

Sounds more like carb icing to me, has your heat stove fallen off your exhaust manifold lately? Little paper hose got lots of holes in it?

nate

Reply to
Nate Nagel

Do you REALLY hafta get out on rainy days? Sorry, just HAD to say that. Sincerely, tho', pay close attention to Wolfgang's suggestion(s). Similar to some other ones, I'm sure--I didn't bother to read 'em all. But, IMHO, he covered it! Good luck--and enjoy driving in those rainy days. sdlomi

Reply to
sdlomi

Check vacumm advance.

-- Peter Hill Spamtrap reply domain as per NNTP-Posting-Host in header Can of worms - what every fisherman wants. Can of worms - what every PC owner gets!

Reply to
Peter Hill

Could be many things. But if you have not changed your fuel filter in over

50,000 miles, that could be the cause. I had a car with the same symptoms and that is what we found to be the cause. Good Luck.

Reply to
Mercury

Yup it can happen.

Mine iced up last weekend and the throttle froze at 2000 rpm.

I was driving in snow just about at the freezing point and my hot air intake tube was missing.

High humidity and temps close to freezing can ice a carb up quick.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

d>

Reply to
Mike Romain

Reply to
kc8adu

Thanks for all of your advice. I'll check out some of these things; fuel filter, dist. cap, spark plug wires, etc.

Bobby said,

No, I didn't notice anything about the tail pipe--but if this happens again, I'll make it a point to check that.

The problem hasn't happened (knock on wood) again since that day, so I'm inclined to think it was either a stuck choke or as Wolfgang suggested, crud in tank or water in gas.

Ribeldi

Reply to
Ribeldi

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.