• Car stumbles at idle and under acceleration

Posted: **Tue Apr 19, 2005 3:52 pm**

Don't mean to detract from the Joisey bashing or Anti-NJ avatars (which rule) but I have a situation.

My fiance's '92 Tercel has a stumble at idle and under acceleration also. It recently came back from the shop where they took off the alarm that her dad put on and switched the spark plugs that were fuel soaked.

A piece of intake tubing was also loose so it was sucking whatever shit it could find in the engine bay down into the cylinders. Got that back in and it was fine for a little and now it is doing it again.

I have a Haynes manual but am putting my new Spax adjustable struts and BAT Inc. springs on the Focus tonight, so I haven't had a chance to read through it and find what they suggest.

Any thoughts?

Posted: **Tue Apr 19, 2005 6:10 pm**

The timing could be off.

Posted: **Wed Apr 20, 2005 10:09 am**

Well, it ran for about a day when it got back from the shop.

I'm thinking it's the fuel pump, so gotta call Advanced and see how much that is gonna set me back.

Posted: **Wed Apr 20, 2005 12:43 pm**

I'm thinking timing too... but I'm not 100% sure.

Posted: **Wed Apr 20, 2005 1:03 pm**

A new fuel pump is $134 from Advanced Auto Parts, but if that doesn't work, then it's timing chain time.

Posted: **Wed Apr 20, 2005 1:24 pm**

it could be a fuel problem but dont just start replaceing random parts... check the timing and the spark on each plug... check your fuel filter in the tank and in the engine bay... do the basics FOERST

Posted: **Wed Apr 20, 2005 1:42 pm**

I'm thinking ignition. You said it ran good for a while and now has a miss again which is most likely due to the new plugs being fouled again. When the miss comes back is it all the time? Just when hot? Just when cold? Ignition coils can cause issues like this. Usually timing won't change out of nowhere. Has the check engine light come on? If so there should be some codes to start with. Let us know how it turns out.

Posted: **Thu Apr 21, 2005 10:22 am**

I replaced the fuel filter after the FOERST incident. Same problem. I don't think it's the timing since she ran okay for a day.

Might be the in tank fuel filter. I'll check that once I pull out the fuel pump. Hmmmm, I think it happens when it's hot, but since it ran for a day, I'm not sure if it's the coils. Definitely going to check the spark plugs again.

I'll keep everyone posted.