86, 1.9L, 2 barrel, auto, wagon, 146k
While I was persuing a bad vibration in my car that I have described in another thread, I discovered the engine does not run smoothly. :banghead: In fact it seems to be contributing to the observed vibrations. Apparently the engine does not run smoothly from 2000 rpm to 3000 rpm. Unfortunately, that is the main speed the engine operates at while driving. The trans likes to shift to 2000 rpm so it tends to bog down and struggle after a gear change. While jacked up with no resistance against the trans, it would upshift just above 2000 rpm, but the engine had a real hard time getting past 2000 rpm to get the trans to shift up. I did check the cap and rotor. They were ok. I cleaned them but no improvement ocurred. No readily apparent vacuum sounds. I need to investigate this further, plugs, vac sounds, air filter region, this things has a friggin ton of emission crap on it!?! Any words of experience would be greatly appreciated. I am hoping someone might know of something uniquely specific to this car that may be causing this or what tends to cause this. I already have a lengthy laundry list of things I should try to do to fix this, so I don't think anymore would be particularly helpful. Thanks :)
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No takers? Any insight would be appreciated. Let me rephrase the last sentence of my first post to mean that I know to check the routine stuff, but if there is something that you have specifically or commonly found to cause my problem, that kind of information would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!:) THANKS!:)

I need to investigate this further, plugs, vac sounds, air filter region, this things has a friggin ton of emission crap on it!?!
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Have you gone any further with these basics? Have you tested the vacuum? I would suggest you investigate the engine vibration prior to the transmission problem. Is it running on all cylinders? Are the mounts tight? Are the pulleys/balancer in good shape?

Try adjusting the idle screws. At about 2k it switches over from the idle circuit to the main metering venturi. If that doesn't work put a carb kit in it making sure it has been soaked in cleaner and blown out with comp. air.

Dave, would you recommend a fuel additive before changing things? Would carb cleaner help this just spraying it in if it's the venturi? Can I poke clean the venturi? If I need to do the carb kit, what get's replaced, gaskets, jets, check valves, needles, springs? AZ was not helpful at their site. I've done lots of these for 2 and 4 cycle small engines, but never needed to completely do one for a car.

I would add that it feels and sounds like it's studdering at that rpm range, and then is just fine over 3000, likewise below 2000. Does that sound like the problem is with the venturi or something else?
Thanks