need some help with my 84 2m4

first things first: when i got it it wasnt running too great. i changed out the spark plugs, plug wires, distributor cap, rotor and air filter. noticed a HUGE improvement. then started having more problems. thats when it started stauling. for awhile it was stauling out on me a lot. it would staul out on me and it wouldnt start back up, the engine sounded like it was trying to turn over but it wouldnt. i changed out a bunch of things and finally changed out the electronic spark control module. that was a week ago from last saturday. it hasnt stauled out yet. but its still not running too great. it bogs out on acceleration. sometimes it will accelerate better than others. and lately its having a harder and harder time starting up. every once and awhile it will backfire and the engine acts like its going to staul but doesnt. i'm a complete loss here. and i cant really afford to take it to a shop. here's what i've changed out on it so far. any suggestions or help would be greately appreciated.
first: spark plugs, plug wires, distributor cap and rotor. air filter.
then: water pump.
then: fuel filter.
i changed out the O2 censor. only one. i heard there is two though?
and the electronic spark control module.
also the headlights are stuck in the upright position. i have noticed this is very common. and i was wondering if the headlight motors have to be replaced or if it could be a fuse somewhere or maybe the actuator switch.
also, when i shut off the engine theres a whining noise coming from the front end. i'm assuming this is the fan and i think one of the fan belts is going out because it screechs on acceleration now. i'm having a lot of problems with this car. but i picked it up for only $600 so its to be expected. i love the fieros and i want to get this thing running better. i want to put a v6 in it sometime down the road but that will have to wait. again, i dont have the money to take it to a shop so any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks.

Sounds like a vacuum leak. Does it like to start up for a half second then stall right away? Check all vacuum hoses to the intake and throttle body, paying special attention to anything that connects at a lower point then the map sensor hose does. Common non-hose leaks include the EGR valve gasket and throttle body to intake mainfold gasket. I just decided to rebuild my entire throttle body because my car is doing basically what yours is and all my hoses are fine. The TBI gasket kit at Autozone was $25

- I don't think you should have more then one O2 sensor on that car. At any rate, a bad O2 sensor would only cause problems on a warm engine, so if the problem happens at ALL when the engine is cold it's not to blame.

Sounds like a vacuum leak. Does it like to start up for a half second then stall right away? Check all vacuum hoses to the intake and throttle body, paying special attention to anything that connects at a lower point then the map sensor hose does. Common non-hose leaks include the EGR valve gasket and throttle body to intake mainfold gasket. I just decided to rebuild my entire throttle body because my car is doing basically what yours is and all my hoses are fine. The TBI gasket kit at Autozone was $25

- I don't think you should have more then one O2 sensor on that car. At any rate, a bad O2 sensor would only cause problems on a warm engine, so if the problem happens at ALL when the engine is cold it's not to blame.

yeah, it'll start up and quickly staul out. then i'll start it up again and it goes fine.

Yes, that really sounds like a vacuum leak on the intake somewhere, when I rebuilt my throttle body things improved quite a bit.

Now, do you have a check engine light on?

no.

Buy a can of spray carb cleaner with the little plastic tube and spray around the base of the throttle body, egr vavle and where the intake meets the head. If you notice the engine rpm go up, wait a few seconds and spray the same area again. If it's obvious the carb cleaner is causing the rpm change, there is a leak in the area you were spraying, and the gasket should be replaced.

There are also steel lines in the path to the power brake booster that could have rusted and caused a vacuum leak. Try unplugging the large hose that enters the intake manifold at a fitting just in front and a tiny bit to the left of the throttle body and plugging it off. If you don't have a supply of rubber vacuum caps a cheap latex baloon over the fitting will work. If the engine runs better with the line plugged off, the problem is in the brake booster lines or brake booster itself.

The steel vacuum line from the charcoal canister on the left side of the engine compartment may also leak. Follow the line till you find the spot where it connects to a hose and enters the throttle body. You can easily pinch the hose shut with a pliers or even your fingers. if the engine runs better there is a leak in that line.

Any cracked hoses should ebe replaced. Even if they don't leak, they eventually will.

There are other things that can cause the symptoms you describe but check the above first.

HEADLAMP FIX in the front lamp harness on the left side in the spare tire compartment, right by hood prop (inside the condiit) there are 2 fusable links. (should be orange) and check if they are burnt with an ohm meter. hope that helps.

On your headlights, if they are up all the time the previous owner may have unplugged the wires while the headlights were on and they were up. Each headlight has a wire beside it that runs the power to them to make them go up and down.
If you look next to the headlight assembly, these wires will be on the back side of the assembly (furthest away from you on the side of the headlights furthest from the fender).
Look to see if you can notice two wires near each other (one from the headlight assembly going down and one coming up from the bottom of the front area where they are obviously unplugged. Plug them back in but be carefull as if you have the light switch off and you plug them back in the motors should then start to quickly spin and drop the headlights. Maybe try this while the lights are on until you can get your arms out of the way to shut the headlight switch off and see if they drop.

Steve

If they were unplugged, it's probably becuase the stop switches aren't working and the motors keep spinning (mine has that problem) but there are rebuild kits for those.

I wonder how the engine work is comming. I hope I didn't give him so much work it killed him. :uhoh:

i sprayed around the throttle body and the rpm didnt change at all. i'll try the brake booster line and the line from the charcoal canister tomorrow. the idle does fluctuate constantly though. and when its hot out it accelerates really bad. it bogs out. it runs a lot better at night when its cooler, but it still accelerates sporadically.

did i mention it screeches sometimes on acceleration. usually when its hot out and its accelerating really slow. so i'll stomp the gas and when it revs up high it screeches. if i let up on the gas it stops.
.....a looooot of problems. =\

The screech is the drive belt, if it's old, replace it, if it's new, tighten it.

On my daily driver I lock the headlights in the up position during the winter so if the doors happen to get frozen at any point they won't possibly strip the headlight gears. I agree though that usually when they are locked in the up position is because one or both of the motors do not work correctly anymore.
For a headlight rebuild kit (which is fairly easy to do) go to:
www.rodneydickman.com
He has some really great stuff :)

Steve