car wants to die when I shift

92 metro. Just started this lately. Everytime I shift up and start to give it throttle it wants to die or it does. Just leave it in gear and it will start back up. It has also tried to die when cruising down the road. Messed with it the other day. Revved it up and let off throttle, then a second late throttled up and it just wouldn't go. Another second later it died. Starts right back up. Checked plugs and wires. Tried a different MAP sensor. Haven't tried a new fuel filter. That thing looks like a bear to change. Any ideas?

Someone educate me, when did the metro make the change from carb to TBI?

Thenn - In any case,

1) Check your fuel pressure with the key on engine off (should maintain pressure for at least 5 minutes), engine idling and then rev it around and look for pressure drop-outs when starts acting up.

Also - REPLACE your spark plug wires - regardless of what an ohm meter may have told you. They're cheap, illusive and cause misfire conditions when they are worn out.

2) Remove the dist. cap and inspect the terminals inside for corrosion or carbon tracks, and inspect the rotor for the same.

3) Inspect ignition timing.


-MechanicMatt

Yeah I was gonna replace the wires,plugs and dist cap anyway just to eliminate that as a probable cause.

will it idle when your not driving or does it want to die too. also might want to check the compression. seems to be a lot of burned valves going around on them these days. if you had a dead cylinder it can cause same problem

It will idle all day. Burnt valves. Been there done that. Also a hone and new rings. Those things were all done about 20000 miles ago.

So where are you with this? Have you checked fuel pressure?

-MechanicMatt

Working at it this morning. It's not wires or cap. Pulled the fuel line off and just tried the key to see what came out. Just dribbled out. If I cycled the key on and off nothing would come out. Hear the pump come on, but only for about 5 seconds. Guess I am on to the filter or pump. Just came on here to check on some things. Will let you know what I find.

Now I am baffled. Went back out and jacked car up. Thought I better put some more gas in it as it was almost empty. Put 2 gals in and thought might as well try the key again. After 3 times it started throwing out a nice stream. Ok. Pulled fuel line off and put a guage on the end. Had 32 psi with it deadheaded. Put gauge inline with fuel line hooked to TB and had 22 psi. Started it up and gauge stayed at 22. If I revved it up it would jump a little and settle back to 22. Thing is it never wanted to die when I revved it and let off then revved it again. Car had plenty of gas in it when it started to give me trouble. Possible thoughts-water in gas, bad gas, something in front of fuel pickup. I'm still gonna change the filter. I got a feeling this won't be the end of this.

hm. Yeah I have the same feeling. The fuel pressure you gauged is good so far. Might leave the gauge in-line and drive it around until it starts acting up again. It would be nice to rule out fuel delivery as a problem either because of a pump getting lazy or bad wiring.

-MechanicMatt

If push comes to shove, I would just clean out the gas tank and install the new filter. I had trouble with high fuel pressure on mine, when I first got it, but that was caused from a kinked return line. Your tank will have a couple of short pieces of rubber hose adjoining the lines on the body, with those of the fuel tank. Make sure those are in good shape and not kinked, because you could loose fuel flow if an intake hose is kinked. If your return line is kinked, then you'll get too much fuel pressure and your Metro will get the same milage as a Ford F-150. That's what happened to me.
After replacing all my sensors, I finally gave in, to taking it to the shop and that's what they found. I also installed a fuel pressure regulator, before the TBI, so I can keep the pressure down manually.

Good Luck. I hope this helps.

Leon