94 help!

[DzzDiva]

Howdy! I own a Geo Metro '94 with less than 45,000 miles and it has been stalling alot. It starts up fine but when it's time 'to go' it won't run over 15mph, starts sputtering and shuts off.I restart it and sometimes it starts running fine but others I put the gas pedal all the way down and get little or no response. I've replaced the spark plugs distributor cap, rotor, oil, fuel filter and no mechanic can figure out what is the deal with it. I also use 87 Octane gas and never had a problem before. HELP!

[theragtopguy]

Is this the 1.0 3 cylinder motor? Did your mechanic check fuel delivery pressure? Wires in proper firing order?

[DzzDiva]

Originally Posted by theragtopguy

Is this the 1.0 3 cylinder motor? Did your mechanic check fuel delivery pressure? Wires in proper firing order?

3 cylinders. Yes I was there when he put the car on the computer and the fuel pressure was fine. Spark plugs wires are in right order.

[serenity]

Is your transmission shifting properly? Sometimes my auto trans will not shift properly untill the motor and transmission are hot and when I start from a dead stop my car will try and stall out I think that the valves in my tranny are sticking and I need to do a complet fluid flush on it. If you have a manual tranny I am afraid I don't have a good answer. Try starting out in first gear manually and see if that works. Word of advice donot push it to hard in the lower gears it could damage the tranny. Good luck!

[DzzDiva]

Originally Posted by serenity

Is your transmission shifting properly? Sometimes my auto trans will not shift properly untill the motor and transmission are hot and when I start from a dead stop my car will try and stall out I think that the valves in my tranny are sticking and I need to do a complet fluid flush on it. If you have a manual tranny I am afraid I don't have a good answer. Try starting out in first gear manually and see if that works. Word of advice donot push it to hard in the lower gears it could damage the tranny. Good luck!

Hey Serenity!
I drive automatic transm. When the car is parked and I have to put it in R to exit my spot, I switch it to D it starts acting up with the symptoms posted before.

[serenity]

Try my suggestion next time you drive it start out in first gear and at the speed that your engine sounds like it needs second then to drive. Try this for a while and see if it still stalls if not, it is time to have your tranny checked. If it has no effect there are other things to try and some of these guys are very good at helping. Good luck

[DzzDiva]

I had it on 2nd shift for a short while and then switched to D because it felt like I needed to switch.When it came back to D it slowed down again. I push the gas all the way down and it doesn't respond.

[DzzDiva]

Anyone else has more suggestions? This is very puzzling

[rruddfan21]

before condemning the transmission, make sure engine is sound. engine performance is crucial to transmission performance.

also, check all vacuum lines and make sure they are on properly and no cuts or anything are present. a good way to check for a vacuum leak is to take off air cleaner and completely cover intake above fuel injector. if idle doesn't change or engine doesn't stall, then you have a vacuum leak.

also, scan for codes from computer. a do-it-yourselfer can do this. in fuse box under steering column, there are a handful of spare fuses. pull one out and plug it into empty fuse plug that says DIAG.....turn key to ON position and watch CHECK ENGINE light flash....it will give you any codes that may be stored in computer. note the pauses and flashes

check condition of tranny fluid just to check. should be cherry/dark red and should not smell burned.

hope any of these ideas help. good luck

[DzzDiva]

Originally Posted by rruddfan21

before condemning the transmission, make sure engine is sound. engine performance is crucial to transmission performance.

also, check all vacuum lines and make sure they are on properly and no cuts or anything are present. a good way to check for a vacuum leak is to take off air cleaner and completely cover intake above fuel injector. if idle doesn't change or engine doesn't stall, then you have a vacuum leak.

also, scan for codes from computer. a do-it-yourselfer can do this. in fuse box under steering column, there are a handful of spare fuses. pull one out and plug it into empty fuse plug that says DIAG.....turn key to ON position and watch CHECK ENGINE light flash....it will give you any codes that may be stored in computer. note the pauses and flashes

check condition of tranny fluid just to check. should be cherry/dark red and should not smell burned.

hope any of these ideas help. good luck

All vacuum lines are in perfect shape and the computer is working fine according to the second opinion I got.

[DzzDiva]

I've been experimenting and noticed that if I park backwards anywhere to avoid switching from P to R to D, the car doesn't act up at all. Is this because the trammy is going bad?

[geozukigti]

From all that i've read, it sounds like something inside the trans is binding. What color is the trans fluid?

[DzzDiva]

Originally Posted by geozukigti

From all that i've read, it sounds like something inside the trans is binding. What color is the trans fluid?

Fluid is reddish

[rruddfan21]

maybe your neutral safety switch is going south? this switch is what tells the computer what you, as the driver, want. it may be sending faulty info. put the car in any gear other than D or N and try and start it. if it starts, switch is bad. if it checks out good, maybe torque converter is going bad. you said it struggles above 15.......kidna points to bad torque converter.

[DzzDiva]

Took it to the shop and got the tram fluid/filter changed/replaced. Went for a spin and it didn't had any problems. Let's see for how long it stays that way