intermittent power

[gtwn85]

I have a 1988 2.8L beretta manual trans and have high miles....I have a problem with the power coming and going. I have no problems with starting or no back fires when turns off....just driving it will lose power and then pick back up again. Could you please help if you have any idea what this is???? I have sooooo much money into this car already....lol would appreciate the help...thanks Keith

[popeye40]

I have a '96 Baretta. It loses power too, intermitantly. Once it warms up good it runs ok. I replace the o2 sensor ($50) and the problem went away for an entire year. I also capped the egr (put a sheetmetal plate between it and the manifold). The engine light goes on but it ran fine for the whole year.
Now it a problem again. I replace coil packs and module. I ran well for a day or two then back to bad.
I found a sensor in backside of the transaxle (speed sensor). I cleaned and replace it. It ran well for a day, then went back to bad.
I found the crank position sensor. It's unaccessable even from underneath (under exhaust manifold between engine and transaxle). I can barely touch it with fingertips. I can reach from the top to take the mounting bolt out if pull the alternator. I have barely enough room for my hand.
I'm thinking I really don't want to pull the exhaust manifold in the back near the firewall just to replace or clean the sensor (what to do?!).
Well the speed sensor being cleaned made the engine run better. There is also a third sensor (a cam position sensor) that's also unaccessable (under or next to the ac pump). I don't want to deal with cleaning that one either (another can of worms).
The answer is then..... to go fishing!!!
I got a can of oil additive from Sears "CD2". It disolves sludge among other attributes. I'm guessing that if the sludge is disolved the sensors will read better.
I've been running the engine for about a week with a great (instant)improvement in engine performance. It's not (problem completely solved) yet, but almost.

I'm going to drive it for a couple thousand miles then put some synthetic oil it it.
What is synthetic oil anyway? It must be manmade oil, right? What is it made from, vegetable oil?

[popeye40]

I have a '96 Baretta. It loses power too, intermitantly. Once it warms up good it runs ok. I replace the o2 sensor ($50) and the problem went away for an entire year. I also capped the egr (put a sheetmetal plate between it and the manifold). The engine light goes on but it ran fine for the whole year.
Now it's a problem again. I replaced coil packs and module. I ran well for a day or two then back to bad.
I found a sensor in backside of the transaxle (speed sensor). I cleaned and replace it. It ran well for a day, then went back to bad.
I found the crank position sensor. It's unaccessable even from underneath (under exhaust manifold between engine and transaxle). I can barely touch it with fingertips. I can reach from the top to take the mounting bolt out if I pull the alternator. I have barely enough room for my hand.
I'm thinking I really don't want to pull the exhaust manifold in the back near the firewall just to replace or clean the sensor (what to do?!).
Well the speed sensor being cleaned made the engine run better. There is also a third sensor (a cam position sensor) that's also unaccessable (under or next to the ac pump). I don't want to deal with cleaning that one either (another can of worms).
The answer is then..... to go fishing!!!
I got a can of oil additive from Sears "CD2". It disolves sludge among other attributes. I'm guessing that if the sludge is disolved the sensors will read better.
I've been running the engine for about a week with a great (instant) improvement in engine performance. It's not (problem completely solved) yet, but almost.

I'm going to drive it for a couple thousand miles then put some synthetic oil it it.

[popeye40]

I have a '96 Baretta with similar problems.
I found a crank position sensor, took it out and cleaned it and it worked ok for two days.
It this reply gets through, I'll send more. -Tom