'93 Legacy Wg idles but won't rev up

[George]

Coming home last night, the car lost acceleration while I was doing
about 50 mph. The harder I pushed the accelerator, the slower it got,
but letting off the gas, the car idles well. I pulled over to let
traffic by and only had to go about 4 miles to get home, but only by
barely idling and shifting up to 4th gear as the car gained speed to
about 20 mph.

This morning, I opened the hood and saw nothing strange. I started it up
and it idled fine. When I hit the gas, it makes a whoosh sound with some
grrr added in. If I hold the gas down, the car's idle will pulse
between 1600 to 1800 rpm.

No check engine light came on. It had a new muffler/resonator/catalytic
system put in March. I've been getting a little trouble with the power
steering pump squealing and balking when making from stop turns.

Plugs wires seem fine - pulled one while it was running and it was very
noticeable and had a long spark.

Car has 240 K miles on it and deserves a rest, I know. Any ideas what
the problem is? Would this have a ceramic catalytic converter that could
break and limit air flow?

TIA
--
- Peace,George

...... and if you want to know why we're in the mess we're in
READ "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" by John Perkins
ISBN 0-452-28708-1

 

[Edward Hayes]

My first thought is lack of fuel. Fuel filter plugged or low pump
pressure or poor gas.

 

[Michael Pardee]

Coming home last night, the car lost acceleration while I was doing about
50 mph. The harder I pushed the accelerator, the slower it got, but
letting off the gas, the car idles well. I pulled over to let traffic by
and only had to go about 4 miles to get home, but only by barely idling
and shifting up to 4th gear as the car gained speed to about 20 mph.

This morning, I opened the hood and saw nothing strange. I started it up
and it idled fine. When I hit the gas, it makes a whoosh sound with some
grrr added in. If I hold the gas down, the car's idle will pulse between
1600 to 1800 rpm.

No check engine light came on. It had a new muffler/resonator/catalytic
system put in March. I've been getting a little trouble with the power
steering pump squealing and balking when making from stop turns.

Plugs wires seem fine - pulled one while it was running and it was very
noticeable and had a long spark.

Car has 240 K miles on it and deserves a rest, I know. Any ideas what the
problem is? Would this have a ceramic catalytic converter that could break
and limit air flow?

The symptoms suggest the catalytic converter. The Haynes manual for my
daughter's Honda has a slick test that can be done with a manifold pressure
guage. Essentially it is:
*connect guage to intake manifold (preferably with engine warm), start
engine and note the idle reading
*rev the engine to about 2000 rpm for a few seconds (long enough to
stabilize) and watch the guage as you release the throttle
If the manifold returns to the idle reading within two seconds the exhaust
is not restricted. If the reading seems to hang or tries to settle at a
higher reading (like throttle open more) it indicates an exhaust
restriction.

The test works by pumping the system full of exhaust gases. If the gases
vent right away the intake manifold still pumps down easily. If the gases
back up the engine can't pump the intake down properly.

One of my sons had an old Toyota that had a melted cat. When we got it out
and I tried to blow through it the restriction was about like blowing
through a soda straw. I'm still amazed the engine idled.

Mike

 

[George]

Thanks for the input.

Disconnected the engine side fuel filter line and it pumped clear &
strong. Disconnected the air intake from the air filter box and it idled
for a moment and then died out. Listened to exhaust and hear a whistle.
Revved engine, heard a clank and it seems to have cleared itself. Is
there a break in period on a new cat. converter? Drove above 70 mph for
over an hour on interstate began hearing rattles after that.

The symptoms suggest the catalytic converter. The Haynes manual for my
daughter's Honda has a slick test that can be done with a manifold pressure
guage. Essentially it is:
*connect guage to intake manifold (preferably with engine warm), start
engine and note the idle reading
*rev the engine to about 2000 rpm for a few seconds (long enough to
stabilize) and watch the guage as you release the throttle
If the manifold returns to the idle reading within two seconds the exhaust
is not restricted. If the reading seems to hang or tries to settle at a
higher reading (like throttle open more) it indicates an exhaust
restriction.

The test works by pumping the system full of exhaust gases. If the gases
vent right away the intake manifold still pumps down easily. If the gases
back up the engine can't pump the intake down properly.

One of my sons had an old Toyota that had a melted cat. When we got it out
and I tried to blow through it the restriction was about like blowing
through a soda straw. I'm still amazed the engine idled.

Mike

--
- Peace,George

...... and if you want to know why we're in the mess we're in
READ "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" by John Perkins
ISBN 0-452-28708-1