OK...long story...so here are details only. 1989 4 banger.

Symptoms: truck stalls when you give it throttle. Idle sounds good and strong, but as soon as you gas it, the engine cuts out.

Dealer Diagnosis: oil in distributor...cost $1000. They are smokin somethin. Checked distributor, everything checks out.

2nd Opinion from trusted shop: No clue here. Thought it might be out of gas as it stalled when going up hill, perhaps faulty fuel gauge. No dice...car had full tank.

Performed Maintainance: Replaced fuel filter, checked plugs (OK), wires were replaced a few months ago.

Prognosis: All I can think of now is perhaps the timing is off. Is that possible, for the timing to be off so much that giving throttle will kill but it will idle just fine? Any other ideas? Thanks.

 

PCV valve maybe? Air flow meter? TPS?

Does it just cut out or does it choke some as if being deprived of air/fuel?

 

feels more like choking. As u let off the gas it almost returns to a normal idle but then still dies.

 

TPS maybe?

 

i didn't think the TPS actually did anything...hehe..however I don't have much experience with that or the PCV.what does that do?

 

http://www.advanceautoparts.com/engl...0040701ts.html

 

I was just lookin these up after i asked...another thing...I can rev the engine all I want and it will not show any symptom, but as soon as it gets into Drive,it stalls.

 

Prob need to run a OBD II Scan... Only TPS sensor I seen go bad is when someone would start it up, hit the gas and it stalled... I am just taking a guess to help ya out. rpeAMP has it in there too.

 

I'll see what i can do to check out the TPS. Thanks.

 

I'd guess TPS , fuel pressure (pump), or dirty injectors. Could also be the AFM door sticking.

You'd be amazed at how much the ECM looks to the TPS for info. It even has input into how an automatic transmission shifts.

Mike in AR

PS -- Most everything built before 1996 is OBD - I

 

Say it is the TPS, how difficult is that to adjust. If a replacement is necassary, would that need to be adjusted as well or can you just plug it in and letter rip?

Dumb question, prilly would need to be adjusted for fine tuning.

 

Oops, OBD I :pat:

 

The TPS is not bolt on and go. You need a volt-ohm meter to check if the old one is operating properly. If it's OK, you then need some feeler gauges to set it properly. If it's not right, you will have many headaches.

Search on here for good info on testing and adjusting the TPS.

Mike in AR

 

Regarding the TPS, there is a link floating somewhere around this site that gives good info on how to test it. Search for TPS and see if it's around.

 

4banger, so were talking 22re... right?

You changed out the fuel filter, so my guess is the fuel pump.

Why:
It takes little gas for a motor to start or to idle, but when you put it in gear, the motor is under a load and needs more gas. The fact it revs up fine out of gear then dies as soon as you put it in gear says the fuel pump is not pushing enough gas to keep it running under a load.

What does the Air Filter look like, if it is dirty it will kill the motor when you put it in gear. Has you gas milage been droping lately? Pointing again to the air filter. Remove it to check it, the top can be white and the bottom near black.

 

filter is still relatively clean, somewhat grey. Don't think that could be the issue. Think I may try the TPS check this weekend. Just have to find a set of feeler gauges.

 

Sorry TPS could well be it also. I was thinking it stood for something else when I replied.

 

I would think it is the AFM, Fuel pump or ignition Coil. If the TPS is out of adjustment you won't get those problems. Unless you adjusted the timing with the TPS out of adjustment. It sounds electrical to me.

 

I just had this exact same problem with my 89 pickup. it turned out to be that the timing was off and when it was replaced it solved the problem.

 

yea, i dont think its the pump either, even in neutral revving it up will require more fuel than a pump that was failing and could only support idle could put out. so, it dies the instant you put it in drive? just as mike said, the tps is pretty important, the ecu for the engine and tranny both use its data, however, the engine ecu also(depending on year) looks at data from the auto tranny as well. so its completely undrivable? in one post you said something about going up hill? if it stalls eveytime you put it in drive, it could be something with the torque converter, or the transmission itself. i wonder if the engine ecu is not getting the signal from the tranny that its now in drive, which the engine ecu needs to know to bump up idle a bit.(again, the interlacing of data between the engine and tranny is very dependent on year, and im not familary with your year, so dont take that as fact) im still thinking tps, just depends if you are able to drive it at all, or no.