1992 Sentra dies under throttle

[raggmann]

Hey all, just bought a '92 Sentra 4dr with the sohc 1.6 & a/t and 86,000 miles on it as a spare car around the yard.

I'm guestimate numbers here as I'm in Canada and everything's in metric.

I drove it home 1-1/2hrs and it ran great. Drove it to work the next day to give it a bath and wash under hood. Of course I got the distributor wet and it wouldn't start. Dried that out and no problem, until I went to leave work. It'll only accelerate to about 35mph then it dies under throttle. If you hold your foot on the gas peddle easy and cruise at 35 it'll work, as soon as it gets up to 40 it dies. Once it drops to 35 it'll go again just fine.

I'm at a loss.

I've googled and came up with MAF sensor (isn't one on this car as far as I know), or EGR.

I checked all the vacuum lines, etc and can't see anything.

It fires right up, idles great, but I just can't drive it and that SUCKS !!!!!! Also, there's no check engine light on.

Any ideas?

[datzenmike]

It may have been sitting and has rust or crap in the tank. The ride home may have part plugged the fuel filter. Easy enough to change at least.

[raggmann]

Apparently it sat for about 9mo's cause it quit the po.

I boosted it and no wonder it quit-it was outta gas. Lol. My gain 'cause I bought it right.

Pulled the fuel filter under hood tonight and it appears clean. Clean gas came out and it's not heavy feeling.

[king bee66]

a SOHC on a 92, weird.  but a MAF sensor should trigger a code even on an OBD1. you could try driving with an open airbox, see if that helps

[raggmann]

Build date of 03/92 and it's the Sentra Classic. Maybe just a Canadian car, dunno.

It's got a regular round air cleaner ass'y not an air box like on a multi point injection engine, this is throttle body.

[scooter]

It's either your map sensor or the tps.

[raggmann]

One thing to add, when it's dicking around I can shift into neutral and it'll rev right up, just not under load.

[scooter]

That rules the tps out, I'd do the map sensor first, quick and easy. After that. Check your pump pressure and volume

[raggmann]

Will do

 

Is there a way to test the MAP or does one just replace it?

[raggmann]

So my local jobber says there's no MAP listed

The TPS is $104.70 and the Mass Air Flow Sensor is $326.07 plus a $63.00 core

Is the MAF Senor located on the side of the throttle body right by the TPS or ?

I don't mind spending the $$ but don't wanna throw $400 at it just guessing that that's what it is.

[king bee66]

the MAF would be is located just after the air filter.  your OBD1 should be throwing off a code if its the MAF or the TPS.  you can manually check to see if it has an error that isnt lighting up your check engine light, or use a volt meter to test the sensors.  if all that tests fine, seafoam makes a spray designed to clean off the MAF, it could just be dirty

[raggmann]

I'll see if I can post a video once I'm home from work tonight.

[raggmann]

Ok, got home tonight and pulled the TPS and the MAF. Everything looked normal. Tried to pull codes off the box under the pass front seat. The box has a sticker with a big 87 marked on it. Maybe a leftover '87 model year relabeled as an 03/92 ? I don't know what I'm looking for but I took video of the pretty flashing lights. Lol

Anyway, took it out same thing. Flared the ends of the spark plug wires into the distributor cap-same thing.

Got really pissed off and said screw it, rotated the TPS all the way counter clockwise and took it out. Hit 80+mph and no miss, dead spots, stumbles, or anything. Seems to have "fixed" the issue.

Thanks for all the advice guys.