I'm lost cant figure this thing out

[GeoHacker]

It is a 16 valve motor it is 4wd and its an automatic I changed both the mass air flow and the TOS didn't help any.as far as gears 1st will get to about 20 and when itshifts it instantly starts fall ing on its face I can baby it and it will go about 10 and wont go any faster then that until u shut it off and start it back up. Tryed to adjust timing didn't help. I dont believe it jumped time because it idle and starts fine

If transmission is good, then based on your symptoms, sounds fuel starved when under load to me, but only you can ascertain or rule that out, via particular tests.

That did seem to be your first inkling. If you replaced that line, it's possible some clog got in there, or some debris.

From http://youramazingcar.com/?p=35
"Acceleration Problems – Another good sign that draws optimum attention to check whether your car’s fuel filter is clogged with dirt or functioning properly. This frequently occurs when your car starts behaving funny or oddly, and suffers from a slowdown syndrome when driven at certain speeds due to lack of sufficient fuel, required for it to go any faster. Even with the fact that you might be stepping hard on the gas, the vehicle fails to bulge and the speed remains the same."

rc

[suzuki sidekick]

Wht do u mean by the cell???

[fixkick]

its not CELL its CEL, check engine light.


weak engine, it's not the transmission! as poster stated...
it's a 1995, 3L30 3sp transmission, 4wd? 2 doors? 16valve engine? < (please correct this here with what you have)
step B is, is the CEL light on , key on, not starter? step A was STALL test. failed.
setp C , does it go out running and stay out, (CEL = check engine light) it must.
if step C fails, or B, we need to next do the Diagnostic jumper for the ECU, to see if it flashes code 12, paper clip test
this simple test is covered here.
http://www.fixkick.com/CEL/CEL.html#OBD1codes


the stall test fails,because the engine power is grossly weak.(over 50 things) (weak combustion is complex)
since i cant drive car , i can hear at and fell it misfire, or cleanly bog. (the engine gives many clues, not just low speed)

so what causes low engine power?, a short list.
1: never turned up, and it misfires. (spark parts, filters.....) misfiring engines all have low power.. can you feel it misfire? (bad spark.)
2: EGR stuck open. (main ) behind #4 intake runner,(manifold) causes low RPM idle even in Park.
3: low fuel pressure, or filter clogged.
4: bad fuel and its victim , clogged injectors 1 to 4. if engine misfires it can be a dead injector too.
5: cam timing way off, if you measure spark timing now, and its way off, then the cam DID SLIP. (the timing belt is 60,000 mile tuneup part)
6: MAF dead ,weak or just dirty.
7: gross induction air leaks,(from the back side of the air cleaner to the head intake valves, no leaks.
8: the 02 sensor is not bad but to prove it , unplug it.. see, engine still weak.
9: any or all flash codes stated in B above.
and more.. (bad engine, weak compression below 150psi)

---

the fuel line can run up to 60PSI , unlike any carb car, made. (60psi is the shunt spec) normal is about 30. due to PFR , fuel pressure regulator on fuel rail.
that too can fail, and pressure falls. all do about this time. 1995. mostly it causes misfire, as it leaks, raw fuel to that vacuum hose there.
the only thing that can stop that flow are.
filter clogged
or injector screens clogged (10micron in size too)
regulator (FPR) stuck at low pressures..
that is just looking at the fuel side, what about the compute side, the ECU lowers injection for many reasons
top reason, low MAF output, if air flow is too low, it will not ADD (compute) more fuel, and the net results are low power.

why not say if the full tune up was done at last 60k mark.
filters. , cap,rotor , spark wires, and spark plugs?
and the timing belt too.
at least spark plugs, (not surface gap bs) at .028" gap.
and belt
and that fuel filter...... (it will not run for 300k miles.. not ever)

---

did car sit for a long time, what is miles on odometer, when was the last full tuneup using the 60k or 120k or 180k chart.????
how to find this, varies by 1 factor, tools in the shop.
cant fix cars , with any tools.

meters. gauges, im not talking wrenches as that is obvious.

the first step , is my timing light, cost $20, i check timing, if way off the cam belt slipped. all in 5min work. no more guessing. if this 1 fast test fails.
also check the crank pulley bolt for loose... 94ft/lbs, right hand thread.(Clockswise is tighter)
for me i check the MAF next, after cleaning it and driving car first.
i use a $10 volt meter to test the maf.
other guys , use the rail adapter and check the fuel pressure first. oops, low. filter clogged.

the fuel gauge is $20 sold in autostores or HF.

---

that fuel filter i bet ,was never changed. ever.
am i right?
service history too, makes cars easier to fix.

[suzuki sidekick]

When I got the car the tank had water in it and had been ran for a wile could the injectors be cloged with water. Do u think that if I take the fuel rail off and clean it might help.

[fixkick]

so what's still stock on this car?. (drive line wise? EFI wise, what's missing besides a fuel filter?) is the maf no floating in space? with no stock air cleaner? to keep if from bouncing? no CAI kits?


the water in fuel can also have fungus that can pack inject screens.
or form gum.,same with old gasoline.

does the Diagnostic jumper clip show CEL lamp flash 12's , still have dash cluster?

low engine power has many causes... not just dirty injectors.

so what is not stock on car. what's missing?

[suzuki sidekick]

K I have a plastic tank but I don have a fuel filter

[fixkick]

so the car is not stock.. so what else is missing? or non stock..... ?????
top causes of low engine power G16B:

ECU not flashing 12s, on demand."diagnostic mode" jumper clip. the 1cent test fails.
bad spark, or spark timing discovered way off.... tuneup time, skipped? causes misfire, and misfire = low engine power.
Low engine compression due to never changing out the cam drive belt. causing spark timing to go way off per "off" above
bad fuel. (before , now )
MAF dead or dirty (the ECU can mimic a dead MAF, in Suz. failsafe mode, but it runs like crap, black smoke, and very low engine power.
Intake system full of air leaks. (goes lean and low power)
FPR, reg, stuck open, low fuel pressure , and low power as a result.
car is not stock, ? modifications . need list of non stock parts and missing parts to help.

[suzuki sidekick]

The engine in stock we relocated the fuel tank to behind the seats and cut the rear send off and made a cage for it (( reasons is because of rusted out) the maf is good I had another one of those on hand I unplug it it ddies it dosnt have filter for the maf but Haas the stock box for it other then that I will have to run a compression test on it an I will get u the details on that it is making a tick noise from one of the sensors on the passenger side front of the motor

---

Wht should th compression be on that

[fixkick]

G16B 995, 3L30 3sp transmission, 4wd? 2 doors? 16valve engine? (my virtual signature for you) no country stated, LHD (usa)
The engine in stock we relocated the fuel tank to behind the seats and cut the rear send off and made a cage for it (( reasons is because of rusted out) the maf is good, I had another one of those on hand, I unplug it and it dies (this can be normal as no maf = huge rich running, vastly rich as ECU guesses and guesses here are horrid bad, but can run if all other things are perfect, i bet not in your case)


it doesnt have filter for the maf (what does the mean, you removed the laminar air flow device in front of maf, this is bad bad idea, its NOT A FILTER !)

but Has the stock box for it other then that, I will have to run a compression test on it an I will get u the details on that it is making a tick noise from one of the sensors on the passenger side front of the motor.

---

What should the compression be on that (easy 185 hot/warm on all G16Bs made) SEA LEVEL if not say how high?

http://www.fixkick.com/
the compression is a bench mark, sea level hot engine, they must be near equal. and way over 170.
see my compression page, yet, click on search box, type 1 word, compression. bingo , covers leak down tool too.
The engine has a cam belt, if spark timing is way off, the belt slipped as all do run over 60k miles. its a consumable part , like toilet paper. and spark plugs.

i check spark timing in like 5 minutes flat , ah gee the belt slipped again, 25degrees retarded spark,,,, or more.
type "sneak" a peek in my search box. bingo, fast check this is.....

not running a filter invites , expensive injector cleaning to unpack those tight 10micron screens inside. a big pain that.


is passenger side Right? our cars are LHD, but in say UK they are RHD, cars, and passenger is on left.
always use right and left, as this never confuses me. facing forward.

ticking right side, is a VSV solenoid vacuum valve? , if you listen carefully there are 2 VSVs
EGR VSV (1) usa. (closed at idle on all G16s, and never ticks)
EVAP VSV (opens moving but does not tick ever.)
they must not tick, ever. or the ECU has serious issues. (common on all per 96')

ifnot that tick, then a timing belt shredding as all do over 60k? all do.. all cars with them.... use a $5 stethoscope sold in all car stores?


ignoring this BELT?

---

loss of engine power has over 50 causes! do not let the internet guys send you to the store 50 times, that be wild and expensive to do...

sure a dirty fuel filter can do that, the EFI needs full pressure and flow of fuel, if the filter clogs, the flow is too low and full power of engine drops
the fuel pressure must be right at the injector at all times, this is not like carb, not at all , a carb can run perfectly with gravity fed fuel tanks. (motor cycles do)
the is EFI (rail pressure must be in spec. at all times. or injection rates WILL BE WRONG)
IT has a tight spec, on fuel pressure. for sure needs 30psi
for sure 30 at idle
and 6 more psi at wide open throttle. if not, it will bog and lose power. this is not magic, its just pressure, if the rail pressure drops, the filter is packed. if pressure is right all the time so will be flow. (fact) (assumes injectors work and are not clogged)
top fail, not the only failure, lots more,

there are over 10 tests on pressure alone.
3 for FPR (fuel pressure reg, that all fail just about now this OLD)
keyon pressure?
leak down test, from key on to off and timed,.. per FSM the book is free to read. at any time, ask.
and the 4 injector balance test.
the shunt test.
the tool is $20

for a fact. and any of those can be a very serious problem if wrong.
but your fueling GUESS may not be the CAUSE at all.

the rules of engine basics, shows fueling last.
because you can't burn fuel right, if compression is low, or spark is bad, or the CAT is melted.
can't ! unless its a diesel with no spark at all.
so fueling is last. (you can check it in any order, but it is last ) Take a ASE class and this is called basics..
even bad FUEL.


ill do the top fails for you, not guessing, but are top non the less.
never doing tuneups kills 90% of all cars . not serviced. in a decade is super common....

spark parts and filters. kinda, basic basics that, and human nature, to ignore service.
compression, lots of 20 year old engines are going to fail this, it's no surprise, 20yx 10k miles is 200k miles, some are 400k now. so.........

cat melted, yes, if the engine ran rich for too long the Cat melts on all cars. turns red hot too. before the melt and now the engine can no longer breath. the engine must pump 1.6L of air. each 2 spins.
the loose cam belt causes the cam to go retarded, and spark with it, the timing light shows this in 5 min work, why not that test first.>???
the light is a $20 tool now.. dirt cheap,, unlike in 1970s.
and last fueling, this is complex, and will not try to cover that, but the filter is first. in the tuneup pages.

---

easy checks
short list (not 50)
do the 60k tuneup yet? http://www.fixkick.com/IGN_timing/tune-ups.html
spark timing off $20 tool (retard?) is it? do not change it. just look, is it.?
do our sneak a peek test (free)
compression way low. x4. $20
check engine light stuck on running, does the diagnostic jumper show code 12 flashing or others.????????
got noises?. find them with any $5 stethoscope, (harbor fright has them for $4)

[suzuki sidekick]

i did the tune up on it (plugs and wires) didnt help untill i advanced the timing on it. im going to tear into it tonight and see if the timing belt has jumped a tooth or somthing is wrong there. what should the timing gears look like when i go to set the timing on it 12/12 or what??