Duster has horrible acceleration and lurches in curves above 70mph

NORCAL

MEMBER
1993 PLYMOUTH SUNDANCE
138,000 MILES

1st problem:
Just bought this duster for $500. It's a 2.5L and is just a gutless wonder. Timed 0-60 in 32.4 seconds. When the cars cold, and I push the accelerator, it sputters like it's going to die for about 1sec. And then accelerates at it's "normal" slow rate. However it starts right up and never dies (yet). I read up on similar problems and am going to try replacing the fuel filter and seeing if the O2 sensor needs cleaning/replacing. Are these good places to start? Is there other advice or ideas I should know or try?

2nd Problem:
When this car finally reaches 70mph and above on the freeway and I enter a curve, the car will smoothly start the curve and then suddenly start lurching in the direction of the turn as if the drive wheel was switching back and forth. Once under 70mph it goes back to turning smoothly. Any ideas on this one?

2 Replies

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,741 POSTS

These are excellent little cars and are really tough. First of all, other than on diesel trucks, you will never solve a running problem on a Chrysler product by replacing the fuel filter.

Second, the oxygen sensor reports what happened to the fuel / air mixture in the engine after it's done burning. Replacing the messenger isn't going to change the message.

Start by checking for diagnostic fault codes. Two common causes of low power are a restricted catalytic converter and a jumped timing belt. The 2.5L is not an interference engine so if the timing belt jumps or breaks, no other serious damage will result. Neither of those problems will set a fault code so check those things first if there aren't any. The 2.5L is a peppy engine, especially in that car.