Engine Loses Power When Cold

Tiny
EZZA
  • MEMBER
  • 1990 TOYOTA COROLLA
  • 1.6L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • MANUAL
  • 198,000 MILES
Greetings! My car has an intermittent problem, which is that when the engine is cold, under heavy acceleration with the air conditioning running, the engine will lose power and die. If I wait a few seconds then restart the engine. Everything is fine for the rest of the day. This is a 4AFE engine with California emissions.

In pursuit of fixing this problem I have replaced the following:

-Distributor, Spark plugs and Wires.
-Fuel pump, screen and fuel filter.
-Sub-diaphragm idle-up actuator.

My gut tells me the issue is somewhere in the vacuum system, perhaps a sticking valve switch (VSV) or maybe something with the EGR system.

Other than this annoying issue, the car runs great. I really want to get it sorted out for my peace of mind. Any input is appreciated! Thanks for reading.
Thursday, August 11th, 2016 AT 8:27 AM

3 Replies

Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
Scan for codes and check fuel pressure with a gauge as well as a vacuum leak like crack or broken hoses etc.
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Thursday, August 11th, 2016 AT 9:40 AM
Tiny
EZZA
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
The car is ODB1, so scanning for codes is tricky. I have checked for vacuum leaks, but there is no hissing noise from any of the hoses. Is there a way to check fuel pressure while the car is being driven?
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Thursday, August 11th, 2016 AT 12:05 PM
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
You do not need to just hook up to fuel rail or it may require an adapter then turn key on you do not need to drive it. OBD1 can still be scanned for codes.
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Thursday, August 11th, 2016 AT 12:42 PM

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