New member; New mk3; New concerns..

[Krem]

Thanks for the advice, I'll be checking the distributor when I get home. A very similar thought even crossed my mind last night when I was reminded of an ex that had a rotor that would always slip out inside the cap.. her car would sputter and stall out, but she'd never be able to start her back up... thus I dismissed it.. But you make much sense, if that cap is turned and that rotor isn't firing the cylinders correctly, I might be able to rough idle, but she wouldn't be street worthy... which seems to be the case. Thanks again, will post results later this evening.

edit:
Sux not having net all weekend... tried to tow her up to autozone and make use of their diagnostic systems... but once we got there, was told it's only done on cars from '96 to current. Joy... so one guy comes out to take a look, at this time she'll start up and idle about 200-300 rpm... FOT doesn't seem to make a difference, so the guy blames the TPS. After getting a new TPS for $105, install it, no fix. . Luckily they refunded the money for the new part. Next guy came out to take a look... still able to turn her over, but still very low idle and even harder vibration throughout the car now when she does idle. The guy claims he thinks I'm getting fuel and no spark... claiming the engine is running by compressions (like a diesel engine would)... this seems a bit strange to me, but wth, I know I don't know as much as I'd like to so I'm in no place to call him out on it. After he can't figure it out, two more guys come out (seperately, then later together). Both felt the fuel system is the cultprit explaining: "You have spark, cause she starts and runs, if you didn't have spark, you'd just be turning her over." I was explained about the pressure requirements behind opening the fuel injectors and how a clogged filter or bad pump could cause this issue... On a side note, the guys who blame my fuel system did test for spark from the sparkplug wire and confirmed there is spark. However, said plugs barely (if at all) seat on or around the top of the spark plug... is this normal? or should I look at getting some deeper sleeved wires?

[Krem]

Update:

Still broke, and dead in my parking lot...

Distributor and cap were both stationary and clean... rotor was good, even tested for spark w/ screwdriver and it's gettin it.. The car, however, seems to be degrading...

Before I'd be able to at least get her to idle just above stalling out all on her own.. she'd run at a couple hundred RPMs and die out in about 8-10 seconds... if I tried starting her again after that, I'd have problems keeping her running...

Now I can't get her to start her idle even tho she comes soo close. She still sounds strong when turning the engine over, but there's just no umpf there... going FoT makes absolutely NO difference at all now what so ever..

Sooo... I'm actually leaning towards fuel system? The pump kinda reminds me of what a dead battery does where if you leave your camera off for a couple hours, you can come back and snap one or two more pictures.. Also, I've swapped out the TPS, with no luck... so I'm thinking the pump is pushing whatever fuel it can, but it's still not enough to open my injectors...

Does this sound probable? Anything I should check before filter and pump? I checked the fuse and that seems good... which makes sense cause the pump does try to work... it just fizzles out (or so I think)

[86.5 7MGE]

I would check your plugs, ignition coil, ignitor, and also, try a possiblity of clogged injectors as well, before fuel pump and filter they are a pain to get to since they are located in the gas tank it's self and require you to drop it. Let us know if these things don't work.

[86.5 7MGE]

I was also just now thinking that it could be a problem with your O2 sensor, MAF sensor, and or vaccum lines. I had low idle and rough running when I had a vaccum leak between my intake and MAF sensor.

[btwilson86]

You can check the fuel pump operation with a paper clip in the diagnostic box under the hood. Connect the "PB" (positive battery) terminal with the "FP" (fuel pump) terminal. You should have gas rushing to your fuel rail if your pump is good.

[btwilson86]

Sorry, I've been trying to remember which it is as I don't have access to my car right now... It either says "pB" or "+B" for the positive battery terminal

[Krem]

Thanks for the inputs... I'll give the fuel pump diagnotics idea a try, but mainly cause I feel if it were MAF, o2 sensor, ignition coil or ignitor, the car would stay level at the same RPM.. but I'm sure I don't know what I'm talking about here... all I can do is apply logic to my thought process as I lack mechanical expertise.

I keep hearing the fuel tank is in the trunk, and I've also heard it's accessible from the trunk... in this img, what is the thing in the hole, covered by the small plate w/ 3 screws? I've got two plugs to it... so I thought it has better chance of being a pump than a filter... but for all I know, it could just be the float sensor..

Finally, when I try that diag trick... is it safe to just plug the paper clip directly? or do I need to unplug the battery, connect, replug to test and then d/c battery before I remove pin? Tho, I guess I shouldn't ask at all as it's never wrong to be safe and cautious... Also, how will I know if there's fuel flowing or not? I doubt I'll see anything, I can't even visually find my fuel rail yet even.. should I be hearing the gas flowing? or is this something I have to pull a line and drop into a bucket for?

[btwilson86]

Never messed with the fuel tank, so I can't help you there.

You can insert the paperclip with everything connected, all your doing is putting power to the fuel pump circuit (don't worry, it's a low power circuit; won't even spark or anything). You should hear fluid flowing around your intake manifold, as your fuel rail is underneath the part of the intake where the "Y" pipe bolts to the rest of the intake manifold. You can also have somebody listen by the fuel door with the cap off and see if they hear a humming sound when the jumper wire (paperclip) is connected.