poor acceleration

Do you have a check engine light and when was last tune-up? Start by checking the mass airflow and throttle position sensors-

The CEL has been going on and off for a while now. Car was running fine up until about a week ago when the acceleration issue started. I replaced the fuel filter this afternoon with no effect. Really don't want to sink a lot of repair money into it, the car doesn't owe us anything, thought it might be something simple. In 1994 ford cars and trucks had an EIC (Engine information center) none of the parts stores I've been to have that system you have to go to a ford dealer and pay big bucks to have it scanned

You can run the codes yourself by following this guide.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/ford-lincoln-mercury-obd1-1995-and-earlier-diagnostic-trouble-code-definition-and-retrieval

Please let us know what you find.

Cheers

TPS is also suspect it senses your throttle position and tells computer how much fuel to deliver. check vacuum hoses for leaks also. your EGR could be malfunctioning. you can try disconnecting vacuum line to it see if that helps. plug line. and sounds like your downshift lever may be out of proper adjustment. but 4 cyl cars are known for revy downshifts.

Engine Mechanical problem
1994 Ford Tempo 4 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic 72,500 miles

I hear a noise when started the car when it turns over. It is a scraping/ding that lasts for about 3 seconds. The engine idles smoothly. If I rev it up, I hear scraping sound close to rough sand paper and metal. I can back the car up and down the driveway and all seems normal.
With the door open the sound is a bit gravelly and loud.

I don't drive it because the last time that I did I nearly didn't make it home due to the power dying as if the engine could not breath, then the front end shook roughly as if the tires wanted to come off.

The engine light initially came on when accelerating up a hill, but didn't stay on for more than 15 minutes. I then drove on the expressway and had no problems going to my destination, but when I returned by another route on flat city streets for at least 45 minutes, I lost so much power I had to pull over for a time. The car never stalled, just seemed choked and vibrating. No odors, no smoke when at idle.

The transmission was fixed a few months before and all the plugs and wires less than a year. The Catalytic converted was new in 2006 and driven less that 3,000 miles.

After reading about the Emissions control systems, my question is---if the idle is good shouldn't the emissions systems be ok?

A friend suspects the Catalytic converter being loose, but haven't got the car up to look.

What else should I look into? Engine light not coming back on if idling in driveway.

Have the computer scanned for code/s-you have a problem within the engine management system that caused the CEL to turn on-This is your starting point of diagnosis,finding out what's going on.

I don't know what the CEL is,

CEL is short for 'check engine' warning light.

Engine Performance problem
1994 Ford Tempo 4 cyl Wheel Drive Type unknown Automatic 52000 miles
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After driving car for a short period of time I can remove my foot from the gas pedal and car will keep going and not slow down. Sometimes after a little bit it will start to slow down and other times it will not. Once I stop and place it in park the engine races. If I turn the car off and restart, it is no longer racing. Please help!

Have the idle air control speed motor and throttle position sensor/MAP/MAF sensor checked-also for vacuum leak.

I have a 1993 ford tempo and it has about 170000 mileage on it and its a good looking car and it runs good for a 1993. the engine size is 2.3 L HSC but i'm sorta having a problem with it. it seems when i drive it, it doesn't shift right or it loses power going up hills. i had the motor mount fixed on it because i thought maybe it was that and it was fine after it got looked at but it started losing power or it wasn't shifting right again.i don't think its the transmission doing it can it? because the transmission in the car seems to be okay. it doesn't stall or anything like that so what could be causing it to do that if its not the motor mount?

Can you clarify "losing power"?

press on the gas, it revs, but doesn't move faster?

This may need to be diagnosed when the problem is happening.

[quote:cd15e0e936="Service Writer"]Can you clarify "losing power"?

press on the gas, it revs, but doesn't move faster?

This may need to be diagnosed when the problem is happening.[/quote:cd15e0e936]


i mean it slows down going up hills and it doesn't shift right

A motor mount is just a component that holds the engine and transmission in place preventing it from moving around, nothing to do with performance. The shifting problem may be the transmission trying to adjust to the speed theregore is probably a symptom of the lack of power.

It sounds like a performance problem that may be related to a weakened part. The fuel pump may not be able to put out the power the car needs under the extra stress of going uphill.

The car needs to be diagnosed by a capable shop that can monitor what is going on when the problem is happening. They may attach a fuel gauge and run it up to the windsheild so they can watch to see if the PSI drops off.

I have a 1992 Ford Tempo and all of the sudden it feels like I can't push the accelerator down, it feels like its stuck on something. This is causing my car to not accelerate or change gears until high rpm's. My car tops out at 75 now and when I go up hills it loses almost 25 mph. What can I do?

[quote:c6dbc3a2c5="jdub925"]I have a 1992 Ford Tempo and all of the sudden it feels like I can't push the accelerator down, it feels like its stuck on something. This is causing my car to not accelerate or change gears until high rpm's. My car tops out at 75 now and when I go up hills it loses almost 25 mph. What can I do?[/quote:c6dbc3a2c5]

Hey jdub,
Pretty sure that model has mechanical linkage from the accelerator that goes down to the transmission( for the passing gear) lube that up w/ pb blaster or something similar and work the linkage till its free and that should do it for ya.

Chris

1993 Ford Tempo mileage: 104,000. My car will slow down like it's coasting and you can press on the gas and nothing happens. Sometimes it will clang and quit while you drive. Other times you can hear it caught up and the engine will rev up if you press the gas. I have had it put on a machine one time and nothing showed. I'm afraid it will quit on the interstate. It does sometimes quit.

If a major tune-up has not been done recently, this could be the cause of your problem. Replace the spark plugs, plug wires, fuel and air filters, etc. Also, replace the oxygen sensor and multi-rib belt. In addition, service the fuel injection system. Clean the carbon deposits from the throttle bore and idle passages. If the problem still exists, scan computer for trouble codes.

It is also my understanding that a sensor is on those cars that will cause the car to die if the oil is low so as not to let that do damage to the engine. check your oil when it happens again and see if it is low

hi i have a 1993 ford tempo four cylinder it starts fine but once the engine is on it lopes really bad and trys to die sounds like its choking when i push on the gas it sounds like somethings blocking it from a smooth rev in the engine i have to really put my foot into it to make it rev up and when i drive it down the road it wont go over 10 mph acting like its trying to pull its self but wont ive replaced the spark pluged gaped them right sprayed the throttle body cleaned it im lost i dont know what to do it was a good car intil this

Check the exhaust for restriction, clean and test the IACV and EGR and see what happens-also check fuel pressure

Engine Performance problem
1993 Ford Tempo 4 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic 200000 miles

1993 ford temple 4 cyl automatic cuts out and bogs down no power

what color are the plugs? when was last tune up? how smooth does it idle? see if your map sensor hose is cracked/loose/broke. map sensor is on top of left shock tower under hood.

The coolant is boiling in the coolant reserve and there is loss of power while idling, engine is slitly shaking, what is causing this?

sounds like blown head gasket. although it could be overheating because radiator fan is not working and also 1 spark plug is not firing or 1 cylinder has low/no compression because of valve problem.

when i shut the ac off in my 92 ford tempo it boggs down and idles funny what could be the problem

Try cleaning out the idle air control valve and throttle body

1994 Ford Tempo with 183,000 miles
I have replaced plugs, wires, rotor, coil, distributor cap and all bad vacuum hoses. I did a fuel pressure check and everything came back fine. Cat. convert is ok. I did notice that after the car has been running for a while (30 minutes) the temperature gauge is still showing a cold reading. It will go from warm to a cold reading. The check engine light would come on. I did a code test with it coming back as no problem found. I'm hoping that there is still life in the engine. When it is acting up there is a lot of pinging noise. HELP!! Could it be a bad head gasket or cylinder? It was in the shop and they had no idea what the problem was. Thanks


Tony

[quote:166c146703="tony sommer"]1994 Ford Tempo with 183,000 miles
I have replaced plugs, wires, rotor, coil, distributor cap and all bad vacuum hoses. I did a fuel pressure check and everything came back fine. Cat. convert is ok. I did notice that after the car has been running for a while (30 minutes) the temperature gauge is still showing a cold reading. It will go from warm to a cold reading. The check engine light would come on. I did a code test with it coming back as no problem found. I'm hoping that there is still life in the engine. When it is acting up there is a lot of pinging noise. HELP!! Could it be a bad head gasket or cylinder? It was in the shop and they had no idea what the problem was. Thanks
Tony[/quote:166c146703]

Do you have good heater output? Change the thermostat and see if that affects the temperature gauge reading. If not test or replace the coolant temp sender.

Has the O2 been replaced? Most manufacturers recommend every 100,000 miles.

A compression test would spot a bad cylinder, head, or gasket. Most shops will find that problem with this test.

Good luck and let us know. :)

1994 Ford Tempo 2.3 GL

Issues pulling in belts poor acceleration especially with AC off. Would not accelerate over 45 without engine cutout. Intermittent Check Engine Light high speeds.

Step by step fix procedure and results...

Fuel pressure test. The stem is under air intake back of engine more towards driver side.

Key on no start...

First key on 35psi
Second key on 52
Key off slow release of fuel pressure.

Engine running...

52-54
Key off slow release in presure.

Indicated FPR (Fuel Pressure Regulator).

Pulled vacuum line off. Located on aluminum air intake manifold passenger side end. Carefully removed from both engine and regulator.

Key on. Started leaking fuel.

Replaced regulator.

Test drive. Condition worsened. Car barely drove at all.

Pulled codes. Tester can be purchased. The connector has a cover and it is clipped to the area near the driver side struct under hood to right of battery.

Key on Enginr off and Running tests.

Multipe codes.

So many codes I pulled off battery cables. Using a testing wire I connected the two battery cables. (NOT THE BATTERY ONLY THE REMOVED CABLES)

Turned key on. Let sit 10 min making sure to try accessory to make sure power drained.

Reconnected the battery. Results. Car idled but no throttle at all. Car would run rough if gas pedal was applied or manually induced under hood. Still throwing multiple codes.

Replaced TPS (Throttle Position Sensor) and CTS (Coolant Temp Sensor) as indicated among codes.

TPS located driver side aluminum intake at or near back right corner of valve cover.

CTS located front right corner area of valve cover in block.

Nothing happened. Was about to give in. Still throwing tons of codes.

I had the engine running and pulled off the MAFS (Mass Air Flow Sensor) power connector while running. Manually goosed throttle. Ran great. Went back to factory setting.

Replaced MAFS. Located as part of Air Filter Lid Housing.

CAR RUNS BETTER THAN EVER BEFORE.

VERY EASY TEST. BEFORE REPLACING ANYTHING TEST THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR AND MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR.

09/30/2018

Great addition to this thread! Please feel free to help out whenever you are on the site :)

Cheers, Ken