1990 Dodge Dynasty Won't accelerate past 15mph

DIGITALMAMA

MEMBER
1990 DODGE DYNASTY

1990 Dodge Dynasty

My 1990 Dodge Dynasty quit running last week. I was getting on the highway, and the car would NOT accelerate past 30 mph. I pulled over to the shoulder, and shut the car off, because it started shaking (and no, it was not because of all the cars flying past on the highway). After that, the car would not start again.

My brother came later that night and got the car started again, and got it back home, but now I try to drive it, and it won't even go above 15mph. I can press the gas pedal all the way to the floor, and nothing happens. The only way the car will move is if I "pump" the gas pedal repeatedly.

What could be causing this? Could it be my fuel filter? Also, the gas pedal seems a little loose. Any suggestions on how to fix it?

Any help to this single (and rather poor) mom would be greatly appreciated.

1 Reply

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,873 POSTS

Two things come to mind. A plugged catalytic converter will cause a severe loss of power but the engine will idle very smoothly. The flow out the exhaust pipe won't feel normal.

There was a lot of trouble with MAP sensors back then, but I'm sure they've all been replaced a long time ago. When they failed, the engine computer used data from other sensors and some internal pre-programmed values to approximate the expected MAP sensor readings, and run off that. The common clue was that the engine would stay running as long as the gas pedal was in motion. Hold it steady in any position and the engine would stall.

Caradiodoc