i have an 87 xt 1.8 non turbo it has a few issues that i cant figgure out. right now the car is sitting will not start. it stalled and i tried to restart it then it backfired through the intake now i do belive it knocked out my mass air meter or something, also when the car was running at around 4,000 rpms it looses power for a bit then takes back off its like like a dead spot like running leanin a turbo car... what could be wrong???

heh, I had the same problems

first check the ecu for codes...

then post back

(its in the trunk on the passenger side)

you may have popped your timing belt, just my .02

you may have popped your timing belt, just my .02

no i think timming is ok car will start and run semi normal till it starts warming up then it just shuts off while running and trying to rev the engine it just has no power its spuratic like the car is getting no fuel. sorry guys left that out.

well thats what I needed to know what the ecu is sayin.

If you have a bad injector, it will give you an injector code

 

My car did the same thing you've listed when I had a bad crank angle sensor

sorry, the whole no start lead me to that conclusion. if its backfireing it could be your ignition timing

what year is the car?

 

water temp sensor for the computer(not the gauge) can do this sometimes.

 

also, if its the first gen efi, it could be your distributor.

its an 87.

I think 87.5 was the crossover so he could have the old disty