I did a search on this issue, and I read the posts, but I need to explain what has been going on. Any ideas you all can provide would be welcome.

 

The problem first started after I took the wagon to the power wash. I always spray the car down and this time, I also sprayed the engine bay. After I was done, the car wouldn't start. The first thought I had was, "crap! I just got water on the distributor."

 

I pushed the car to an adjacent parking lot, dried off the car and the dried the engine bay. After a few more minutes, I tried to start it up again. It sounded like it was trying to start, so after some vigorous pumping on the gas pedal while turning the key, it sputtered. I continued to pump the pedal and eventually, the motor came back to life. After a couple of minutes it died again, but it was easier to start so again, I figured that it must have been that a little water got into the electronics. Eventually it began to idle on its own, but after getting fully warm, it would not idle.

 

Ever since this experience, the car starts right up. The choke works flawlessly, it idles down normally and runs well; until it warms fully. After that the car sputters at the stop lights and dies. It will not idle and I have to manipulate the Ebrake and the gas pedal to keep it going.

 

I thought it might be that the alternator or voltage regulator (maybe the water did something?) was going bad since the headlights and such seemed to flicker. My thought was it might also be affecting the spark, so it was swapped out with another. The car started right up and was idling well. Once it got warm, it started to exhibit the same simptoms.

 

At this point, I am frustrated. The car has new NGK plugs, new wires, new front and aft fuel filters, new air cleaner, etc. It does not appear to be vac leaks. The only thing left is the fuel pump but...

When I saw your car earlier and you were telling me about the problems you were having I forgot to tell you I had the same things happening with my hatch,till I replaced the fuel filters and pump.It would not want to idle when it got warm and sometimes when it would die it was pretty hard to start.I can't say for sure that a fuel pump is the way to go just yet since I haven't been able to drive my car with the new fuel pump in there a whole lot just yet. Also is you fuel pump stock or has it been replaced before?The one that my hatch had when I got it was an aftermarket one and never seemed to work quite right to begin with.Good luck.

The car has the original fuel pump.

 

I have that parts car sitting out at CCR, so I could rob the fuel pump out of that. It's just that... well, I just hate messing with the fuel filter, pump crap... as you witnessed first hand

Do you think it is possible it was some sort of vapor lock type thing?All though it wasn't really hot enough to mess with your tank.Just a thought.

It doesn't sputter at all while driving under load, so I don't think it would be vapor lock. That and, as you said, it just isn't that hot yet