Lately my 98 Avenger has had problems with a sudden loss in power for about 1-2 seconds when cornering very HARD at low speed (~10-20 MPH).  It happens so suddenly it's hard to see if any of the warning lights flash on, but as far as I can tell the tach still is active and reading correctly, and no warning lights come on.  It happens when cornering both to the left and right, but like I said, ONLY when cornering really hard at LOW speed (can't get it to occur at higher speeds - not enough road   ) 

At first I thought it felt like fuel starvation and I had an almost empty tank, but have since ruled out it being related to the amount of fuel in the tank, as it did it a few minutes ago with 3/4 of a tank of fuel.  It sorta feels like like a fuel starvation problem where it just falls flat on it's face for a second, then the power comes back on.

I've recently replaced the ignition wires since the problem started to appear, as I was getting that danged intermittant missfire and the new wires cleared up that problem, but the loss in power thing is still there.

I've gone under the hood and wiggled as many of the wires/fuses/relays as I could find to see if it was related to a wiring problem, but could not get it to fail.

I just checked the OBD codes with a code reader - no errors recorded. 

Generally it runs like a bear: pulls from 1500 RPM to red line under heavy load up a hill -  which to me rules out a fuel filter (it was replaced some time ago, but is likely due again).

Any ideas anyone?

Tom
BC Canada

I was thinking the same thing. The pump might be dying, and killing the engine under a load (i.e. tight turn).

Cool - thanks for the responses guys.  Let me answer your questions here:

Auto or Manual?  >>> MANUAL

Define cornering hard?  (like just taking a sharp turn, or while going on a freeway on/offramp kinda turn) >>> Sharp turn like exiting a driveway---  or charging into a 90 deg corner under heavy braking, slowing down to maybe 10-15 mph, and tossing the car into the corner (quite hard, but not quite enough to get the car sliding), back on the gas, and it will bog down momentarily (left and right turns)

how long since the plugs have been changed?  >>> they are about 15000Miles old - can't remember the brand but they are platinum tipped if memory serves me right
 
how old are your belts? >>>> 40000KM  (car has 199,000 KM now)

Does it feel like the engine is cutting out? >>> almost, but not quite - I can best describe it as "bogging out" - I invariably give it more throttle when it happens, and it doesn't respond for about a second, then the poweer comes back on suddently, as if nothing was ever wrong

How is your battery clearance under the hood? (I once had a car that every time I would turn left it would ground out and kill the motor)  >>>>  I checked that today actually, and it all looked just fine. 

I am leaning towards something to do with the power steering valve or pump... but I am not ruling out other possibilities yet...
let us know    >>>>>> hummmmm  I'll test that out if I can, as it does seem that I am throwing a lot of steering input into it at the same time as it goes into the corner.......  you know, heavy braking (off throttle), off the brakes just as I crank in the steering, and then back on the gas........I've encountered the slow stearing pump  lock up when having fun in the parking lot, but never had it bog down on me like this.   

This is definately worth me checking into guys - I think you may have nailed it.  I'll check my steering belt and fluid level tomorrow, and post the results.  Thanks again.     Tom


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o..after reading every post on there, i think imay have had a similar problem. I only had it when my car was under high stress. heavy accelerating, and then having to brake and then accelerating again. power would cut, not electrical, from gas I believe as the fuel pump may have been stressed from the fluctuation. If your car has been through a lot of that, then it may be more susceptible to things like that happening. I dont do that anymore, no need to..and it hasnt happened since.
<Insert Quote
That just goes to show you
Great minds, think like me.  Grin
> P.S I think like nykon.

cool, I didn't mean it to be insulting when I said that just for the record, there are a lot of people out there that just have no clue how to shift correctly.

Another question, does your car do this whether your tank is full or empty or does it change with the level of your fuel?

I'm going to go a completely different route then Nykon on this one, well not COMPLETELY but just different.  How long have you had the car?  Why do you think the engine is bogging down?

Our cars have speed sensitive steering so if you're going slow and start to accelerate, or if you go from quick to slow rapidly and try to steer it'll feel like the powersteering is kicking out, when really it's just slow to catch up.  That would also explain why it only lasts a second or two.

Just a different possibility.

Well, I've owned the car since new (1998) and it now has 199,000 KM on it (~120,000 miles) - so I guess I can say I'm pretty familiar with the car and the what to expect out of it. 

When I say bogging down, I mean it drops all power and cannot accelerate, and it becomes non-responsive to the accelerator (punching the throttle does absolutely nothing), then all of a sudden it catches again, and goes like gangbusters.  It's like the fuel or ignition is suddently cut off for a second or two - but when it catches again, there is no backfire, just the ability to accelerate again.

I have not noticed the stearing locking up or getting difficult to turn when this occurs - mind you I am generally in the middle of the corner, and am not  having to put much more input into the steering.

Does that make sense?  And do you still think it is related to the steering?  (The belt  checked out ok, but the power steering fluid is a touch low, so will top that off today, and test it).

thanks guys

Tom

Never mind on the steering issue then.  If you've had it that long then you already know the feel of the pump.  I'd say that you might have a wire loose or you have a loss of signal to something, and when you corner it loses it.  I had that problem with a van I once had.  Is your steering wheel loose at all?