Very Strange Corolla Problem

[knifey]

Hello! I have a 92 Corolla 3dr hatch with the 1.3 4E-FE engine with 85k miles and FSH. It has 2 major problems, one of which I can't figure out:

1. It's leaking water. It had a leaking waterpump a few months ago so I replaced but now it's actually coming out of the overflow on the reservoir! I think the head gasket has gone.

2. Now this is the strange problem, no one can figure it out. When I take a left hand bend at anything faster than say 20mph, the car loses all power! My foot is still on the accelerator but there's no power at all (but the car doesn't stall).

As I start to straighten up the power comes back and the car jerks forward (since my foot is still down). It doesn't seem to do it as often when the petrol tank is almost full. The odd thing is, it only happens when I turn left, turning right is perfectly fine!

Also, when in stop-start traffic going uphill and I have over a quarter of a tank, the car starts to cut out and after this I can't rev past 3000rpm. If I try to gain speed it will start dying and "bunny-hopping" again. Turning the car off for abour 30 secs and restarting it seems to fix this problem temporarily.

I've checked the fuel pump and inside the tank looks ok (no blockage).

Any idea what's going on with it?

I'm thinking about just chucking this engine and dropping a new one in.

[Mick24]

Sounds like fuel starvation causing the problem - you say you have checked the fuel pump ? The pump should have filter on the pick up pipe which can get clogged - pull it off and clean it.

The main fuel filter on the bulkhead can give severe fuel pressure problems if not changed - but you say it has FSH.

Next time the problem occurs - open the bonnet and bridge the B+ and Fp terminals on the check connector - this will run the fuel pump constantly and will eliminate faulty ignition switch contacts,main EFI relay and Circuit opening relay - do not leave the bridging wire in Permenantly if this cures the problem.

It could even be the Throttle Positioner Switch out of adjustment.

Hope some of this helps you