Questions and Answers

Plymouth Laser Turbo Problem Q. Vince , I have a 1991 Plymouth Laser with a 4 cylinder 2.0 liter 16-valve DOHC turbo intercooled engine. Automatic transmission. I got hit with a couple of problems. First, when I'm accelerating on the highway, my car will choke when the boost gauge is between 0 and 0.5 kg/sq CM.

When this happens, the car lurches and the boost gauge will drop and then move back to it's original location.

This is happening very frequently. Second, all my dash lights and my headlights AND marker lights have crapped out. I've checked all the fuses and they're all good, and I still have brake lights, hazard lights and turn signals.

Third, when I start the car, if I don't hold my foot on the gas, the car won't idle high enough and it dies. I've tried rotating the distributor cap, but if I do that then it just revs too high because the problem is inconsistent. Please help if you can cause Ii don't want to get rid of the car.

A. The thing with the boost gauge is more likely a response to an engine problem. Since the turbo is powered by exhaust gasses, anything that effects the exhaust affects the turbo. And it is also possible the waste gate on the turbo is bad.

The reason you lost your headlights, dash lights and marker lights is probably due to a bad headlight switch.

I would check for a vacuum leak somewhere. That would explain the erratic idle. It is also possible the throttle chamber is gummed up or the IACV is in-operative. I would check the computer and see if there are any stored codes.