Car hesitation question (GO car! GO!)

Factual Questions
1

I have an 87 Toyota Corrola with 110k miles on it. Runs okay with the exception of this annoying hesitation effect I get. After I start hte car and drive a distance, the car will just slow down to a very slow speed 5-10 MPH for a few moments then accelerate back up to how fast it was going before. This has become really annoying because it always does it after the exact same distance covered. Lately, the route I take to work means that basically the car decides to do this when I’m driving through an intersection. I noticed it usually only does this in the morning. I thought it may had to do with the engine being cold, so I ran the engine a bit before I left, but I still got the same problem. Very rarely it does this at other times.

Listening to an ad on the radio, I thought maybe the fuel system is gunked up, but I don’t want to spend money fixing something that isn’t the problem. Any advice?

2

I had a similar, but not exactly the same problem and it was due to a cracked spark plug. Changing it out fixed the problem.

3

Sounds like the transmission slipping. Usually more suscepticble when cold. Check fluid…top off…get it changed eventually.

If continues, could need tranny work. Check and change fluid first.

FWD cars could also suffer from a CV joint slipping, especially on turns when it slips then accelerates again.

4

Does the engine just lose power?

Could be the injectors…just spend a buck fifty in fuel injector cleaner and pour it into the tank at your next fill up.

Of course…it may be a wet ignition system. Did you recently have your engine steam cleaned? Pull each spark plug wire SEPARATELY and spray some WD-40 on the spark plug and in the plug wire. Do the same on the distributor terminals. This wil disperse the moisture whis is causing a short.