Hesitation, sputtering, missing at up to 3000 rpm

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elarm1

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Well with everything I've done I have a random hesitation issue with this car. I can take the car to work in the morning at 0 dark thirty and have no issues, but when I leave work SOMETIMES I'll get a hesitatiation almost stalling until I take the rpms over 3000. I experimented the other day with the car idling and watching it and it seamed when the cooling fan kicked on, the car died. It fires up right away but still dies until about 5 mins later. I've so far replaced,
MAF(new)
coil (used)
full 60K upper and front
DIS (new)
New Cam PS (twice)
FP (new)
Fuel filter

P.s. She still smokes like Popeye the sailor man, I'll be taking the motor apart when I get this issue fixed!
 

raff18

frosty95mtx
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iac
plugs and wires
vac leak
dirty injectors
dude theres loads of things just run ur codes and if nothing comes up id say since u need to tear it apart to fix the smoking prob the cean everything u come across
 

elarm1

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I get the same 157, 542, nothiung related to my sputtering issue. My smoking problem should not be related to sputtering and I have done a FULL 60K, front and top.
 

animex2

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Are the screws on the DIS part of your intake in tight? Ive had issues due to this.
 

elarm1

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Yes the bolts are tight. It is a very intermentant problem. I drove it to work today, morning 55 degrees with no problems and almost all the way home and it bucked and hesitated, ran like it was on a couple of cylinders. I floored it with the clutch in and it stopped doing it. I almost know its one of the sensors, just not sure which one. I searched this problem but really couldnt find anything aside from the things I've already done.
 

ViPER1313

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It sounds like a weak spark - maybe a bad ground? Take the time to clean up the grounds by the alternator, battery to chassis and the crossover tube to firewall. Also clean up the + wire route (at battery, alternator and fuse box). Unplug all main wiring harness connections (2 or 3 large black wire looms behind the intake, a couple below the coil pack / upper radiator hose, both DIS connections, the one to the coil pack and the one to the MAF), spray them clean with electric contact cleaner, put a small amount of dielectric grease on the female end and re-connect them. Should all take less than one hour and should cost less than $10 in supplies (sandpaper, small tube of dielectric grease, electric contact cleaner.)

Also, check the wire looms on top of the rear valve cover between the intake and firewall for any damage while you are cleaning them. I had an SHO that would stall / want to stall whenever you turned left - finally threw a cam position sensor code. Turns out, the wire looms on the top of the rear valve cover were rubbing on the metal crease on the firewall, and would cause a short whenever you turned left (subframe and motor mounts shifting.)

Even if it doesn't fix your problem, its cheap, easy to do and good maintenance. Good luck!
 
Last edited:

GeneSHO

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There is no mention of the ignition wires being replaced. Has this been done?
 

elarm1

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By ignition, due you mean spark plug wires? There has be a FULL 60K top and bottom done. I will try those wire looms. I had a heater hose burst, didnt know it till I saw the temp guage moving. The water was spraying right on the wire loom under the coil pack and it cut off a couple of times on me while I was in the process of getting it off the hywy. So that is definitly something I will fix sooner than later. Good catch!
 
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