car spuddering...

[Arsonstang]

Hye everyone.. i gotta question. When i left to work this morning i pulled out of my garage and started off.. but when i hit the gas my car spuddered like i was out of gas but my tank is full. I thought it could be the fuel filter but its only like 4-5 months old. Can it be my fuel pump? When i start my car i can hear the fuel pump wind... please help me out..

 

[CManT1914]

Pull the codes. Sounds like maybe a maf, that's a common problem, and mine did the same thing when it went out. Autozone might do it for ya if they're not being jerks that day.

 

[Arsonstang]

i forgot to add.. that i had to put some Arco gas in on sunday.. only like $10 cuz it was the closest place around and it started after that.. but i filled the rest up with Shell gas.. if that helps

 

[CManT1914]

Is Arco crappy or something? Might have got a bad batch of gas or something. It's also not a good idea to mix different brands of gases, and different octanes together or so I've heard. Might as well pull the codes anyway, just to see.

 

[Arsonstang]

yea Arco gas out here is real crappy unless you have a honda or somethin... what the name of the thing that pulls your codes and tells you what the problem is..?

 

[CManT1914]

Code reader:
http://www.midwayautosupply.com/detailedproductdescription.asp?3829

Extension cable:
http://www.midwayautosupply.com/detailedproductdescription.asp?4077

The extension cable is good because it allows you to sit in the car while pulling the codes (since the plug is in the engine bay).

 

[HISSIN50]

yea Arco gas out here is real crappy unless you have a honda or somethin... what the name of the thing that pulls your codes and tells you what the problem is..?

Paperclip, G/F's hair clip, etc.

Chris is right - I am just so tired that it seemed like it could be funny. It wasn't.

 

[CManT1914]

Paperclip, G/F's hair clip, etc.

Chris is right - I am just so tired that it seemed like it could be funny. It wasn't.

pretty funny.

Quick question JT, with the paper clip way (I've never done it that way myself), do you need two people to do it? Don't you have to hold the paper clip in the plug (in the engine bay) the whole time? Makes it a little hard to watch the CEL at the same time right?

 

[94-302-vert]

Nope, you jsut plug in the paperclip then go in the car and rotate teh key to the on posiiton... very easy...

As for the issue at hand, i also vote to clean the MAF... take it out (t20 tamperproof torx I believe) and then sue some cotton swabs and running alcohol or similar... sure helped my car out a LOT...

 

[HISSIN50]

The only thing that can suck with the paperclip is that if it comes out during the process, it can clear the codes.

But it is cheap and easy. We dont all have the nice reader and cable that Chris has.

 

[Arsonstang]

hey guys.. I just cleaned the MAF really good and took it for a drive and it drives really really good.. and since I was around that area I took out that 25lbs weight. Now I can feel the nose come up alittle more on launching... THANKS ALOT FOR THE HELP Cman, Hissin50 and 94-302-vert!!

 

[mo_dingo]

The only thing that can suck with the paperclip is that if it comes out during the process, it can clear the codes.

But it is cheap and easy. We dont all have the nice reader and cable that Chris has.

Yeah, if you put the plug in it's retainer on the strut tower, it should stay in there just fine. If the paper clip comes out during code readout, it will clear the codes instantly.

Just stick the clip in the plug, then go and turn the key to acc, and follow the steps...easy.
Scott