Hesitation

[caine0]

Hesitation / Car Jerking

About 3 weeks ago my car started to hesitate when i slam down the pedal. Usually it happens between 1400-2000 rpm's... it will continue to hesitate (violently no less) until i let go of the gas and shift gears. I thought maybe the fuel system needed to be cleaned, so I used some fuel injector cleaners and fuel system cleaners. It didn't make it go away though. It also happens when I'm at highway speeds and I hit a bump, like for instance the bump that you get going on or off a bridge. This leads me to believe that something is loose, since it happens over those bumps. I could be way off though, I have no experience with this.

I get no codes with engine off, but with engine on I get codes 94 and 44. Could these be the reason I'm having this problem, or do they have nothing to do with it? I need to know what to fix, and quick. Thanks guys.

Code 94:
When the code 94 is received during the KOER test, it indicates the side of the thermactor air system with cylinders 5 to 8 is not working.
Possible causes include the following:
Blocked, leaking, or kinked vacuum lines
A defective air pump
A defective diverter valve
Defective or blocked air management solenoids

Code 44:
When the code 44 is received during the KOER test, it indicates the thermactor air system is not working.
Possible causes include the following:
Blocked, leaking, or kinked vacuum lines
A defective air pump
A defective diverter valve
Defective or blocked air management solenoids

Forgot to mention that I have my timing set at 14, but it's never caused a problem before in 2 years of having it that way. I always use premium. I also just changed the oil and spark plugs two days ago, and it's worse than ever.

 

[HISSIN50]

Do you have the smog system active still?

finding an issue like that can be tough, but it were me lookin for a poor connection which affects driveablity and is known for not being great to start with, it would be the 10 pins (salt and pepper shakers).

Good luck.

 

[HISSIN50]

Oh yeah, if you want to diagnose the TAB/TAD/smog stuff, Jrichker has great write-ups for doing so. Search his posts or do a search for those codes. Or in a few hours, he will likely have posted the goods on your thread.

Good luck.

 

[caine0]

Yah smog system is still active.

I know one of the wires under the hood is disconnected because it was ripped one day, but that was a long time ago and this just started happening recently. It appeared to be part of the system though, hopefully nothing vital I still passed air care last time no problem.

Where exactly are those salt and pepper shakers again? I think they're right by the upper intake aren't they? Would my haynes manual have a specific name for them?

 

[HISSIN50]

Check out the Sticky By Jrichker at the top of the page. IIRC he posted a pic of the intake/TB assembly, which shows where the 10 pin connectors (the most formal name I know for them) are. They looked like one salt and one pepper shaker. They are behind (toward the firewall) the TB/EGR spacer.

Good luck.

 

[jerry beach]

Try the wiggle test, just watch where you put your hands. With the engine running wiggle the wiring and connectors. If you can cause a miss then you have likely found your problem. If it seems to be related to hitting bumps, then something is likely loose.

If you didnt say it happens on bumps, I would suspect the PIP sensor in the dist. I have seen them cause an intermittant miss, but not only when hitting bumps.

 

[caine0]

I almost didn't make it to work today because it was so violently hesitating. I stopped on the highway and pulled the spout connector (i think that's what it's called) out so that my timing would just be at 0 instead of 14. It helped to get me to work, but it's still hesitating.

I found the salt and pepper shakers, now what? Is my only option to replace them, or can you do something else?

I'm trying to read through that idle surge checklist right now, but I barely have any time to work on the car so I'm trying to narrow it down. My "check engine" light also comes on for half a second when I go over the bumps and it hesitates, if that information helps out at all.

 

[HISSIN50]

One would clean the connectors in the 10 pins. On some years those connectors were a recall or TSB item (cant remember which) because the connectors did not fit together real great.

WHen you yanked the SPOUT, you went back to your base timing (of 10*, or whatever you set it to, like 14*). I ran like that before (but mine was at 25*).

Was the problem constant today? If so, it might have been a component failing, and now it is taking a total powder.

Good luck.

 

[caine0]

Yah it was pretty much constant today, so maybe tomorrow after work when I have the time I'll try to run some codes again. See if anything new comes up. My friend warned me about taking out the salt and pepper shakers. He said on his they were all crud and broke apart when he took them out. I think i'll try cleaning the mass air tomorrow, and maybe the throttle body?

If anybody looks at this thread and knows whether or not those codes I posted at the top have anything to do with it, please let me know. Thanks.

 

[caine0]

I just thought I would mention that my car still idles perfectly, and always has. I am in the process of doing all the things listed in the idle problems sticky on this forum anyway, but this seems to be a driveability problem and not an idle problem. Hope that helps somebody narrow it down for me. Still looking for somebody to tell me if those two codes have anything to do with it as well

 

[jerry beach]

Those codes have nothing to do with it. They relate to emission control.

If it idles perfect, then dont try any idle correction proceedures.

I would verify fuel pressure first.

Pull KOER codes.

It still could be the PIP sensor in the dist.

 

[caine0]

Those codes have nothing to do with it. They relate to emission control.

If it idles perfect, then dont try any idle correction proceedures.

I would verify fuel pressure first.

Pull KOER codes.

It still could be the PIP sensor in the dist.

I let my car idle for about 5 minutes today, and I guess my idle isn't as perfect as I thought it was. It didn't die or anything, but it was running pretty low and choppy.

I got code 11 for engine off, everything is fine. For engine running I got the same codes posted above AND code 13 now "RPM at idle out of range/low".

I have now cleaned out the throttle body, MAF, and IAB/IAC. My idle seems better now, but still not perfect. I'm gonna take her for a drive later tonight and see what the driveability is like. In the next couple of days I'm going to do a base idle reset and then set the tps voltage. I'll also start shaking things when it's idleing and see if I can cause a misfire.

The only problem is it doesn't feel like a misfire, and this problem has never happened when the car isn't moving, no matter what rpm's I hold it at. It's more like the engine completely shuts off for a single second while driving, which shakes the car violently sometimes when it happens 4 times in a row.

Anybody have any links on how to run tests on the fuel system? I don't know how to check if the fuel pump is going bad, or check fuel pressure. Thanks.

 

[Aliate X]

MAF sensor without a doubt. Wiggle the wires and watch your idle fluctuate.

If when you wiggle the wires the idle doesnt change, than your MAF just needs to be cleaned, 2 screws, pull it out, acohole + q-tip.

I had this problem too, trust me.


Edit- after reading more, sounds like your MAF is just bad, not dirty. Wiggle the wires.

 

[caine0]

MAF sensor without a doubt. Wiggle the wires and watch your idle fluctuate.

If when you wiggle the wires the idle doesnt change, than your MAF just needs to be cleaned, 2 screws, pull it out, acohole + q-tip.

I had this problem too, trust me.


Edit- after reading more, sounds like your MAF is just bad, not dirty. Wiggle the wires.

I've cleaned it, and it drives a bit better now but still does it when I hit a bump. What makes you say that it's definetely bad, and didn't just need to be cleaned? Thanks.

 

[Aliate X]

I've cleaned it, and it drives a bit better now but still does it when I hit a bump. What makes you say that it's definetely bad, and didn't just need to be cleaned? Thanks.

I say its bad then, if you say when you hit a bump the car runs like crap, well if you think, when you wiggle the wires it messes with the MAF if its bad.

So put 2 and 2 together. Time for a new sensor.