Surging at low RPM's?
 

OK, when I bought my car and drove it home a SES light came on. DIdn't notice it running any different, and couldn't do anything about it at the time anyhow.
Well it shut off, so I decided to do the FRA from installuniversity, and also cleaned up and lightly polished my MAFS(did not descreen it). Changed air filter out. I had also unplugged the battery to let everything reset. Car was running good, etc... About halfway through an hour long trip to drill on Saturday, SES light comes on(about a week after I had done the work to my car) car starts surging and lightly jerking when cruising at 1700rpm's or so. Also, felt like it lost a lot of power. So I just had to drive it. So I get ready to leave on Sunday, car runs fine(SES light still on), but about halfway home it starts the surging and jerking thing. I tried unplugging the MAFS and it seems to stop surging as much, but runs like dog$hit. Plug it back in more surging. Anyways, I get home and unplug the battery and change my oil from whatever the other guy had in it, I went with 10w30 and WIX filter. Hooked my battery back up, went for a little spin and its running like a raped ape. I guess I am gonna have to wait for it to throw the code again to get it read.
I've checked all the plug wires, they look fine. ANybody got any idea or guesses on this problem I am having? I'm thinking MAFS, O2 sensors IDK.. car has 150,000 miles on it so I know I need some new TR55 plugs.????? Should also add the SES light sometimes blinks at me over and over again.

start doing tune up on it, plug and wire, and O2 Sensor ( ac delco ), why dont you go to autozone and got it scan ? stop take off the neg battery. even the light not show up, most of the time scan still pick up the code.

Thats my next step, plugs wires, 02 sensors, but off course a scan prior. I just hope its no the MAFS.

I think it o2 , but scan first before doing any other.

Yeah the whole unplugging the battery thing is just a quick fix, b/c I didn't have time to go get it scanned. Wife has a love, hate relationship with the T/A. lol

I also noticed that when its messing up, it smells like its running rich, and at one point it was like I could smell... old garbage or something. hard to explain..
You can definitely feel the power loss, and the exhaust even sounds different.

yub sound like O2 sensor, if you replace, get ac delco brand.

I am assuming that I should wait for the SES light to come back on, but I guess I could just go get them read and see if anything comes up. Will do 2mrw and report back.

thanks for the help guys

Denso 02's are the best ones you can buy. even GM uses them now. www.rockauto.com is where i got mine

The flashing SES light means the engine misfiring. The code setting the SES light, I am guessing is P300. But get the code scanned, so you know for sure what the PCM is trying to tell you.

:funny: Old garbage.........thats fuckin great......:D

BEFORE DOING ANYTHING...get the code read. Do Not spend any money yet.

Listen....when the SES flashes it means you have "multiple" misfires. Since you have 150,000 miles on those plugs....its very possible thats the problem.

But also, a very common reason for "multiple" misfires is from spark plug wires touching the exhaust piping. Go take a quick look to see if any wires are touching AT ALL. That could be the issue.

Its not the MAF. The MAF has nothing to do with anything while you are driving the car normally under normal throttle. It only comes on when you go WOT and for when you start the engine when its cold. After warm-up..its off.

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Plug wires was the first thing I checked they all look good, and aren't touching anything. I am gonna buy some plugs today, and see about getting the codes read. I guess I will be a follower and use NGK TR55's gapped to .050

AS for the old garbage smell....IDK, lol

correct TR55 for 1.99 dollar each, and gap em at .045 or .050 your choice.

Whats the code though......

NGK TR55 or TR5....best choices. Gap is perfect at .050.

If you can't find TR55, then get the TR5, they are 100% identical. The TR55 are just getting harder to find for some reason. Only difference in the two model numbers......they come from the factory pre-gapped differently. They are identical.

The garbage thing was funny because when I describe a bad smell sometimes, I say, "damn, that smells like hot garbage." :lol:

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No codes were found. So I bought some TR55's and a pump thing to change my trans fluid, and some other knick knack stuff. By the way, the car is running better today than any other day since i've owned it. Maybe it was just some kind of glitch. lol, gonna put plugs in today. Is there a sticky for it?
I had some regular O"reilly brand Dexron III fluid sitting around, so thats whats going in the transmission.Next will be the rear end fluid.

Just get ready for a fight when you do the passengers side plugs...especially the rear two plugs. If they were over-tightened last time they were changed....you're in for HELL........

Do yourself a favor when you put the new ones in.....put anti-sieze on the threads, and literally just put them in hand tight with your fingers using the socket. Then put the ratchet/socket on and give them a little tug, maybe a 1/4 turn, nothing more. If you can't back screw them back out with just your fingers and the socket, they won't go anywhere.

Maybe you got a bad batch of gas.......I'd changethe fuel filter while your at it. Takes 5 minutes.

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See when you start put time loving the car, the car felt it and love you back lol !! and running better. now keep loving it LOL !!

yub you are on right track, do all the maintain to the car, dont forget PCV valve and fuel filter. BTW when you change the plug, do it when engine is dead cold, so you dont strip the thread on those aluminum head. it get soft when it hot. Good luck , and keep update man

yeah I am picking up my PCV in the morning. For some reason I had to order one. I got the driver side plugs changed today, didn't have time to do the passenger, first priority in the morning though. Also, when I changed my trans fluid, I had 4 quarts but couldn't get every drop in there with my hose pump thingy I bought. So gotta get 1 more qt to get it to full for sure. Plus its jacked up on one side so that could have something to do with it. Its prolly OK, but I wanna make sure. Next, is rear end oil. I messed up today though when I changed plugs, the car was warm. No harm done, but 2mrw morn it will be cold. I will also pick up a fuel filter 2mrw. You should have seen the plugs I pulled out. They looked unlike any plug i've ever seen. The electrode was like a really super sharp pencil lead or some shit. AC delco so I would assume stock. All the wires so far look good though. Can't think of anything else.

thanks

sound good man, I sure car will run good since that plug u pull out is crap hehe, keep update man. when you fill the tranny, put the car flat on the ground and use longer hose to put on the fill hole and pump it. after 4 quart you put on, did let the car flat on the ground then tight the plug ? or you tight the plug when the car still jack ?. what pvc brand and fuel filter did you use ?

The car was jacked up on the drivers side. I know I didn't get exactly 4 qts in there, but yeah I will have to tighten the fill plug with it jacked up b/c I can't fit under there w/o it being jacked up. Fuel filter, Prolly get a NAPA brand or WIX. PCV-micro guard, I might see about getting a better one at NAPA though.
Is it possible to put to much trans fluid in? Is there a sticky for changing plugs on the passenger side? I know some of that stuff has to be moved or something....

Yes you can over fill the tranny if you jack the car on the driver side and tight the plug while the jack still on. I would do this, jack the car up, take off the plug and low the car down, see if any fluid coming out, if it still not, then jack the car up fill it a little more, then low the car down again, and if fluid came out, you know you full, then jack the car up and tight the plug. Put in some blue thread lock on the fill and drain plug too. its time consummer, but atleast you dont have to do it so often.

Autozone fuel filter is like 10 buck, and its made by champion that made all the good filter ( mobil 1, K&N ....), Im pick it up today too. keep update I love to heard how everything go, I like maintenance the car too.