BBYZED

Hope someone can help....My '01 Grand Prix GT (3.8L V6, no supercharger) has developed an issue....when at WOT or hard acceleration (either from stop or when transmission downshifts) it pulls fine until around 4500 rpm, then the engine just seems to stop revving higher and car holds gear and doesn't shift until I remove pressure from the throttle. Today, while on a highway onramp, the "check engine" light started blinking, but then went off after a few seconds. I'm thinking either the fuel filter is clogging up and starving the engine at higher rpms, or perhaps the cat is getting fouled? Any suggestions as to what I can look at (without the aid of serious diagnostic tools)?

Thanks!

MagnaTransAm0098

iTrader: (10)

have the same car right now, when it was raced up it would cut out and run like **** and what not, had a plugged cat, if you have a way to get under it unhook the exhaust off the manifold and race it, if it races fine then gut the cat out...hope this helps.

01WS6/tamu

iTrader: (37)

fuel filter first, then be highly suspect of the cat. As far as accelerating the motor with the headpipe off it will not do it. On the 3800 series engines if there is no vehicle speed detected the pcm goes into fuel shutoff just a little before or after 32-3500 RPM. Therefore, you cannot really check to verify if you fixed it or not by removing the 02, or headpipe.

BBYZED

To update: Condition is worse today. Getting lots of surging while at constant speed around 65 mph. Really hard to get it to accelerate even to around town speeds (like 30-40 mph). I'm just gonna book an appointment with my mechanic - it's way too cold to be on my back on the garage floor right now!

But, at least my suspicions were verified. Thanks guys!

MagnaTransAm0098

iTrader: (10)

Just gut the cat the grand prixs and impalas are famous for them as for any other car with this cat.