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car stumbling while underload

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Old Dec 29, 2010 | 06:38 AM
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Default car stumbling while underload

Hey guys,
I woke up this morning to drive to work and had a issue with my 98 ls1 camaro. car s stock with basic bolt ons such as headers a slp lid and kandN filter. so anyway...the car was stumbling from the begining in first gear. literally the car started shaking. i turned it off put it into neutral and strated it. It fired right back up no prob. I threw it few quick revs and it acted fine. normal oil pressure, charging and everything else. so i continue to drive thinking it was a hick up. i get on the high way and shift it to 4th and it stumbles around 2300 rpm and then picks back up fine. driving in 6th gear now at around 1900 rmp and give it a little throttle and same thing happen so i shift in to 5 th and sitting around 2800 rpm no stumble....go to get it and there it goes again.
Just asking for ideas...my thoughts where possible bad gas (i use 91) or injector and or bad plugs maybe. There any no check engine lights on on other that this stumle the car runs fine. By the way it only had 44K on the motor and tranny with a new (stock) clutch and throw out bearing. Thanks guys
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Old Dec 29, 2010 | 07:34 AM
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i did some research and am going to
clean my MAF
change fuel filter
use some fuel system cleaner
and check my fuel pressure
as these seem to be the most common issues
Any other thoghts....again whats weired is that there are no codes which to me knocks out the MAF and failing fuel pump and vacum leak
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Old Dec 29, 2010 | 10:10 AM
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Inspect your plug wires, could be cracked and arcing on a header tube
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Old Dec 29, 2010 | 10:29 AM
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Sounds electrical to me...check plugs/wires like said above.
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Old Dec 29, 2010 | 11:20 AM
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Check all your grounds.. it wouldn't hurt to pull each one off and sand the bottom of it a little bit and then tighten back down
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Old Mar 20, 2011 | 04:29 PM
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Originally Posted by thunderstruck507
Inspect your plug wires, could be cracked and arcing on a header tube

The thing is, the car only hesitates at very low rpms such as less than 2000rpm. This is when the car is under load. After that, the car picks up speed with no issues regardless of load.

I do not think it is the MAF, Spark plugs or plug wires. Otherwise the problem would be transparent at all rpms.
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Old Mar 20, 2011 | 09:38 PM
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Have you took the screen out of the maf?I took mine out know my car stutters at cruising speeds.I got to get my car retuned without the screen.
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Old Mar 20, 2011 | 09:40 PM
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Breaking up on load is typically an ignition issue. I'd do plugs and wires. Cheap and easy first. Change your fuel filter while you're at it too. That can act the same way.


Originally Posted by revtech101
The thing is, the car only hesitates at very low rpms such as less than 2000rpm. This is when the car is under load. After that, the car picks up speed with no issues regardless of load.

I do not think it is the MAF, Spark plugs or plug wires. Otherwise the problem would be transparent at all rpms.
There's more of a load on the ignition system during lower RPMs. It's a text book way to check for ignition problems; "bog" it. More of a load ESPECIALLY in a higher gear and low R's.
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Old Mar 21, 2011 | 10:59 PM
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Originally Posted by bayer-z28
Breaking up on load is typically an ignition issue. I'd do plugs and wires. Cheap and easy first. Change your fuel filter while you're at it too. That can act the same way.



There's more of a load on the ignition system during lower RPMs. It's a text book way to check for ignition problems; "bog" it. More of a load ESPECIALLY in a higher gear and low R's.
Any specific plugs you recommend?

Last edited by revtech101; Mar 23, 2011 at 06:39 PM.
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Old Apr 24, 2011 | 08:30 PM
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Originally Posted by 97lt1z28
Hey guys,
I woke up this morning to drive to work and had a issue with my 98 ls1 camaro. car s stock with basic bolt ons such as headers a slp lid and kandN filter. so anyway...the car was stumbling from the begining in first gear. literally the car started shaking. i turned it off put it into neutral and strated it. It fired right back up no prob. I threw it few quick revs and it acted fine. normal oil pressure, charging and everything else. so i continue to drive thinking it was a hick up. i get on the high way and shift it to 4th and it stumbles around 2300 rpm and then picks back up fine. driving in 6th gear now at around 1900 rmp and give it a little throttle and same thing happen so i shift in to 5 th and sitting around 2800 rpm no stumble....go to get it and there it goes again.
Just asking for ideas...my thoughts where possible bad gas (i use 91) or injector and or bad plugs maybe. There any no check engine lights on on other that this stumle the car runs fine. By the way it only had 44K on the motor and tranny with a new (stock) clutch and throw out bearing. Thanks guys
My 98' starting having nearly the exact same issue in the middle of last week. Didn't have a chance to look the car over until the weekend, but something obviously wasn't right and it never set a check engine light.

Ended up being one of my spark plug wires was sitting on the plug but not pressed on all the way. They are the original gm wires with 95k so I can see how that many heat cycles would loosen one up a bit.
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