Ok I have a 2002 Z28 Camaro with only about 16,000 miles on it, and the car is kept up very nicely, is not driven in snow or rain, now for the winter I had put her away with no problems and when i pulled her out this year I have had the worse troubles with her. When I take off normally right around 2000 rpm the engine will sputter, like it will hesitate and run like crap, and then when i give it some more gas it will do it worse and when i give her alot of gas it will come out of it and take off like a bat out of hell! Now I took ehr to the deralship a few times to have them put it on the Tech II computer and they caem up with the MAF was dirty because filter oil came from the K&N and made its way up to the MAF, so I had an Induction cleaning on the car, like cleaning the rails and the MAF was changed to a new one and they cleaned my throttle body and all that good stuff, but when i got it back maybe 2 miles away from the dealship it started to sputter and hesitate again! I have clanged the plugs on it, I have done almost everything I can think of to the car and it wont run right, always around 2000 rpm it will run like crap, on the highway it runs fine but on like the city streets it runs like complete crap and I have spent enough money TRYING to figure out what the problem could be. Does anyone have any ideas on what I could do or what it might be....Here is a list of the mods I have done to it:

Engine:

Rocker Arms 1.85 Ratio
SLP Cold air Lid
SLP Ram Air Package
SLP 160º thermostat
SLP Smooth Bellows
SLP Hardened Pushrods
SLP Timing Chain
SLP Oil Pump
SLP Springs and Retainers

Suspension and DriveTrain:

Moser 12-Bolt rear end with 33-spline axels, eaton posi
SLP lower Control Arms
SLP Panhard Bar
SLP Subframe Connectors
Rebuilt Trans
Spec Stage 2 Clutch and Flywheel
SLP Manual Fan Switch
SLP Line Lock
B&M Ripper Shifter
SLP Strut Tower Brace


PLEASE HELP!! I HAVE NO MORE MONEY I CAN WASTE TO PAY PEOPLE TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHATS WRONG WITH IT!

 

Fuel filter ???

 

How long have you had it out of storage? If it's still got gas in it from last year that could be it. Good luck.

 

I have had about 5 tanks of gas gone through it from winter and also the fuel filter was changed today when i also changed out the plugs in it!

 

Get rid of the K&N filter for a while and borrow a MAF. I have herd of this oil issue esspecially if you just cleaned the K&N and oil gets on the MAF and Temp sensor. I really can't tell you as I am sure a lot of people are going to tell you with out looking at it in person and even then it seems like it is going to be a hard one to diagnose ETC... What I suggested will be fairly cheap and would eliminate one possible cause.

 

Do you have scanning software? I would check the MAP psi while your driving and when it sputters...

Also you may want to check the preload on the lifters. That doesn't make sense because it ran fine last year but that sounds similar to a problem a friend of mine had after installing his 1.8's.

Probably way off but just trying to help..

 

I already cleaned out the K&N but I have not changed out the air temp sensor or have I really took the time to see if it was dirty.... The engine does not throw a code though when its hesitating, would it throw a code if the temp sensor was dirty or had oil on it?

 

No no scanning software, but the car never really had a dyno tune, the computer was only sent to cali and was "flashed"....It could be the MAP psi though, thats another thing i will try to find out, thank-you

 

My car had a map sensor wire loose after my heads and cam install. It did not throw any codes strangely enough. But it would idle fine then if you try to drive it shoot up to like 3-4 RPMs and then go down and sputter like it was going to die. Then idle fine and etc. Looked at the scanner and my map was always 13.3 which made the computer go haywire. That Map is connected to the AIR system maybe there was some condensation on the sensor and now its a little off.

Its a long shot but I know you can have MAP problems without throwing codes. IF you do replace it BE REALLY carefull you don't pull one of those wires loose

Bobby

 

ok, what should the MAP psi be normally???? and also my car doesnt really idle good, like it will idle and then the car will kinda shake and then you will hear alot of popping and then the car will like rev itself to about 11 rpm and then it will be fine and then it will do it over again like every few minutes..... a few of my friends told me it could be the o2 sim's I have on the car too??

Damian

 

The MAP is going to fluctuate it is used in the calculations by the computer along with the MAF (correct me if I'm wrong somebody)

But I think the MAP is a good place to look based on what you just posted you just described basically the EXACT some thing my car did when a wire was out of the MAP connecter, its concievable that a faulty MAP sensor would produce similar problems.

I don't know on the O2's especially at start up again correct me if I'm wrong but the computer doesn't even use them then. Plus O2s will throw a code **** mine are fine but they throw switching codes everyonce in awhile..

After that last post I really would look at the MAP setup. Also make sure your MAF isn't on backwards, don't ask me how I know

 

ok im kinda a new-be with the LS1 so this might sound kinda dumb, but where would the MAP sensor be on my car so that I could look at it tom and see if that is really the problem with it?

 

the SES light wont come on right away most of the time. what i mean is usually, when a plug, plug wire, coil etc goes out, the light wont come on right away. it will wait until the engine has been running poorly for a few minutes or longer, the reason it does this is to keep itself from throwing a false code.... i suggest going to some backroad or something where the traffic is thin, and hold it right at 2k RPM and just drive at that rpm level letting it run like **** for a couple minutes, then maybe the computer will recognize that there is a problem and throw a code. otherwise, you could try some injector cleaner. i guarantee you it is something clogged or dirty rather than a sensor/plug/coil/wire or whatever.

 

well, i already tried infector cleaner and its been running like crap for about 2 and a half weeks, lol, and still no code......this is the only time i wish my car would throw a code too!

 

Well my knowledge of the map senor (and it is limited so if I'm wrong tell me) there are two bars or resisters sensors whatever, if those got dirty or corroded couldn't that effect the performance of the vehicle. and considering the inside of the intake is pretty nasty because of the oiling system of these things....

The only reason I think you should check there for sure is because of the idling up on its own then down trying to figure out what its doing. but I could be way off I'm no expert by anymeans.

The Map sensor is a PITA to get to I'm not sure if you can even get it off without taking the intake off and moving it toward the front of the engine. It is located on the passenger side rear on the manifold

 

I had the exact same symptoms happen with my old Saturn - it turned out to be the electronic distribution module (I think they call it the ignition coil on this car maybe?). Don't know if that helps any.
Dan

 

ok thank-you very much, im gonna go change the fuel filter and check out the map sensor today, and post up what the results are.....hopefully they will be ok and work out fine!

 

I've had similar problems in various vehicles. Most of the time is was caused my a partialy clogged fuel filter. I've also had it happen due to bad plugs and plug wires. Could also be a little chunk of crap floating in the fuel system somewhere. I would replace the fuel filter, plugs, plug wires, and run a fuel system cleaner thought it. After doing all the easy stuff, you may also want to check to see the injectors are flowing proper.

 

Well today I just changed out all the plugs and I have run some fuel system cleaner in it, the plugs made the car start better but it seemed to make the sputtering worse.. Im taking it in monday to get a new MAP put onto the car, but b4 i go to sleep tonight I have a fuel filter that im gonna put onto the car just to see if that could be the problem! I'll let all of you know if it is or isnt in case if anyone else runs into these problems in the near future....hopefully not cause it seriously sucks *****!

 

Ok chaged the fuel filter, it ran good for a few minutes and then right after it started to make the same problems again, so im gonna take it in to change out the MAP sensor and the TPS sensor on monday, and im gonna put on my new wires too, anways i'll keep everyone posted if this fixes it...