Can't seem to nail this problem
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From: Cincinnati, Ohio
Can't seem to nail this problem
I thought I had this problem fixed with new wires and plugs, but it is back. . . . . .
When I let off the gas to coast and then give it gas again, the car lurches. For the first few miles it will run fine, but after a few miles it will start this lurching. After another few miles it will stop doing it for the rest of the drive.
I initially thought it was a transmission problem, but it is so intermittent, that I don't see how it can be.
I changed the plugs and wires and it seemed to go away for a few days, but now it is doing it again.
Could this be a coil problem?
I also have a bad catalytic converter. Could that be a cause?
When I let off the gas to coast and then give it gas again, the car lurches. For the first few miles it will run fine, but after a few miles it will start this lurching. After another few miles it will stop doing it for the rest of the drive.
I initially thought it was a transmission problem, but it is so intermittent, that I don't see how it can be.
I changed the plugs and wires and it seemed to go away for a few days, but now it is doing it again.
Could this be a coil problem?
I also have a bad catalytic converter. Could that be a cause?
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From: Snyder County, Pennsylvania
I had this same exact problem with my 1995 Monte Carlo w/ 3.1 V-6. It turned out it was a head gasket leak. What happened was that coolant would leak through the head gasket and into the cylinders. The coolant would burn up in the cylinders and make it hotter than it was supposed to be. After a while, the spark plugs would be alsmost desintegrated. My mechanic (a reliable one since he'* family) said that a temporary fix would be to change the plugs. But that the only place I should drive the car after that was to a dealership to trade it in on a new car. Hence my current Bonneville. I don't know if this is the same situation for you, but it sounds pretty similar. So check your plugs when you change them.
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Originally Posted by LBingman
I had this same exact problem with my 1995 Monte Carlo w/ 3.1 V-6. It turned out it was a head gasket leak. What happened was that coolant would leak through the head gasket and into the cylinders. The coolant would burn up in the cylinders and make it hotter than it was supposed to be. After a while, the spark plugs would be alsmost desintegrated. My mechanic (a reliable one since he'* family) said that a temporary fix would be to change the plugs. But that the only place I should drive the car after that was to a dealership to trade it in on a new car. Hence my current Bonneville. I don't know if this is the same situation for you, but it sounds pretty similar. So check your plugs when you change them.
The 3800'* usually will not kill off a head gasket... If you want to be sure do a compression test, But I am just about certain that the head gaskets will not be the problem...
Has the SES light come on at all? The next time you are near an Autozone have them pull the codes for you and see if the PCM has anything stored like a Missfire fault or code.. The PCM should log these codes if the Misses are bad enough..
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jr: I don't know what your autozone can do but I know everyone I have been to can only check the current code thrown. They can't look into the stored codes or anything of that nature.
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Also depends on what scantool thay are using as well... Some use a code reader, others use a scantool... In any event the car should be scanned before we make too many guesses 
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From: Cincinnati, Ohio
I have replaced the plugs and wires, which all looked OK, but I replaced them anyway. I do have a code reader and the only code I get is for the bad Cat Converter. The car is coming up on 98K miles.
I agree that this is probably not an intake gasket. I have been keeping an eye on the oil and have not seen any trace of coolant.
I agree that this is probably not an intake gasket. I have been keeping an eye on the oil and have not seen any trace of coolant.
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Originally Posted by jastek1
I have replaced the plugs and wires, which all looked OK, but I replaced them anyway. I do have a code reader and the only code I get is for the bad Cat Converter. The car is coming up on 98K miles.
I agree that this is probably not an intake gasket. I have been keeping an eye on the oil and have not seen any trace of coolant.
I agree that this is probably not an intake gasket. I have been keeping an eye on the oil and have not seen any trace of coolant.
I'd check to see with the warranty is on the emissions system for your car... It may be 5-6 years and or 100,000 miles... Look into that as GM might have to replace the cat for you...
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From: Enfield, CT
FYI GM warranties a cat for about 100K miles. 
My 3 yr 30,000 was long gone and they still replaced the cat. When I asked they told me it was seperately warrantied to 100K.
My 3 yr 30,000 was long gone and they still replaced the cat. When I asked they told me it was seperately warrantied to 100K.