I just had my front rotors/pads replaced, a/c recharged, thermostat and coolant temp sensor replaced, and coolant system flushed. I got it back from the shop and (this could be coincidence... but... ) I started the car up and it ran pretty crappy. The idle seemed to fluxuate slightly up and down (almost like a loping) as the idle came down. I figured eh, maybe it's just b/c it had been sitting for a while. I drove it home and just when I was about home I began to accelerate from a stop light and the car hesitated badly and almost shut off, but then quickly regained composure and off we were. That was weird. Come to the next light, it hesitates again when taking off, but this time it just shuts off. It takes a good second to get it started again and then I take off. I got home and parked it overnight and attributed it to possibly the fact that we've had terrential rain and maybe some water got in some electrical components and was screwing things up. Well, today is dry and has been all day, I took it on a 30 mile trip on the highway and when I hit traffic it starts doing it again. It hesitates pretty badly and stops about 20% of the time. Anyone have any idea of what is going on that the shop could have possibly done by performing the previous work or is this just coincidence? Either way, what is going on here?

It sounds like the fuel pump is going bad. Hesitates on take-off, only does it after a few minute warm up or maybe when you beat on it like in heavy traffic, and no engine light? Stick a gauge on the schrader valve on the fuel rail to check the pressure before you go tearing into it. Pressure should be constant at around 40 psi and drop only slightly (a pound or two) when you snap the throttle. If it drops more than 5 psi I'd think about replacing the fuel pump.

That would explain the hesitation but what would explain the pulsing idle?

Incorrect fuel pressure either high or low can cause a pulsing idle.

sorry to bring up a week old post, but did you happen to find out if the fuel pump was your problem? cause i'm having a similar problem with mine. for a while now my rpm's will sometimes fluctuate when i'm idling and just recently it has started hesitating or stalling when i'm in heavy traffic just creeping along or if i go to take off too slowly from a stop. i've changed the fuel filter, replaced the spark plugs and wires, and been using injector cleaner just in case they were clogged but none of this has fixed it. my next guess was that maybe the ignition module was my problem but does that sound likely or should i be checking the fuel pump instead? any input would be appreciated! thanks!



silly boys... body kits are for girls.

sorry, i guess i should have stated that it's a 97 2.2 auto if that matters any. thanks!



silly boys... body kits are for girls.

my car has ben having similar problems, its a 96 2.4 4speed auto. same thing, rough idle, and when im around like 2000 rpms the car kind of putters, but if i go a little harder on the gas it stops. dont know why its missing, but i checked the resistance on the coils and both are fine. and the coil housing looks fine as well. also i did a diagnostic on it at advanced, because the CEL is on and it said stage one 02 sensor is having a slow response, that its getting a random misfire, and that the map sensor is not working properly. any ideas??

Hey, I had a 1996 2.2 3 speed auto and it did that. It is the fuel pump. I didnt do anythign for awhile and then took a 150mile trip and it shut itself down while I was going 75mph+. what I did was put it in neutral and most of the time it wont stall at a stop light. Not telling you to keep on doing this but get it done soon or you will get stranded somehwere you dont want to.

my saturn ust to do that wish i would of known what the problem was sumthing this easy b4 i got rid of it.


5 seconds to find another street...