98 GT steady acc = bucking

Zippeh

Founding Member
Jun 15, 2002
691
0
16
North New Jersey
Very frustrating reoccurring problem.

I don't pretend to know much about how to fix cars, so last time I had this issue I brought it to a local repuatable shop and it cost me 3,000 to fix a problem that has come back a year later.

- While cruising at low RPM the car will buck anywhere from ever so lightly to pretty rough.
- Sometimes under heavy acceleration it'll stick at a certain rpm strain to get past it until I take my foot off the gas and smash the pedal again.
- Rough idles, doesn't die though.

Car is a 98 GT 5sp manual, only 58k miles on it. I treat the car like my baby but if I take it back to a shop and they just suggest I replace the heads again I'm going to opt to just trade it on on a lease for a new car (which would make me sad, I love my 98! )

Any ideas?
(smells like oil sometimes too)
 
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Is your CEL on? If so, codes?

If not, have you tried cleaning your MAF? Could be fuel filter, pump, plug wires, etc.

Run your car at night (in the dark) with your hood popped and look at your plug wires. Look for sparks, that's a quasi-decent way to check for bad wire(s).
 
Is your CEL on? If so, codes?

If not, have you tried cleaning your MAF? Could be fuel filter, pump, plug wires, etc.

Run your car at night (in the dark) with your hood popped and look at your plug wires. Look for sparks, that's a quasi-decent way to check for bad wire(s).

The CEL has gone on twice in maybe three or four months for the o2 censor, but my cousin says it's probably nothing when I bring it to him and just resets it and it doesn't go back on. I don't know any better one way or the other to say he's right or wrong.

As far as cleaning the MAF, I haven't done that, I did put in a bottle of junk that claims to clean my fuel pump, but that would be it.

I could check tomorrow when it's not one a.m to see if my wires are firing like that.

Thanks again