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Old Jul 15, 2009 | 02:15 PM
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Default engine surging problems

Ive had this problem for a while now and its somewhat hard to explain. If im going through a parking lot in 1st or 2nd gear and the throttle is between like 0% and 5% the car will almost freak out and start surging to the point where you feel like your getting whiplash. The same goes for almost whatever speed your going at really, I noticed it the most last week on my road trip, being on the interstate in 6th gear and when starting to go down a hill, the throttle would almost close and it would start surging going down the hill. Does this have something to do with a poor tune? No codes for this. car is 00 coupe, 6 speed, longtubes, drop in filter, 42lb injectors, 3.73 rear. Hope thats enough info and hopefully someone else has some insight on this!
Thanks!
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Old Jul 15, 2009 | 09:59 PM
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Yes in the tune & why the injectors.

Move your query to the scan/tune & I'm sure you will get answers you like & don't like.
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Old Jul 15, 2009 | 10:41 PM
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A vacuum leak can cause all the symptoms you described.
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Old Jul 15, 2009 | 10:52 PM
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My air bridge one time wasnt tight and popped off and did this... right where the maf sensor is... hope this helps....
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Old Jul 15, 2009 | 11:02 PM
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Originally Posted by Nver2loud
Ive had this problem for a while now and its somewhat hard to explain.
Does this mean at one point in time with the current cal you didn't have the problem? If this is true then I would be looking at the MAF sensor. You may need to clean it if it hasn't been done for a while and as recommended already, look to see if all the connections are tight on the inlet tubes to and from the MAF.

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Old Jul 15, 2009 | 11:12 PM
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Based on your description, my bet is on the MAF sensor or TPS (throttle position sensor). Somewhere you are getting conflicting data that is causing a stutter.

Good Luck
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Old Jul 15, 2009 | 11:25 PM
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Your engine is getting confused with what air flow it needs. Either you have un-metered air entering the engine, a vacuum leak or a poor tune. Try a idle relearn procedure and then get your tune looked at.

BC
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Old Jul 16, 2009 | 03:20 PM
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Ive had this problem as long as ive owned the car. Ive had many parts of the car out since then, including tranny twice, ive had airbridge everything off and on many times. Im doubting a vacumm leak, and ive had the battery disconnected all winter both winters, so im guessing that it would clear any kind of idle relearn? It does idle just fine, its only at very low throttle that it ever does this, i have to coast with the clutch in coming into work cuz it will backfire and surge and bla bla. I want to have a tune done, but i just dont know if it will be worth it with my mods.
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Old Jul 16, 2009 | 10:30 PM
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I agree with the rest, it has to be in the MAF sensor, or as Bill said you have unmetered air entering the engine somewhere,, loose filter, or airbox etc..
You say you have had the car apart many times etc.. including the airfilter box etc.. i would double/triple check all connections..wires, harnesses etc.. Also, you said "drop in filter" do you mean an aftermarket filter? Did you have to oil the filter? Just a long shot but if you have oil on the maf wires/sensor it would do that too..although you said it idles fine so it might not be that.

Ohter than that, have your aftermarket tune checked for problems.
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Old Jul 17, 2009 | 11:35 AM
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With the mods to the car, its hard to know but the first thing that came to mind with a stock set up car would be the pcv valve connection tube, if you still have one. Its a possible source of a large vacuum leak.
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Old Jul 17, 2009 | 04:39 PM
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Would it still idle perfect if that were the case? I do have an ls6 valley that im going to install someday, so if there were a broken line im sure i would find it at that time right?
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Old Jul 17, 2009 | 05:39 PM
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Originally Posted by Nver2loud
I want to have a tune done, but i just dont know if it will be worth it with my mods.

So does that mean the headers were on the car when you purchased it, or you put the headers on?
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Old Jul 18, 2009 | 11:07 AM
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They were on the car when I bought it. The guy I bought it from started to unmodify it before the purchase, removed the supercharger, but thats all the farther he got with it. It still gets very good gas mileage on the highway, I just went on a 1800 mile road trip and got an average of 33 mpg on the way there and 29 on the way back. I guess i was kinda thinking it might be in the tune, but not sure?
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Old Jul 18, 2009 | 12:05 PM
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Originally Posted by Nver2loud
They were on the car when I bought it. The guy I bought it from started to unmodify it before the purchase, removed the supercharger, but thats all the farther he got with it. It still gets very good gas mileage on the highway, I just went on a 1800 mile road trip and got an average of 33 mpg on the way there and 29 on the way back. I guess i was kinda thinking it might be in the tune, but not sure?
Yep, always helps to know the whole story. Depending on what he had done to the car, and if he had it tuned, it may need a tune...
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Old Jul 18, 2009 | 03:45 PM
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If it had a supercharger on it I'd think it would have had to have been tuned to run at all. Given that, I'd say a tune would be well worth the money.
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Old Jul 19, 2009 | 08:53 AM
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Originally Posted by zz28zz
A vacuum leak can cause all the symptoms you described.

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Old Jul 19, 2009 | 09:27 AM
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Originally Posted by buoniconti81
My air bridge one time wasnt tight and popped off and did this... right where the maf sensor is... hope this helps....


I also found the hose from the PCV valve to the TB had a hole in it drawing air.
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Old Jul 24, 2009 | 12:24 PM
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I will check that out, my car is locked in the garage anyway due to a new driveway being poured, I will finally be able to drive it again tuesday
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Old Jul 24, 2009 | 01:10 PM
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I had that problem after I installed new headers,exhaust and air intake. Also checking and rechecking vacumn lines, Maf sensor, and looking for airleaks. In my case it was the tune.
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