Hey all! Took my Camaro out for its once a week saturday run up... keeping it fresh till somebody buys this beautiful car. (Yes, it is F/S! Anyways... car starts up great, and does the high idle, comes down in a few minutes, all that normal Jazz. I start up the road, and I'm cruising up a small grade, 45mph in 4th, and I get a stutter. Keeps happening if I get into the throttle. I stop 4 miles up, get under the hood, and rev a little to see if I can here/see and plug wires that might be grounding out, it was damp out. On my last Buick, I could see them clearly in the day, maybe I should try this at night though, with the hood light off. Anyways, couldn't hear or see anything. Shut car off, started it back up, and drove back toward home... still stuttering, whenever you get into the throttle. Good idle. I drive around a little more, shut down once more to see if the ECM wants to reset... nadda. I get pissed, scorch rubber up the driveway, and park it. I get curious about half an hour later, and go back out with it. Starts right up, and runs good. I could get an occasional stutter, but nothing like before. Pulled good idle to 5000. Ideas? Car never through a code during any of this. I want this car to run right for its next owner. It feels like plug wires to me, is there a cheaper way to check they just replacing them to find out it wasn't them anyways. Any other ideas? Thanks fellas.

 

Does this happen only in OD, or in DRIVE as well?

 

Happens in all gear settings, 1 2 D OD. Its when you load the throttle some. Really feels like plug wires, but I really don't have the money to play with them, tuition payments are really squeezing me right now, and I know my power steering is about to let go on my Century. Any kind of input would be great... I know driveablitly trouble can be a lot of things.

 

Here's a little update... today I drove the 50 miles up to school with IROC. She ran great the whole way, pulling hard at any thorttle position in all gears. Just beautiful. So I'm definatly leaning that its gotta be plug wires, or something electrical, cause one time its quite bad, another its just fine. I'd still appreciate any info or ideas somebody could toss out. And Vader, why the question about only in D or OD? Possible torque converter stutter? Its definatly in the motor, when it was doing it Saturday morning, I could get it by opening the throttle quick just sitting in park. Thanks guys...

 

ATC,

You answered my question by simulating the problem in PARK. I was thinknig a possibility of TCC slippage or cycling.

You have teh option of removing, cleaning, and testing your plug wires, thenm applying fresh silicone grease to the boots and reinstalling them if they check O.K. It would be a shame not to be able to sell the vehicle for a $20 set of plug wires. Forget about the "designer" wire sets. Just get good 8mm silicone resistance wires if you need to replace them.

 

Yeah, I may go ahead and do the wires and altenator soon, and just tac on the $100 of parts to the price. The plugs look like a real PITA to do, but it wouldn't be a bad idea. The car ran excellent today though, only felt it stutter once in 115 miles of driving, and I was trying to get it to do it, lugging at low RPMs in 4th. Just ran nice. Oh well. Thanks for your replies... you know your stuff. I had a good laugh at your comment on the SBC ticking... just noisy injectors at idle. Nice.