Car is a 1991 Trans Am. 305/5.0. TPI, etc, etc. No modifications. Pretty much stock everything, unless a part went such as the radiator, water pump, etc. Those were replaced by aftermarket parts.

Alrighty, here's a series of events. A long while back, maybe a year-year and a half my car would sometimes die when stopping too quickly at a light. It went away fairly quickly. Within a few months I'd say. Dying was rare though when it did. I know NOW that that was possibly the EGR valve. Anyway, today...

The car idles fine, sounds fine, etc. The car goes. However, it feels like I'm towing something fairly heavy, or trying to drive with that hatch propped open when I give it any kind of acceleration. I mean it doesn't feel like dragging a battleship, but it definately is not accelerating normally. It does accelerate, but slowly. If I give it more gas, the acceleration is quicker, but still boggy. Once it gets where I want it, it cruises just fine, no boggy feeling. The SES light came on once and it seems to be a code 32, EGR system. That was on the highway. It hasn't come on that I've seen during regular city driving. It might, MIGHT not happen or not be that noticeable when the engine is cold. Or at least not full operating temperature, but don't take that at face value. It's not knocking or pinging or anything unusual, other than the crummy acceleration. I don't drive the car that much, as it's another family members. However, I believe I've heard a pop from the exhaust a few times over the past 6-12 months when it's started in the morning.

I popped the plenum off. It's fairly icky in the plenum and runners. Just a dirty greasy coating of yuck. Not thick or anything, just a coating. The EGR valve when I pressed it in felt kinda... Scratchy I guess. Like I was pushing it past a roughish surface or something, but it did move fairly freely(with the car off). Putting it back together pretty much as is and it ran the same. Really only a quick visual check for reference. It doesn't stumble, just boggy on acceleration.

The fuel filter was changed about a year ago or so. Plugs, wires, no clue. Cap and rotor, bout a year or so. Transmission and engine both flushed within 4-12 months ago. Any clues where I can start looking to find the problem?

 

Anyone?

To update, it now seems to be all the time it does this. Just plain sluggish, like it was running at 65-75% of normal when accelerating. And only then, cruising at a certain speed it feels fine. It doesn't jerk, try to slow down, etc. No weird noises, nothing. I hope someone has a suggestion or two before I begin yanking off "the usual" parts trying to find the problem.

 

I hate to be the one to point this out, but you've already answered your own question. The E.G.R. valve is your culprit. It sounds like you're getting to much flow through the E.G.R. valve. That's what's causing the car to stall when you come to a stop. This is probably caused by a faulty E.G.R. solenoid. If you have a car manual, follow the procedures for testing the E.G.R. solenoid. I'm pretty sure that's where the problem originates.

 

Well, the car hasn't done the stalling in a year, just the new problem... However! Since I now recently know that the EGR valve was causing the original problem, I am changing that and the solenoid. Hey, it's 14 years old now, it's gonna go sooner or later(if one or the other isn't broken). I do hope it's the cause of my current issue, but I wanted to see if anyone had a similar experience that wasn't caused by the EGR if it turns out to be ok.

Man oh man, it's such a hassle trying to find a problem. Why couldn't it be easy as pie like the water pouring out of the water pump two weeks ago?

Alright, after that solenoid and valve are replaced, I'll post the results here. Hopefully it'll do the trick. Thanks for the confirmation of what I suspected as a culprit!

 

 

So far, it's not the egr solenoid which is now shiny new.. I'm getting ready to yank the plenum off again and replace the egr valve. While I have it off, is there anything else I should look at that'll be a good bit more accessible with the plenum off?

 

Just any vacuum lines, hoses and electrical wires and connectors that are in the vicinity. Better to check these now with the plenum off than if you're dealing with T.P.I. T.B.I. is a lot more accesible. It's all pretty much precautionary, but you can never be too safe if you know what I mean.

 

Yeah, it seems to be holding a vaccuum, at least it gives off a good hiss when I unplugged the line behind the check valve. However, when it comes off, all the rubber vaccuum lines are getting replaced. Most of those that are routed near the coil, where the check valve is are showing numerous cracks. The hard plastic ones connected to the solenoid looked fine though.

Question... The plenum and runners have a coating of... crap on em, inside. crap being some kinda blackish oily gunk. Not thick, but... When I yank it all off, what can I clean the inside of the plenum/runners with safely? They need to go back on the car the same day too.

Also, there's the... iat, I think, sensor connected to the underside of the plenum. Could that be part of the problem? What can I clean it with as it might have some of this goo on it as well.

 

Carb cleaner should work on both of those parts for cleaning purposes.

 

To 3rd gen vets this may sound stupid but....

Have you checked your cat? Maybe its clogged. Your issues sounds alot like mine, tried alot, even changing the trany fluid.....

Anyway turned out to be a clogged Cat.



My symptoms was

1. Starts fine (runs great for 2 minutes)
2. poor acceleration
3. slightly overheats (slightly higher than normal)
4. Idles fine

 

I was thinking this myself. There were so many posts with similar problems, yet most had a massive variety of causes. However, the clogged cat is something I've been thinking about.

Is there any way to check the cat short of yanking it off the car?

You know, I wouldn't say my car overheats, but without air running or in stop and go traffic, it will get up to 220 or just above. Then the fan kicks in and cools it down some. Of course the car acts like this regardless of the heat, so it can't be heat related at least.

How did you go about checking the cat and how much did a new one cost you?

 

without sounds sarcastic, I just put my hand in back of the car while at idle. It had hardly no exhaust coming out, very little. But when you gave it the gas it felt normal. So my ******* buddy yanked it off ( yelled " git er done" in the process)

I ran a bar straight through it " crank " no more cat.

Although I did get new one installed today matter of fact. Exhuast was just way to loud without it. Cost me $90 installed.

 

Well, certainly sounds like a good way to check it. I'll give it a shot later on, see how it feels. Maybe that's the problem. Thanks for the info!

 

When my cat clogged up I knew it. All I did was look under the car and I couldn't help but notice the red glow coming from it. That kinda sucked,lol.