Hello all im brand new to this forum as a member but have been floating around as a nonmember for awhile now and i have a problem that i believe needs to be addressed sooner than later

To start off let me describe my car its a 1991 camaro rs 3.1 v6 with 90,xxx original miles i bought her about 6 months ago and have loved every minute of owning this car

My problem im having with the car is for some reason some times when im driving at any speed the speedometer drops then begins to jump around which doesnt really bother me what does bother me is that while it does this i feel a loss in power and the car begins to surge

i would appreciate any advice that is givin to me its not running rough enough to consern me to bad with it but i would rather have her running better than worse

 

The surging to me sounds like a fuel issue. Have you changed the fuel filter? I also have a 91 V6 and I had to change the fuel pump. Hopefully your pump isn't going bad.
Have you done a tune up?

 

i havnt changed it yet but i did buy a new one im not sure if its a fuel problem because its not a always occouring thing only sometimes

 

Well, the only way to know for sure is to change the filter. It may or may not help. Next, I would maybe change out the coil and check the distributor cap and rotor button for wear. If it is not a fuel or fire problem, I don't know what else it could be.

Oh, and check for codes!

 

distributor cap rotor plugs and wires are brand new it does have a error 32 code for egr that i think is being caused by a exhaust leak on the pass side and im not sure if that would mess with it

 

I had the same leak on mine. I replaced the EGR but I never had any codes because of it, just an annoying tick. I found a less-expensive EGR on ebay for like $40 (I think). I do remember having to close off the manifold where the EGR sits before I replaced it. I took the bad EGR apart and welded the holes in the base shut. This solved the leak but while it was running it would try to shut off when the smog pump would try to turn on. This might be the loss of power you are describing.

All this was done while the car was sitting in a garage, so I don't know what it would have felt like while driving.

 

ill take a look into it i appriciate the advice

 

Any update? I am having the same issue on 2000 3.8.

 

1st off I kind of have to be rude for a minute. To chops1sc, Man I would like to know why it is that you think the fuel is causing the speedometer to jump around. Think about that... That makes no sense. I realize that you are trying to help, but if you do not know what you are talking about, it would be better to not say anything and possibly cause someone to spend more money than what they need to. I really am not trying to be an a** even though it may seem so. I am just trying to make a point and get through to you.
Now for the issue at hand. If your speedo is jumping around and the car is jerking and losing power, that is very well most likely your voltage regulator in the alternator. I am pretty sure that if you pay a little closer attention when it does this, all the gauges are jumping around. Your voltometer is most likely dropping to about 9 volts. If it is just jerking and losing power(without any of the dials moving other than RPM), then yes it would most likey be the EGR circuit. That is a common problem on all the Camaros. Anotherr very common problem is the plenum(most models.. being made of plastic) busts and starts pumping water into your cylinders. Most of the 3.1 & 3.8 motors have a plastic plenum, and if you let it slightly run hot even once, it will cause it to crack. So DO NOT LET IT HAPPEN, by all means. But for your problem, I am sure that if you change the voltage regulator your problem will be solved. If you need anymore help, I am more than willing to give you my advice. I have been all the way through almost every model camaro and can tell you just about anything you need to know. Good Luck to you.
I would like to also add... If it is showing the code for the EGR circuit, do not just run out and start buying parts. The parts for that circuit can be expensive. First check all your vacuum lines and tubing across the whole motor. Check your O2 sensors with the computer and see what they are reading. You may have to get someone that is very knowledgable of them to do it, but you can check them and see if they are causing your problem. You just have to know what your are looking for. They can sometimes cause you problems, and not be throwing a code. Sometimes a simple cleaning fixes the problem. This can be done with transmission fluid and various other products. The EGR circuit does run off vacuum and a pinhole leak can cause major disruptions. Everything on a camaro is so precise that even the slightest change can cause a lot of problems. A very common problem is dry-rotted vacuum lines, and nobody thinks to check those. Always, always check the simplest things first and work from there. Overthinking a problem or situation can cause you endless amounts of money for nothing.

 

I didn't say the fuel issue was causing the speedo problem. I said the SURGING sounded like a fuel issue. And yes, you tried and succeeded to seem like an ***, LOL! By the way, nice job digging up an old thread to make your first post....

 

This was pretty much the first comment that I came to and nobody had given this guy an answer to help him pinpoint the problem, and I do like to help out anyone I can. As far as me trying to be an a**, I really wasn't. I do un-intentionally come off that way sometimes. Yet I do have to say that I worded some of that in the correct manner. I have found that putting someone on the spot, and being rude, helps get through to people and help them remember in the future. I am sorry for being a little extreme. Now I know what you said, and yes that would possibly be the cause of the problem if it wasn't for the speedo hand jumping. I was looking at the whole problem.