alright....had some stuttering kinda fluttering RPMs...not necessarily only at idle.....i went home last weekend and worked on it a little..(i changed a bunch of vaacuum lines that were old and dried, i cleaned the IAC with carb cleaner, and went ahead and changed the O2 sensor.) well, i thought it was fixed (i drove 100 miles back to gainesville, no prob), but tonight, the symptoms return! so WTF? should i look elsewhere for a vaacuum leak?(maybe at manifold? or other lines?) is there anything else i can check????? seriously, i'm about to just take it to a mechanic. (of course, im in gainesville, where i dont really know a good mechanic i can trust)

 

Seriously, you have a vacuum leak.
IT's easy. Just go buy 5/16" windshield wiper hose, and start patching the cracks that you locate/caused on the hard plastic tubes.
PERHAPS you may even have to remove the upper intake part to gain better access.
My "new" "T" hose fitting for the EGR (I replaced my old broken one) melted & was screwing vacuum signal to EGR & causing poor idle problems & stalling more in cold air.
Start searching hoses again.
That one by back of distributor is 1/2" heaater hose.
That one sucks to replace.
PS this hose hunt cost is next to nothing.
About $1 or so.
Pays big time dividends in end.

 

aight then...guess ill have to keep pullin some more and replacing them....the ones i did so far were not hardline though...where are these hard plastic ones?

 

ALMOST EVERY VACUUM LINE leading to an engine point, works with the thin hard plastic lines.
They crack easy.
Hard plastic lines ALSO inserted into rubber parts to engine points.
THOSE ARE AGED, too.
How aged, depends on your luck & underhood conditions.
Visit wrecking yards to scope out other V-6 examples for "learning"
Large Time Magazine sized Parts store shop manual (Chiltons) has good diagrams of PVC lines.
BEST SOLUTION
Go to a GM dealer (any!)
Buy the parts counter guy a brew and ask him for the illustrated parts page print out of your engine PVC/EGR lines.
You'll see every answer.
PS pick up the GM performance Parts book too.
MEASLY $6!
Best $6 you'll ever spend!
See what ya can buy for this V-6!

 

alright KED...you are very helpful...i am just a little slow. anyways, i just went down and looked (i know that is not good enough) and the rest of the vacuum lines "looked" ok. I cant really pull my car apart too much up here at college. If i pull that upper intake plenum to gain more access, will i need to replace the gasket?? Also you mentioned the Chiltons manual...I have the Haynes manual and I couldnt find a good diagram in it(so if anyone knows if there is one in it..let me know) also this problem is really on and off...doesnt really do it all the time, you know? makes it damn hard to pinpoint. ummm...ttt

 

yes you do need to replace the gaskett its like 4 bucks or else you will have a vac leak from hell

 

Not being there...
I trace by hand feel the vacuum lines.
Many go under the upper manifold part.
It's a tough call. Doesn't take but a few moments to remove the top for better hose access. Only need flip it over toward passenger, not loosing any previous sensor settings
Where hose damage occurs most is by the exhaust manifold & areas of heat.
Go to a parts store & check out section of manuals or like I said go to dealer & get a printout.

 

guys in the tech/engine board are saying ignition......is that a possibility? the wires do not arc, but i guess i really probably should check my cap and rotor ???

 

Drive to extremley dark area,
keep motor running, open hood.
You'll see any ignition problems instantly.
I used a "new" fitting for "T" section for the EGR.
DUE TO ENGINE HEAT it melted & twisted the "T" engine vacuum signal was compromised.
It caused my EGR to always malfunction.
I fixed/replaced that "T" section & my idle flutter disappeared. Better starting & starting idle speed, too.
Keep searching, your cost could be for free upon problem discovery!!