99 SL engine trouble

[Assist_M0nk]

yeh this is my first car, and i'm only 17, its a 5 speed manual, whenever im in neutral it sputters, like the rpms will drop n come bak real fast. also when i accelerate it sputters some times, and it also sputters at the bottom or top of gears.. aaaghh im sooo lost n confused!!! i already put in new spark plugs which helped but it still sputters some

[mysatilac]

Since plugs helped I'm going to suggest plug wires,

To check them before you spend the 30-35 bucks on a new set,
use a multimeter on ohms to check for infinite resistance
The resistance should be below 12,000 OHMs, which in my experience is high,

Here are a few more good suggestions that could really help,

Originally Posted by peppermrj

Preventitive maintence is something I try to do ahead of time but when a problem arises sometimes it will also cure it.
PM for your mileage would be to
Run fuel injector cleaner (chevron with techron) thru a couple tanks
Replace fuel filter OEM (saturnparts.net or .com)
Replace the ECT with OEM brass tipped updated sensor (same source^)
Clean the throttle body,IAC valve, and egr valve.

Bad plugs or wires definitely show up under load. I think that new plugs and injector cleaner might be all you need.
a miss is usually electrical while a hesitation is A/F related

Came from this thread about hesitation during acceleration This One

What kinda Plugs did you put in? were they gapped correctly? all the wire boots click on good? correct firing order?
If looking at the front of the engine the order of the cylinders is read left to right (1)(2)(3)(4) on the coil pack the wires go to (4)(1)(2)(3)

Good Luck with it

[sierrap615]

not bad, Mysat, your really starting to know your stuff.

i would also add look for rust and corrision around the coil packs. do you still have the old plugs? how did they look? fouled?

the poor idle in neutral has me wondering....excessive carbon buildup in the intake? bad ECT? whats your idle speed?

[mysatilac]

Thanks, this forum with your help is almost as good as UTI (I wish) definitely cheaper

Good suggestions, I meant to ask about the old plugs