Hesiatation In Acceleration? HELP!!!!!!!!!!!

[firebirdycamaro]

I was Driving home from VA Beach and after filling up my tank my car started acting real funny. It reminded me of an old cartoon where it spudders and spits as it hops along. When i operate cruise control, heavy acclearte, moderate accelerate, pretty much anything my car does except not accelerating, it will spudder and knock and shake! Ive drive the Redline Fuel injector cleaner and still have no luck with fixing my problem. The SES light is activated. My Car is a 1996 3.8L V6 with 48,000 Miles on it. What i noticed, or maybe i just paymore attention at that time, is that it happens in the higher engine temperatures. 180-210*F. You think my car just needs a tune up?
Thanks For Looking and Your Feedback,
Scott

[tacoma man.]

yes you may just need plugs and wires. that would probaly be the cheapest and easiest aproach. and if that dont fix it, the probelm may be in your fuel injection system or the ignition system.

[yz85guy]

have you ranout all the gas you put in ?if so it may have had water in it ,go to any parts store & get some denatured alcohol.1qt.will do it .if that doesnt fix it try your fuel filter .jimmy

[99onI95]

I had the same problem with my firebird. I stopped by and had my car put on the computer for $70 just to hear the mechanic tell me about a random misfire. I could have figured that by the way it run. He told me for $480 he could do a major tune up. I then asked would he guarnatee a fix. He told me no. I told him I myself could do his major tune up of plugs, wires, fuel filter for about $110 and that he was a rip off artist.

I then had the car put on the GM tech 2 for free at a local transmission shop. It told me that cylinder 3 wasn't firing. I drove the spittin and sputterin car home. After about 20 mins. of pushing floor jacks around and jacking and rejacking the car due to the ground effects I was able to discover the problem. Cylinder 3's plugwire was completely in two. I spent a couple of hours this weekend putting on new plug wires. Not the worlds most easiest thing to do because of the tight space and GM's terrific idea of running the plug wires so close to the manifolds. Trust me your looking at some engine cool down time before trying this.

Before doing it myself I asked a local shop how much plugs and wires would cost installed. Even though I've replaced plenty of plugs and wires before they were usually on classics like mustangs and mopars. Plus, I wasn't sure of the distributorless ignition system. The quote was $280 + tax. As I see it I saved myself $200. Plugs and wires cost me $100.

If your car was running similar to mine I hope plugs and wires solve your problem if not your probably looking at an injector that needs replacing. Good luck!

[wvemt55866]

go to auto zone and get them to do an obd2 test on the ecm.... sounds like a mis fire or probably a fuel filter try the tune up and replace the fuel filter should help alot