98 Grand Am engine miss

[ice91785]

I have a 98 2.4L Grand AM SE...

When I start up my car, throw it in gear, and take off it runs just dandy...but for whatever reason, if I come to a complete stop within about 200 yards of where I started it, it starts to miss and sputter (once in a while it will even stall). But, then it will just catch again and run smooth for the rest of the drive.

It is only when its cold, in other words, and only the first complete stop after starting. I have thown in 2 bottles of injector cleaner over the past 6000 miles (one every 3000 or so) and I ran a diagnostic to check my fuel system and ignition system (everything is A-O.K. in that dept).

You guys have any other ideas?

[xeroinfinity]

may be the TSS sensor in the trans. going out, but most likly its in the plug/wires area. When was ur last tune up?

[ice91785]

I have an IDI system so I dont have plug wires. Anyway, I just replaced the plugs, and put new coil housing in, new air filter and new fuel filter...and as i said before used 2 bottles of fuel system cleaner over the past 5000-6000 miles. Still no help....

[xeroinfinity]

its the TSS sensor. Its in the transmission. \,,/

[ice91785]

the TSS sensor huh? Are you sure...It seems pretty simple of a problem for it to be a transmission sensor....but I guess I am probably wrong.

[deb789]

Hey guys, Do you have to recieve a check engine light if it is the tss sensor?

[Ridenour]

Originally Posted by deb789

Hey guys, Do you have to recieve a check engine light if it is the tss sensor?

Not necessarily. It would depend on what the fault was.

I agree; it could the Torque Converter Stall speed, or it could also be your Throttle Position Sensor. It's most likely one of these.

[ice91785]

well my check engine light isn't on...and apparently i am having problems in the area. So, there's ur answer deb

Anyway, how does one check a sesnor...to see if its good or not (if a diagnostic won't check for u)

[Ridenour]

If you use a Haynes or Chilton manual, it should have the voltage for the sensor that it should read as; but for a TPS it is usually hard to properly test it. The reason they go bad is because water gets inside the housing and affects the throttle position readout, and the amount / position of water varies as the housing heats up / cools down; ect. My advice would be to spend the 20-30 $ on a new TPS and install it. Even if it wasn't the culprit, after 7 years it's probably near time for a new one anyways. It's one of those things you'll have to replace eventually.