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Old October 21st 04, 02:16 AM
Dave D.
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I have a 1997 Saturn SL1. Two weeks after buying it used in 2000 I had
a terrible missfire. Got home, found a bad spark plug wire, change
them out and everything was okay for 3 years. Then about a year ago I
had the miss-fire with moderate throttle. I changed the plug and wires
and all was okay again until about 6 months ago. The car is fine when
cold for about 5 minutes and then starts to buck, if I go lightly on
the throttle it smooths out again. Since I don't drive it too far I
have been living with it for several months. You know accelerate
briskly and then back way off on the gas and it is okay. I have
changed the plug wires and plugs (NKG) and still no good. Cleaned the
EGR, throttle body with no luck. Upgraded from new stock wires to
Accell 8MM and bosch platimum plugs. Still no good. I have a code
reader and intermittently it pulls the code (forget the number, think
for crank sensor) for the sensor my SL1 does not have. I tried
reducing the spark plug gap from 40 to 32, still no good. I have a
timing light and one interesting thing is that I get a good signal at
idle but the timing light goes intermitent and even stops flashing for
lenghty periods at higher rpms. (Checked my other vehicle and the
strobe flashes at all engine speeds. Next I put a plug wire on a plug
resting on the engine block and the spark is indeed there at all
speeds. Guess just too week for the stobe pick-up. Last thing I tried
yesterday evening was to open the spark gap to 45 thou. This morning
was the first time my car has not jerked and hesitated on the way to
work in months. It did do some minor bucking on the way home but the
wife says it was okay for her tonight. Crossing my fingers on this one
as I need to get GOVN't emmissions test soon.
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