99 SE is bucking and jerking in first gear pretty bad, especially when cold. After I let the clutch out and sometimes during, (and no, it's not because I don't know how to let the clutch out) and try to accelerate, it has sudden and very brief moments of power loss and then it comes back. I don't think it's the fuel becuase it's very sudden, if it was fuel it would fade in and out I think. I think it may have something to do with the ignition system.
So far I have changed the air, fuel filters, knock sensor and spark plugs. It's really annoying because sometimes it so bad that it actually chirps the tires.
Any and all suggestions are appreciated - thanks.

 

codes???? bu **** probably your motor mounts.

 

when my car did this it was the harness by the pass side strut tower. when the engine would move the smallest bit like while transferring power to the wheels the harness would flex & the bad connection inside would short and it would bog down and than rev up like bucking, the car would bounce and once it started it would perpetuate itself because of the bouncing until I took it out of gear. I havent had the time to check every wire in my harness yet so I cant tell you which one it is but I managed to re rout the harness slightly for the time being giving the engine more room to move without flexing the wire and I turned the 90degree turn the harness goes through to 2 45deg turns in attempts to lessen the problem until I have a chance to fix it properly. bang and try to flex the harness with the car idling and maybe you can produce symptoms like a stumble in the idle or something. I had almost the same problems I felt like everyone thought I didnt know how to drive stick. it almost made me sell the max because I couldnt find the culprit. but when I re-routed it and the symptoms went away for the time being I remembered how much I like to drive the car when it runs well. so if I happen to narrow the culprit down Ill post. good luck hope your problem is something easier.

 

no codes. It can't be the motor mounts making the tires chirp, it must be something electrical.

I'll check that out, thanks- but it actually does it under light throttle, when I punch it, it doesn't do that.

I also just read that it might be the coil packs sparking through the boots onto the cylinder head. Taping them with electrical tape seems to solve the problem. I'll give that a try and post results.

 

is it possible that its a tranny prob? how many miles are on the tranny?

 

Don't think it's a tranny. It has 107K on it. It would have a different feeling if it was the tranny. The RPMs actually drop suddenly and then go back up.

 

OK, today I replaced all the coils (used but good) and it's still the same. Lately it's even been doing it in 2nd and 3rd gears too.
Do you guys think it could be the fuel pump cutting off, maybe going bad??
I have run out of ideas. I may replace the MAF next.

 

i am leading more toward maf and/or coils..... try unplugging ur maf and plug it back in and see what happens.. did that to me once and this is how i fxed it

 

My vote is on the TPS. Try checking and adjust if necessary.

 

+1


The tps should only malfunction when heated up. Unless it's way off or if it's just short circuiting.

If the tps checks out... as in..... after warm it get's 500 ohms closed and 4000 ohms when open, i'd look at your maf.