so my engine is stuttering.. in every gear if i get on the gas more than like 15% throttle the engine stutters, and my car feels like its lurching a bit. and also when my car is idling, my exhaust sounds like its almost backfiring. i am getting no CEL's either. anyone have any ideas?

 

Clean your MAF, clean your throttle body, replace spark plugs, and replace your fuel filter if you haven't done so already.

 

it could be your KS especially cuz you said you have no codes. try and pull them anyway but the backfiring at idle sounds like a miss. i would check the values on the coils.

 

Id check your MAF.

 

Could be coil packs. Your car does NOT have to throw any codes for it to be a coil pack. I know this from experience when my car started showing the same symptoms as you described.

 

if it is the coil packs you'll get a misfire code and the knock sensor will show a code as well.....move coil packs around to see if the misfire follows the change in cylinder....

 

go to advanced or autozone and check codes. probably KS or a coil pack.
i had the same problem. like THE SAME PROBLEM. changed the KS and cylinder 5 CP and the problem went away

 

If the coilpack is 100% bad, then yes chances are you'll get a CEL. If the coilpack is still working, but dying (failing at WOT for example), a CEL may not come up. I know this from experience, take it FWIW.

And just to clarify, the KS may throw a code, but it does NOT trigger a CEL, ever. The user has to check for the KS code manually.




Mr. Duck, although you don't have a CEL, did you check for codes anyway? (for the KS code)

When is the last time you checked/replaced the spark plugs?

Is your Max a '99 by chance?

My hunch says spark plugs, coilpacks, injectors, or MAF.

 

My guess is MAF as well, but how does someone go about checking it. Like taking it off and inspecting for dirt etc.?

 

Dave- does your RPM still go up?
mine does, but no power, until WHAM! it kicks in and shifts (A/T).
Ive got a CEL now from my o2, as well as the KS. one of these days Ill replace both pieces, but for now they are sitting waiting to be installed.

 

easiest way to see if its the ks is to rig up a 470k resistor in the ks harness. you can get 5 of them at radio shack for 99 cents. slap one of those in and that way you can use the process of elimination