new strange engine behavior

I have a 92 plymouth voyager with the 3.3 engine, 134k miles. It's
recently developed a new problem. When pulling out of our
neighborhood, it sort of sputters and doesn't want to go. Usually, we
pull over and put the car in park. I gun the engine a little. When
the rpm is low, it sputters, but when it fights to get over, say,
1000rpm, it sounds good again. After dropping back down to idle, it
idles fine, it sputters again after a little gas, then as the needle
climbs, it's better above 1000rpm. After warming up, the problem goes
away (quickly). Any ideas?

brian

 

Not sure if it could be the same on a 3.3, but my 3.0 had similar issue once
and turned out to be a coolant temperature sensor. Replaced for about 10
bucks and problem went away. I Found this by pulling the codes using the key
method which indicated 'engine too cold'.

 

You'll need to pull codes as it could be almost anything. Start with simple.
Dirty throttle body, broken vacum line (especially to pcv) etc. Other
things, map sensor, O2 sensor, coolant sensor, and so on. Even as simple as
bad plugs, wires or coil pack.
Larry

 

I'll give it a shot. There's no check engine light when this is
happening though, so i think there's no code.

brian

 

Although there CEL does not illuminate, good change a "pending" code
may be set, meaning something is still barely within specs, or
temporarily goes out of spec but not long enough for the system to
consider it a true problem, yet.

Don't know off-hand if the OBD system on a '92 records pending codes.
Also don't know if the OBD interrogation units they use at Autozone
can access the pending codes, but it may be worth a shot to find out.

 

I had the same problem. Turned out to be bad contact at a sensor
connector. Just disconnect and reconnect a few times and the problem
should go away. I don't know which one was faulty because I did it to
all of them. Good luck and I hope your headlight doors always open.
Mine didn't.