Re: engine hesitating

[Formeister@domain.elided]

Karl,

If the car runs better above 3000 than from a dead stop I doubt it's a fuel 
filter as the cars going to require more fuel at 3K than when starting from a 
stop (unless you're flooring it).  If your gas mileage is down sounds like 
all the fuel's getting there, it's just not being burnt.  When's the last 
time the plugs were changed?  What about plug wires?  Distributor Cap & 
Rotor?  These are cheap, essential p.m's that must be done on every car.  If 
you don't know and the car has more than 50K on the clock it's time!  See 
"Jeff's GTV6 Lives" in A-D 1312.  I had a bad plug wire an a one year old V-8 
car (embarrassed to say what it was) that experienced the same problem you're 
having, couldn't believe it was a plug wire 'till I saw the service bulletin. 
 If you have access to an inductive timing light with long enough leads you 
can carefully hook it up to each plug wire and then drive the car while 
pulling the trigger, looking at the strobe and the road (without getting 
nauseous) to see if that particular plug's getting juice.

Good Luck,

Not an expert - Frank Formeister 
 
>  I am experiencing a problem during acceleration in my 164L. It seems that
>  in first gear the engine lacks power and shakes until about 3000 rpms.
>  Above 3000, it runs beautifully, and regains power. In other gears such as
>  4th and 5th, while drifting or maintaining constant velocity it is fine,
>  but if I accelerate, even above 3000 it shaked (not too violently, but
>  noticeable). Also (I have trouble describing this), the exhaust system
>  sounds like a harley, in that it emits a very low frequency (~6Hz) berp. I
>  don't think it has always sounded that way, although I don't generally
>  stand right next to my exhaust pipe.
>  
>  The hesitation I thought might have been due to a clogged fuel filter or a
>  defective fuel pump. I did run out of gas once, becuase I underestimated
>  the gas consumption at 110 mph. Fortunately I was a block from home.
>  Another time, I let the car sit in cold weather with a mostly empty tank,
>  which could have caused the formation of water in the tank. I put dry gas
>  in before driving the car again.
>  I also seem to be getting poor gas mileage although not positive. that
>  might be due to the snow.
>  
>  if anyone has any suggestions, please let me know.
>  thanks,
>  
>  karl

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