PontiacBonnevilleClub.com

Ok, so this weekend, my 02 SE started hiccupping at high speeds, then as I kept driving, it started coughing/choking/sputtering, and finally died at a stop light. Would not run after restarting until it sat for 15 minutes. Then it would chug along for a few miles then die again....NO SES/SVS or other lights. Took it to mechanic. Scan showed the range for the throttle position sensor was way off. Replaced sensor. No other codes. Drove car 10 miles on highway and issues returned. Any ideas? fuel pump? fuel filter? timing belt?

Mechanic also pulled a plug and said it looked good and the wires were all in good shape too. He spent about 10 minutes just looking around the engine, etc....but, of course, the car ran fine when it was there.....

How old is your fuel filter? If you haven't had it changed, I would. Not only is it good general maintenance, it rules it out as the culprit.

Unplug the maf sensor connection. If your car starts and runs "normally", you have a bad maf. If you start your car and it sputters, keep trying, it will learn to run without the maf. Then see if it quits while driving.

just to clarify, once it learns to run without the maf connected I am to drive it while it is unconnected......

Yes, it will run on the defalt fuel tables. If it runs with no issues, then a new MAF is in order. If it has the same issues, then MAF is not the problem.

DebinNY wrote:just to clarify, once it learns to run without the maf connected I am to drive it while it is unconnected......

And to further clarify, if it starts and idles and runs like what you would consider normal for how it was running, it is most definitely the maf. On a car that has a working maf, it will not run right for a little while if it is unplugged.

fuel filter is about 2 years old, looks rusted....guess I'll be getting that replaced....

Deb, if you're at all handy: http://www.pontiacbonnevilleclub.com/fo ... 45&t=23215

I would guess its the MAF as well. I just made this for another lady friend this evening: http://www.pontiacbonnevilleclub.com/fo ... 18&t=26286

Ok, so I unplugged the MAF, it started and ran as it has been, kinda hard to start and a bit rough...so, I assume it needs a new MAF. Wonderful. Also, when I took the engine cover off, I noticed that some vacuum hoses that I KNOW used to be there are now gone and a bolt now sits there instead. I have pics but I dont know how to attach them here....

DebinNY wrote: I have pics but I dont know how to attach them here....

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=146

THANK YOU 01BONNESC!!!!

Went to Autozone and got some MAF cleaner and a security torx bit set....cleaned the MAF....it may have run a bit better, but no real change.

Any comments on the photos of the MIA vacuum hoses?

DebinNY wrote:Went to Autozone and got some MAF cleaner and a security torx bit set....cleaned the MAF....it may have run a bit better, but no real change.

Any comments on the photos of the MIA vacuum hoses?

Go to a local junkyard and see if you can get a used maf. Cleaning a flaky maf won't fix it.
As far as the bolt in the vacuum line goes, someone with a NA engine will have to chime in.

I have an '02 SLE that is N/A I will get a few pics of mine in a few and post. I just had my engine out and that hose I know for sure did not have anything connected to it. but it didnt have a bolt coming out of the top of it either that I remember...

I went to a u-pull yard this morning, alfter wandering around for over 2 hours and nearly dropping dead from heat exhaustion, I got a used MAF. Put it in the car, and drive less than 3 miles and it started choking out.....loss of power when accelerating, etc....but it did not die. I proceeeded to drive home, stop and go traffic lights, etc., and as I drove it seemed to be running better. Later I will go down and clean the replacement MAF and see what happens.

I was looking around my engine, and I couldnt find the PCV...where is it??? lol Also, which way does the air filter go in the box? with the accordian side facing the box or the airway to the engine? (I checked to make sure it was a new one as I couldnt remember if I replaced it, I only remembered buying it! LOL)

PCV is inside the intake manifold under a cover. Tp of the passenger side. Will look for a picture to add.

Air filter goes in with the acordian side AWAY from the engine.

PCV is in here (borrowed from tech info article):http://www.pontiacbonnevilleclub.com/fo ... =53&t=3591

Air filter goes in with the acordian side AWAY from the engine.

Good cuz that is how mine is....lol...I'm going nuts trying to figure out wtf is wrong with this car!

Sounds promising the maf might fix that part. Give it some more miles to learn. The fact that it feels like it is running better is key. If your old maf wasn't bad, it wouldn't feel any different when replaced.