Pontiac Bonneville Engine Surging Problems
I have a 2000 Bonneville SSEI with 60,000 miles and I am experiencing a engine surging issue. While on cruise control at 60MPH everything is fine untill you start up a mild to moderate grade and the RPM's start surging from 2000 to 1500 back and fourth and the vehicle starts bucking but if yuo take the car out of drive into third the problem stops with the higher RPM's. This vehicle has recieved a new fuel pump, TPS, and new coil packs as one was corroded and I recently changed plugs and wires. Any Ideas? Help please.
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However the lockup has nothing to do with going in or out of 4th gear, commonly called overdrive. And the lockup is not 100% on the 4T65E's. It varies in percent of lockup to give the great power variation and the smoothness this transmission has. The lack of total lockup smooths engine vibrations that might be sensed at lower engine rpms and higher load.
There may be a problem with the control valve for the lockup percent control. There may be a problem with a sensor. That sensor could be with the motor or transmission. The sensor could be as simple as one that tells the PCM not to lockup the torque converter because the motor is too cool or too hot.
The car needs to be checked for trouble codes and I don't know if transmission trouble codes show on the Actron type readers they use at Autozone or Advance Auto. But it would be worth a shot. Those people are great and gracious as long as you don't come in at a typical rush hour for them so a counter person is free to come out to your car and do it. I suggest getting the codes, if any, and not buying any fixit parts. Come back to a forum and run the codes by someone who can troubleshoot what it means and save you putting on unecessary parts.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Another is a spark plug wire touching the oxygen sensor. Move so it doesn't touch.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
You also didn't mention how many miles. That can help.
Another factor on lots of cars is the battery sometimes have bad cells, or broken connectors internally, and MOST often the connection of cables at the battery is corroded. The positive cables on some H-bodies at double; there's one on top of the other. The corrosion between them can keep the top one from getting proper power. It varies with humidity, temperature, etc. Also the cables can have battery acid eat into the copper down inside the plastic insulation. You need to slice the insulation down a little ways to take a look. IN an extreme case battery acid from a seep around the side terminals actually had wicked all the way down the positive cable to the starter and affected the connection at the bottom end.
You can make your computer read out the codes since you have ALDC 1. You can use a code reader but ALL you have to do is connect a paperclip between terminals A and B on the connector under the dash close to the steering wheel. The letters for the connections are in the black plastic next to the openings. Then turn the key to ON. The radiator fans and other things will turn on in diagnostic mode to show that they can work. The Check Engine light will flash 1 then 2, and repeat that for a total of three times. Code 12 is normal. It's a check for the computer. Then the system will flash codes for any others it has in the memory. Write them all down. When it's done with codes it returns to the 1-2 code.
I would turn off the heater system before I did this, along with radio, wipers, etc.
Remember a code doesn't mean a bad part there. It means a symptom. It takes diagnosis.
Another thing that could be wrong with a 16 year old car and especially in some climates is the crankshaft position sensor. It's next to the balancer on the 9 o-clock or 3 o'clock position. Some people splash cold water on them when they suffer a hot shutdown and strange restarts. Cooling it makes it work again.
You might have a camshaft sensor where a magnet moves past a sensor to tell the computer what position the camshaft is at.
You might have a problem with the ground buss on the driver's side of the car under the door sill plastic just where it meets the front A-pillar. If you are in a wet climate where salt and moisture are carried into the car onto the carpet in that area keeping it wet in the winter, sometimes the metal buss bar corrodes. But you didn't mention any other problems such as electric door locks not working, or seat, or windows, or AC system turning on or going into default mode at times....
That's some things to look at.
Start with the easiest. Plugs within last 30K miles? Proper wires OEM quality? Within last 3-4 years?
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
If it starts quickly that's a good sign you've got a problem with the fuel pump and the pressure valve.
The camshaft sensor is different than the crankshaft sensor. The symptoms worry me. They could be the ISC, the part that controls the three coil packs. Some people have had trouble with them.
Don't throw parts at it. At 188,000 miles you can have many problems. But most likely you have one problem.
The transmission could be the problem. Without driving it I can't tell. Does it do it when left in 3rd gear?
I'll send a longer list of things to your email box that's a part of Edmunds. Your user name plus carspace.com is your address. You access it in the gray bar across the top of each page has white text. The third from the right is your mailbox. You should be able to read an email from me there. Then you can respond here in the forum.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
You may have to clean your MAF or IAC if you didn't do that while the throttle body was off.
Check your screws holding down the UIM but don't overtighten them. They're supposed to be some low amount of inch-pounds--I'm thinking near 90 but don't trust my number.
Did you put both o-rings on the PCV valve. One at the top and one on the bottom. If not it sucks a lot of air from the crankcase. With the motor running take off the oil filler cap and see if you're getting a noticeable large volume of air flow.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I found out it had a leaking lower intake manifold gasket. When boost was positive, oil, water and air could leak out slightly, due to the pressure, confusing the engine control module.
Fixed the gasket and the surge went away !
I have similar issues with my 99 pont. Bonn sse, no turbo. 140k miles
I have changed plugs, wires, o2, tbs, and even went as far as replacing valve seals in the motor.
It runs ok, starts every morning gets me to point Ato B no problem, but does surge (misfire, buck, lack of power), and I notice this happens when I try to accelerate on a on ramp around 35-45mph ( I can hear a clicking ping sound almost like its coming from the exhaust) and when my cruise control is on 70, its surging( bucking, loss of power) more often now.
I am burning oil, but not leaking anything, this is driving me nuts.
I have talked with a few techs, and one was telling me that the exhaust system gets clogged which can cause these issues. My engine light is on, the code is for cylinder 6 mis firing, now when I pulled out the spark plug , its bad, really bad, corroded burned out (it only had 10k miles on it).
Another thing I noticed is, I replaced my oil cap with an after market brand that dosent seem to fit perfect, maybe this is my issue, yeh right, but a 3 dollar part sure beats an engine rebuild. I love this car and dont want another car payment at this point in my life.
next time this happens im going to hit the brake and gas at the same time to see if it stops, also will try driving in 3rd gear to feel if it stops.
Wondering if maybe I have a few issues, clogged exhaust, bad gasket (wishful thinking) or does it sound like the motor needs rebuilt??
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Dan
My car did the same thing, it started out this way, after about a year it got worse. These are my symptoms
1. engine light on (cylinder 6 misfire) 2 more I need to look up
2. excessive smoke out of exhaust
3. burning oil, not leaking, I dont see anything on the ground (a quart every 2wks)
4. 3rd gear still hesitates, also when I try brake and gas @ same time, still hesitates, Its now hesitating in neutral after I start up in the morning.
5. started out hesitating only a couple of times, progressively is getting worse after a yr.
6. spark plugs are shot after only 20k, in cylinder 6, I will check the other ones
7. I have tried several after market products (slick 50) when I change the oil, helps a little bit
8. I have cleaned and tightened up my battery connections, they needed it
9. Oil cap, is a aftermarket, that dosent seem to fit tight.
10.I haven't noticed if it hesitates when Im in reverse, dont go fast enough
11. I also can hear a pinging noise ( on rare occasions) when trying to accelerate on a on ramp, like a piston ring going bad, but it seems like its coming from the exhaust.
I have done all routine maintanence, plugs, wires, sensors (map, o2)
I believe from everything I have read its the lower intake manifold gasket leaking, finally causing the control sensor to go nuts which would explain the surging, the oil burning, plugs going bad, slick 50 helping a little bit.
I think the exhaust is also finally backed up or clogged somewhere.
I will try to get it done in the next couple of days and post the results.
Thanks for everyone help on this one
Dan
Replace with quality OEM type and AC Delco spark plug.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,