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1998 pontiac sunfire, jerkiness when sitting still
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MynamesMike
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Aug 11, 2009, 1:56 PM
Post #1 of 15
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1998 pontiac sunfire, jerkiness when sitting still
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I've posted here before about the same car with other problems, got some great answers, now i've got a new problem. My 1998 pontiac sunfire, just recently, ( about 2 days ago) started " jerking" when the car is on, but not moving. When I start the car, whether I put it in drive or leave it in park, the car is " jerking " back and forth slighty, some times more intense than others. I noticed it started one day after I let the tank run low on gas, about down to 1/16 of a tank. It began jerking anytime I allow the car to sit still while on, ( such as at a stop light, or directly after starting it, etc) It doesn't jerk while the car is driving, moving, down the road. Only when It's sitting still but turned on.
It did it for about a day, then when I went to work this morning, It wasn't jerking when I started the car so I was thinking that maybe it sucked in some bad fuel from the bottom of the tank or something. Well, I drove to work ( about 12 miles) then I got to a red light, once I stopped on the red, it began jerking again. I went into work, came out, started it up and again, it was jerking more intensely now, almost felt as if it was going to stall out. I drove home ,(first getting some more gas) then went home, parked in my driveway, and it's still jerking, but not as intensely as it was when I left work.
Also, I've noticed it had some trouble starting in the last few days also, The very first time the jerking started, when it was low on gas, I went to the station, filled up, and it had a tough time starting. Then it started fine for work this morning, and after work, then on the way home, after I got some more gas, it had a tough time starting, not as tough as the first time though.
I have no idea what the problem is, which is why im here As a college student, this car IS my lifeline, without it I have no way to work, no way to class etc. So thank you in advance to anybody who takes the time to read this and give your input.
Thanks guys!!!!
If you need anymore info about the car let me know.
Edit: Also, My check engine light has been on for about 3 weeks now, it will come
on for about a week, then go off for a day or two, then come back on.
Not sure if it's just a faulty light or what.
(This post was edited by MynamesMike on Aug 11, 2009, 1:58 PM)
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Sidom
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/ Moderator
Aug 11, 2009, 2:59 PM
Post #2 of 15
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Re: 1998 pontiac sunfire, jerkiness when sitting still
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That light is for the computer & when it comes on it means there is a malfunction in one of the many systems. Some are more serious than other ones. 1st thing to do would probably get the code pulled & see what it is....
Since this just seems to be an idle problem it might not be a bad idea to gets some throttle body cleaner & clean the throttle body & IAC motor (idle air control), with an old toothbrush or rag and then run it & lightly spray some down the throttle body while feathering the throttle & see if that helps some. If the air filter is dirty while your in there, this would be a good time to change that out. Also if you haven't changed the fuel filter that wouldn't hurt, it's not going to be the cause the problem you're having but it's something you want to keep up on..........
(This post was edited by Sidom on Aug 11, 2009, 3:01 PM)
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MynamesMike
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Aug 11, 2009, 3:10 PM
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Re: 1998 pontiac sunfire, jerkiness when sitting still
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Thanks , appreciate the response.
I don't know much about cars/ repairing cars, so forgive me if this is far off. about a month ago I had my tranny fluid checked at a local quick lube, he told me it was " burnt" but they can't change it there, I would have to take it to the dealer for my specific car model. Could this be causing the problem? anyways, I'll have to get someone to give me a hand with the tips you gave, i'll give em a try later this week and I'll report back here with the results.
Anyone else have some suggestions of what could be the cause of my problem.
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Sidom
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Aug 11, 2009, 3:23 PM
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Re: 1998 pontiac sunfire, jerkiness when sitting still
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No if you were having a tranny problem you would have to be moving to notice it (with a few small exceptions which isn't your case) Once the fluid get burnt to where's black, most shops won't service them. The new fluid can cause the tranny to go all the way out. You may find a Indy willing to do it but probably no chain shop will touch it.
I would start with my earlier suggestion & go from there
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MynamesMike
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Aug 11, 2009, 3:32 PM
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Re: 1998 pontiac sunfire, jerkiness when sitting still
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I will definitely try your suggestions.
About the tranny thing though, the guy at the quick lube said with my specific model, a 98 pontiac sunfire, he told me that these cars were made to ONLY allow the dealership themselves to be able to change the fluid. I don't remember exactly what he said, but he said the dealership is the only place that has the right equipment to change my tranny fluid, I looked it up online and it matched what he said.
apparently pontiac made it so that the only way to change the tranny fluid, is to bring it into pontiac themselves. But ya, sorry to go off topic, i've already got an appointment with pontiac to get that fluid changed so its all good there.
(This post was edited by MynamesMike on Aug 12, 2009, 2:01 AM)
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Sidom
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Aug 11, 2009, 3:59 PM
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Re: 1998 pontiac sunfire, jerkiness when sitting still
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GM has some transmissions that are "sealed" as in there is no dipstick tube to check of fill the transmission but that doesn't mean the dealer is the only place that can service them. There is only a few basic tools need to service them. I'm surprised to hear a "quick lube" shop would turn down a GM sealed tranny. They already have the trans fluid exhange machine....they gotta have an 11mm wrench lying around somewhere to pull the level plug......lol 
Sounds like you got the tranny situation under control so that's good. Good luck with the idle problem & let us know what ya find out....
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Guest
Anonymous Poster
Aug 11, 2009, 4:06 PM
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Re: 1998 pontiac sunfire, jerkiness when sitting still
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Yeah, that's why he said he couldn't change it, it was a " special " kind with no dipstick, so he said bring it to the dealer.
Anyways, thanks for the help man, appreciate it alot.
Still looking for input from other people, not that I don't trust one person, but I like to get multiple views on the problem, so that when i have someone who knows what their doing look at it, I can tell them a few different things i've heard that could be causing it.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Aug 11, 2009, 8:58 PM
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Re: 1998 pontiac sunfire, jerkiness when sitting still
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You've already gotten good advice. Nobody is going to jump in here if you are already being advised correctly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Guest
Anonymous Poster
Aug 12, 2009, 2:06 AM
Post #9 of 15
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Re: 1998 pontiac sunfire, jerkiness when sitting still
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It could be your spark plugs, I would go ahead and replace those and see what happens. Also, you said you ran the tank pretty low, if your car is older, you may have sucked some dirty gas in the lines, next time yous start your car, rev it up high in neutral, try to get some new gas through the lines.
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MynamesMike
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Aug 12, 2009, 2:17 AM
Post #11 of 15
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Re: 1998 pontiac sunfire, jerkiness when sitting still
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I'll go ahead and try to change the plugs, see if that helps. Now, I don't know much about cars, but I doubt revving it up would be any help. I've driven nearly 50 miles since I filled up the tank, that should have easily gotten " new gas" through the lines.
And, "Hammertime" , the reason I ask for more than one persons imput is because people can be wrong. I use multiple auto-forum sites, and both others have mentioned that it could be multiple things. For me, not knowing much about repairing / fixing vehicles, I can't go by just what one person says and start taking things apart / repairing things. Simply because I don't know what I'm doing, I'd like to be 100% sure what the problem is, before I take the risk of attempting to fix it myself, rather than me potentially screwing stuff up more that never needed to be touched.
Edit: I woke up this morning and checked the other sites, someone has also mentioned cleaning the throttle body on both others, so now I can be pretty safe that that's the problem. If anyone could explain the situation to me, is this hard? Do I need to remove anything from the car to do this?
(This post was edited by MynamesMike on Aug 12, 2009, 2:22 AM)
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Aug 12, 2009, 2:29 AM
Post #12 of 15
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Re: 1998 pontiac sunfire, jerkiness when sitting still
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Don't worry, if the mastertech is wrong with the advice he gave you without even looking at your car, we'll give you a full refund for the advice.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Aug 12, 2009, 2:31 AM
Post #13 of 15
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Re: 1998 pontiac sunfire, jerkiness when sitting still
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It could be your spark plugs, I would go ahead and replace those and see what happens. Also, you said you ran the tank pretty low, if your car is older, you may have sucked some dirty gas in the lines, next time yous start your car, rev it up high in neutral, try to get some new gas through the lines.
Mr guest, in the future if you want to give advice, you need to register and log in so you can be identifed for this poor advice
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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MynamesMike
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Aug 12, 2009, 2:41 AM
Post #14 of 15
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Re: 1998 pontiac sunfire, jerkiness when sitting still
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Well, Instead of coming in here being sarcastic, if you agree with " sidom " maybe you could have confirmed that the throttle body is indeed the problem, would've helped me more than being " funny"
I understand you guys don't have access to my car, and are doing this out of generosity on your own time, all I'm trying to do by waiting for more implies is try to be more confident that the throttle body is the problem Before I start taking stuff apart. After all , this is still the internet, I can't trust the first person I hear from, unless I hear the same answer from multiple people, It would be stupid of me to come on here, listen to the first advice I get without anything else backing it up, and start making a mess.
I just like to be sure.
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Loren Champlain Sr
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Aug 12, 2009, 12:02 PM
Post #15 of 15
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Re: 1998 pontiac sunfire, jerkiness when sitting still
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Mike; You are right. We are here FOR FREE, giving the best advice we can without having the vehicle in our presence.
We can only go by what 'YOU' tell us. If you are looking for a definitive answer, then spend the money and have it diagnosed. We can only go from experience in what we've 'seen' from your symptoms. When was the last time you had the injection system cleaned? And, I'm not talking about the snake oil that you pour in the tank. An actual injection service? Sidom's advice was right on. Take it, or leave it.
With that said, the very first thing I'd check would be the fuel filter, fuel pressure and volume, then the IAC and cleaning the injection. The fuel pump is in the fuel tank. It depends on fuel to keep it cool. You run the tank low, the pump gets hot. It is an electrical pump. Anything electrical does not like heat. Never let the tank get below 1/8. Better, yet, not below 1/4. Water is heavier than gasoline. It will go to the bottom of the tank and just sit there. Guess what? You get low on fuel, duh.
Loren
SW Washington
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