So I've replaced plugs and wires and even the coil. Before, I would get an intermittent CEL and I don't remember from the top of my head but i believe it had to do with the 2nd O2 sensor. The CEL hasn't come on in quite some time but that doesn't mean that the O2 sensor is faulty.

So my question to you is, will a bad O2 sensor cause stuttering or random shut off? Or will it only tell the ECU that it's running either rich or lean and to compensate for it?

The 2nd O2 sensor is for verifying catalyst efficiency. I have not had one in years.

If you have tested/replaced your ignition components I would move to looking at your Cam & Crank sensor input/output.

Thanks for the reply.

Newb question though...how do you check for that?

Chula Vista huh? I am in San Clemente heh.

The easiest way to test for a bad sensor if you do not have any diagnostic equipment is to swap in a known good sensor.

Otherwise take a digital multimeter (or equivalent) and test for voltage in to the sensor and a signal out.

San Clemente? Nice!

Is it common for the sensor to go bad?

My cousin works at Pep Boys down in Chula Vista. Maybe they have something to test it with.

I would not say so, but everyone has different luck. Both my Cam and Crank sensors have been going for 148k miles.

Yea I'm sitting at 164K now and it obviously hasn't been replaced yet.

WHere is that sensor located anyways? My cousin told me they do have it in stock so I'll try that first.

I forgot I had my friends OBDII reader in the car and I just tried to pull a code if it had any and it doesn't.

Was just gonna ask if you had a cel...

So last night, I replaced the cam angle sensor but the same thing. Now the weird part is that when I'm barely on the throttle is when I can somewhat trigger it. I also notice it more towards the 3K RPM range.

Could the TPS be faulty?

Unfortunately I didn't have time to replace the crank sensor but will do that this weekend.

I'm really hope that's the problem. That or some other sensor that's just going bad. The PITA part is trying to figure out which one is going bad. This is getting really frustrating.

Originally posted by sdpnoy
Yea I'm sitting at 164K now and it obviously hasn't been replaced yet. WHere is that sensor located anyways? My cousin told me they do have it in stock so I'll try that first.

What sensor? The crank sensor is on the back of the block just above the oil filter. The cam sensor is on the head right above the EGR.

So what else could it be if the Cam and Crank sensors aren't the culprit? TPS?

Check to see if your upper radiator hose is maybe dripping on your coolant temp sensor, even if no, check it with a multimeter. Also check your MAP, IAT, and go ahead and check the TPS. You should find all the values you need on the front page.

when it cuts off randomly does it restart or do you have to wait a while? Do the gauges lose power when it cuts off?

Check all the grounds especially the ones around the ECU. check for faulty wiring at the ECu connector. Check the ASD relay by swapping it with a good one.

What you need to find out is if its cutting off because the ECU is causing it or its fuel related.

Bad Fuel Relay or ASD relay can do it.

Bad grounds can do it

Bad ECU can do it

Bad wiring harness can do it

Bad ignition switch can do it

Originally posted by Star Turbo Talon
when it cuts off randomly does it restart or do you have to wait a while? Do the gauges lose power when it cuts off? Check all the grounds especially the ones around the ECU. check for faulty wiring at the ECu connector. Check the ASD relay by swapping it with a good one. What you need to find out is if its cutting off because the ECU is causing it or its fuel related. Bad Fuel Relay or ASD relay can do it. Bad grounds can do it Bad ECU can do it Bad wiring harness can do it Bad ignition switch can do it

When it does shut off, it can easily restart. I don't notice if the guages lose power at all. Doing a visual inspection of the wires don't indicate anything but then again, that's just a visual.

After the cam angle sensor was replaced, we checked to see if there was a draw somewhere as far as the battery goes. Did notice that the battery is only pushing out 350 cranking amps instead of the rated 650.

I'm pretty sure that has nothing to do with it but the test indicated that everything else checks out okay. ie the alternator.

Hopefully it is something as far as a relay goes or a sensor. I guess I'll keep replacing and testing them one by one and hopefully find the culprit.

I've searched throughout this forum and noticed that some folks here are having similar problems. Fix is as easy as replacing anything that has to do with the ignition to either not finding the problem or replacing the ECU.

im not really an expert but i would suggest while checking everything else to just change the O2 sensor in front(if you havent recently), and make sure none of the wires got rubbed bare by a belt or pulley... last but not least is replace the fuel filter and maybe look into getting a new fuel pump... good luck...

p.s. lol im from el cajon... haha

Originally posted by blak94gsx
im not really an expert but i would suggest while checking everything else to just change the O2 sensor in front(if you havent recently), and make sure none of the wires got rubbed bare by a belt or pulley... last but not least is replace the fuel filter and maybe look into getting a new fuel pump... good luck... p.s. lol im from el cajon... haha

Blak94gsx...

Thanks for the suggestion. Neither one of the 2 sensors have been replaced. A while back, I was getting an intermittent CEL but I forgot what the code was but it had to do with the 2nd o2 sensor. I haven't had the CEL since.

I could check to see if it is the fuel filter but I'm wondering if it's the fuel pump. Thankfully it's not ALL the time but it does it on a daily basis.

I grew up in El Cajon. Graduated from Valhalla High School

my car is doing something like this but it kind of lags when i give it full throttle and also when i get up in the high rpms... so i have a can of cleaner in it so i can pass emissions since mine is a 95 and doesnt have obd2, and as soon as this tank of gas is gone im changing spark plugs and fuel filter... then the wally fuel pump comes a little later but i hope it helps my car...

i went to el cajon vally h.s. lol i hated the girls there so i would always cruise down the valhalla or granite hills or sometimes the new school that they had out there steele canyon... haha i miss sd...

So last night, I took the car to my cousins shop and we replaced the Crank Position Sensor. When we removed the harness from the sensor, we noticed oil inside of it. I'm pretty sure that there isn't supposed to be oil inside of the wire harness.

Anyways, we replaced that and guess what? It still did it. It bucked on me twice on the way home.

I give up...

Going to try and replace the fuel filter tonight. I'll keep you folks updated.

test the fuel pressure at the service port on the fuel rail... let us know what it says...

Originally posted by blak94gsx
test the fuel pressure at the service port on the fuel rail... let us know what it says...

also check your cam angle sensor connection... i went out and noticed mine was loose and pushed it up in there and i have not had it buck or run funny all day... and no cel yet... so try that... good luck..

I'm, hopefully, going to change the fuel filter tomorrow. I checked the connections on both the CAS and the CPS and they're on pretty good. I'll check again when I get home. Thanks for the heads up

Update...

So my cousin and I changed the fuel filter. The filter was replaced probably 8 years ago and it was probably dirty. The shop that changed the filter put it in backwards! Now the car does seem to run better but it did buck on me once on the way to work. It was a little one but now I'm thinking that I now may have dirty injectors. I just put a bottle of injector cleaner in there so we'll see what happens.