Bob McDonald
Well-Known Member
I have been experiencing some strange engine performance problems lately.
The engine wants to stumble when I try to accelerate moderately using just a small increase of the throttle. This may occur either from a stop, or when just trying to increase my speed while under way. I can't seem to determine if it is an ignition problem or a fuel problem. Often, when the engine is actually stumbling, if I ease off the throttle, the stumbling smooths out. Other times I need to go to wide open throttle (WOT) to get it so accelerate normally. It does seem a little engine load sensitive.
The Trac is an '02 with over 209K miles on the original fuel filter, but there is no fuel starvation symptom at high speed or high revs. I have been wanting to change it but have been too lazy to crawl under to determine if it has a two tube, or three tube filter installed.
It also has the original plugs installed, except for one plug. Years ago (at 100K) I started to change them but had so much trouble removing the first plug that it broke. After that, I just left the rest alone. I am not seeing any missing at WOT nor at stong acceleratiom (once past the initial stumbling). I am also not seeing any CEL light at all. I am will to have the plugs changed but I wonlt be able to do that myself. Getting to old, fat and stiff jointed to do that anymore.
I did try cleaning the MAF sensor and the throtle body, but that did not seem to have any effect. Of coures, since that was the first time I ever cleaned those items, there is no guaranty that I did it correctly (other than to not touch the sensor with my bare fingers).
Does anyone here on the site have any thoughts or suggestions?
The engine wants to stumble when I try to accelerate moderately using just a small increase of the throttle. This may occur either from a stop, or when just trying to increase my speed while under way. I can't seem to determine if it is an ignition problem or a fuel problem. Often, when the engine is actually stumbling, if I ease off the throttle, the stumbling smooths out. Other times I need to go to wide open throttle (WOT) to get it so accelerate normally. It does seem a little engine load sensitive.
The Trac is an '02 with over 209K miles on the original fuel filter, but there is no fuel starvation symptom at high speed or high revs. I have been wanting to change it but have been too lazy to crawl under to determine if it has a two tube, or three tube filter installed.
It also has the original plugs installed, except for one plug. Years ago (at 100K) I started to change them but had so much trouble removing the first plug that it broke. After that, I just left the rest alone. I am not seeing any missing at WOT nor at stong acceleratiom (once past the initial stumbling). I am also not seeing any CEL light at all. I am will to have the plugs changed but I wonlt be able to do that myself. Getting to old, fat and stiff jointed to do that anymore.
I did try cleaning the MAF sensor and the throtle body, but that did not seem to have any effect. Of coures, since that was the first time I ever cleaned those items, there is no guaranty that I did it correctly (other than to not touch the sensor with my bare fingers).
Does anyone here on the site have any thoughts or suggestions?