Idles fine, stutters bad at 2k then fine again at 3k

[CStone]

I have a 90 Talon TSi AWD basically stock, nothing fancy by way of fuel management or injectors. My car idles fine at around 1k, but when I take off normally, it will stutter badly at 2000 RPMs. This is forcing me to take off at 3000 rpms which I don't like.

Once she is out of the 2000 range either higher or lower she runs pretty good. Im thinking/hoping this is a fuel filter replacement opportunity, as it just doesnt seem to fit the bill for fuel cut Im reading about here.

Does this symptom sound familiar to anyone?

 

[CStone]

While waiting for a chance to swap fuel filters, I had someone suggest that perhaps this could be more or an air/spark issue rather than a fuel problem.

He suggested I check the plugs and wires and check for intake leaks.

There certainly could be something to that, as the general consensus seems to be that the DSM fuel filter is pretty solid.

Does this perhaps sound more like an air/spark issue rather than my initial thought of fuel?

 

[Eclipsethis90]

You have the right idea to look into your spark and air first. Check the plugs and wires and do a boost leak check, and inspect all your vacuum hoses. I doubt it is a fuel filter issue. As they usually do not allow you go into the higher RPMs or boost due to lack of fuel getting to the engine.

 

[aero_sallee]

Plugs first, wires second. Then go from there.

 

[ikickuintheball]

How would bad plugs make the car bog in a certain RPM range? I have a very similar problem myself after my 1g head swap on to a 2g 7-bolt. My tach will jump around a little and the car will sound like it's missing between 2.7k and 3.1k rpm. I haven't checked my plugs (thinking while typing: wow that really could be the problem because I don't know if my friend took the plugs from my 2g head and put them into the 1g head!), but wouldn't the car be messed up for the whole rpm range and not just a small portion?

 

[justin_5585]

When I had faulty plugs and wires on my old gs-t it did this exact same thing. It doesn't make sense to me either, but I know 20 bucks at NAPA fixed the problem. It could be that at idle it makes enough spark to run normal, and at WOT the system sends enough juice after 3k to make adequate spark. Look into cheap things first though, and it doesn't get much cheaper than plugs.

 

[lenhof13]

does it do it just at lower speeds, or all gears below 3000 rpms. i wonder if its pulling timing

 

[CStone]

Its all gears going up. I hadnt thought about seeing what happens downshifting and letting it get to that RPM range. Ill try that as well, might help me diagnose this.

 

[ikickuintheball]

I still have this problem after changing my plugs and wires. It only happens while slowly accelerating through 2.5-3k and cruising at 2.8k (seems to be the exact spot). It doesn't happen while free revving, holding the revs in that spot, or deceleration in gear. When I pass that rpm, it feel like the car picks up a shitton of power .

 

[DSM007]

Could also be the EGR too causing it....try a different sensor or clean it with some electronic parts cleaner....also try a different MAF too.

 

[Defiant]

Plugs and wires. DSMs just do this, I don't know why.

 

[95blackGsTurbo]

How would bad plugs make the car bog in a certain RPM range? I have a very similar problem myself after my 1g head swap on to a 2g 7-bolt. My tach will jump around a little and the car will sound like it's missing between 2.7k and 3.1k rpm. I haven't checked my plugs (thinking while typing: wow that really could be the problem because I don't know if my friend took the plugs from my 2g head and put them into the 1g head!), but wouldn't the car be messed up for the whole rpm range and not just a small portion?

I had your exact same problem last night and I found that the connector behind the fuel rail that has a little orange insert wasn't fully connected causing my car to run like crap and the tach to jump around. It's pretty long and connects right behind the fuel rail.

 

[MaNGiNa24]

If plugs and wires don't solve your problem I'd look into the mass airflow sensor or your ecu (caps tend to leak at higher mileage/older years).