rough idle, studders when giving it any throttle?? what up with my car?

[20stang01]

My 97 eclipse turbo was fine when driving it yesterday. But, this morning I backed out of the garage and pull out onto the highway and this is when the problem started. When accelerating into 2nd gear the car started to backfire/misfire and run real ruff. So after driving the car for about 20 miles I have now realized it idles real ruff, bouncing around between 700 and 1000 rpm. If you try to rev it up in neutral, it misfires and hesitates. Wile trying to take off or accelerate in any gear I get more studdering at any and all rpms. If I really baby it and BARELY touch the throttle, it runs smooth at highway speed in 5th gear, but once the engine has to do any work (small hill or something) the hesitating and studdering starts all over again.

I checked the spark plugs (which were new 2000 miles ago) and they are white. I'm don't really think thats the probem, if I'm correct it just means it's running a little lean?

So what do you guys think? boost leak? spark plug wires? spark plugs?
I tried to be real through in my problem description, so please help with any of your suggestions!!
Thanks

 

[20stang01]

Come on, someone must have had a similar problem. I really don't want to take my car to the shop if I don't have to....

 

[rmvurtop]

im having similar problems. tell me if this sounds like your problem. I start the car it idles around 100 rpm. it struggles really really bad to keep running. i then try to drive the car and it bucks like a really bad rodeo ride and it spits sputters and dies. when i let the car run for a while or when it finally seems to "warm up" it drives fine but as soon as i shut it off it starts the bs again. well i thought it might be the o2 sensor since i can get it to run fine once i take the afc and richen it up 10 degrees. I replaced the o2 sensor and it didnt fix it so im thinking it might be the tps or the iac. i cleaned both with no evail. so i have to do somemore troubleshooting.

 

[BitAddict]

Im not an expert or anything but since no one else has really replied...

To the first guy, what else have you tried to do to fix the problem? Any other info we could get like Is it still happening. Checked for spark? Checked injectors? Looked for Leaks? Things like that? Any other mods on your car that could be causing the problem like new installs or something?

2nd guy, you say when you changed your afc to add fuel your car ran better so im guessing its a fuel problem. Probably not your IAC or TPS although you can do a simple check on both. changing the O2 sen didnt work...did you check for spark in all cylinders, how do your injecters look? maybe coilpack? could be as simple as a leak in the system or a hose came off giving you more air that is unaccounted for. If thats the case then you would have to add more fuel(ie when you changed your afc)
just some thoughts. like i said im no expert but hopefully someone else will chime in. good luck!

 

[92awddsm]

Any check engine light? Sounds like a boost leak to me. Try that first and see if thats it. Here is the link for diy leak tester. http://www.vfaq.com/mods/ICtester.html

 

[20stang01]

Yeah, I forgot to mention the CEL did come on pretty much as soon as the problem started, and yes the problem is still occuring. I checked for any boost leaks today, and I really couldn't find any. Although I didn't have the actual tester, which I may build this weekend. I did order some new NGK spark plug wires, should be in tomorrow or Friday. But I did check for spark and all was good. I also don't have any new or recent mods in the last 8000 miles. I really want to get my car back on the road, the weather just got nice, all the snows almost gone up here in Norhtern Michigan.

I'm also thinking of ordering a pocket logger. So I can check the codes for the CEL, and for any problems that may occur in the future. Yeah, there aren't any Autozones around for a couple hundred miles ( I live in a small town) so I can't get them to check it for free.

 

[20stang01]

The new spark plug wires did the trick! I'm back on the road, running better than ever!