Idles fine but stutters and sometimes shuts off when under acceleration?

Tiny
RABIDMOMMY
  • MEMBER
  • 1999 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX
  • 3.8L
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 160,000 MILES
So, my car recently started sputtering and lugging when I go to accelerate and is worse when going uphill. The symptoms are getting worse and now it’s basically not driveable. I have replaced the spark plugs twice in the last year; the first set were cheap ones off of Amazon that I found one of them arching one night due to a crack. The new ones are Bosch double platinum, way more expensive ones than I wanted to buy but did anyway, so I didn’t have to rebuy them again and seem to be holding up just fine. I replaced one coil pack, the other two were fine (at the time anyway) and all the plug wires have been replaced. I have replaced the front exhaust manifold, fuel rail (I’m a short woman so I climb up under the hood to change the back spark plugs and accidentally stepped on it and broke it). We welded the back portion of the exhaust due to a leak and replaced the fourth gear hub because the splines were stripped out. I’ve replaced the o2s and I think that’s about it. Any help would be very much appreciated. Oh, and the check engine light is not on there’s no point in me hooking my OBD two scanner up to it because it’s not throwing any codes.

The car listed above is a GT model.
Friday, May 5th, 2023 AT 4:05 PM

1 Reply

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 42,960 POSTS
These cars had problems with the fuel pump having low pressure but to be sure here is a guide to help us check the pressure and you can rent a fuel pressure gauge at the local auto parts store for cheap or free.

Please check out this step-by-step guide:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-fuel-system-pressure-and-regulator

Key On Engine Off 48-55 PSI

Also, I would replace the fuel filter if it has not been done here is the location in the images below.

This guide may help as well:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/engine-stalls

Check out the images (below). Let us know what happens and please upload pictures or videos of the problem so we can see what's going on.
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Saturday, May 6th, 2023 AT 11:37 AM

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