Car stutters under load...help?

[97CamaroRS]

Okay I've had the problem for a month now. Under about a 50% throttle load, the car stutters like crazy. After the first two weeks, the SES light popped on and I got the code pulled.

P1406 - EGR Position Sensor Performance

Now I bought a brand new EGR Valve and replaced it earlier today. I took the car for a ride and it continued to stutter under the same amount of load. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO...

I replaced the valve perfectly. I cleaned off all of the old gasket material and bolted the new one right on with a brand new gasket.

My plugs have about 15,000 miles on them. The wires have about 40,000 I'd say and the coils have never been changed.

Any thoughts or ideas??

[Fin]

Couldn't hurt to check the wires & make sure they're still in good shape. You could also check the coils, too. Also, when's the last time you changed the fuel filter?

[Iwantafbodyagain]

My car was doing that. The wires (Visually looked fine). But they were arcing out under load (seeping through the perfectly fine insulation of the wire). Replaced the wires and problem went away... I dont know if thats ur case though.

[strange_trp]

with the EGR code, you may have electrical problems or possibly even a bad MAP. Also don't overlook the possiblity of a new part being defective. check signal to egr valve and return signal at the sensor and then at the pcm. if you get different readings across that circuit's path, examine and repair ckt. if you get crazy stuff at pcm, make sure pcm is getting good power and ground and make sure the terminal ends are securely attaching to each other.
just because the code says EGR in it that does not mean the part itself is bad. it just means (in your case) the sensor that tells the pcm where the egr valve is, is giving information that is out of range.

[Jack]

I had the same problem with my 97, turned out to be plug wires and a weak coil. There was a TSB and recall on the plug wires for 97's. The only catch is the car has to have less than 75k miles on it. I got lucky, mine was under and they discovered a coil going out and replaced it for free as well. Solved the problem and the car has run great ever since. I have almost 104k miles on it now.

[strange_trp]

thinking about it i would agree with replacing wires and diagnosing coils.
when looking at coils, don't just check pri and sec resistance as the Holy truth. I have seen MANY MANY GM waste-spark coils ohm out good but fall on their buttocks when power is applied to them. no more than coils cost, if you can afford it i'd say go ahead with wires and new coils...
espeicially since you say the problem is mainly under a load. classic ign complaint.
your ign control mod is most likely still good. no need to replace that.

remember your dielectric grease too!

[97CamaroRS]

Thanks a bunch everyone! Definitely needed the input from you all.

I'm going to go ahead and TRY to dig up some money for the coils and wires and see where I stand...if not..I see that I'm going to have to buy some electrical testing equipment, but that's fine..I just need to get this damn car fixed...It is getting very annoying to feel the car sputter every time I give it gas.

Thanks!!

[97CamaroRS]

Oooh...And the fuel filter was changed at about 40,000 miles..and I have 76k on the car right now..That's definitely something I overlooked...going to have to replace that soon lol

[RedbirdV6]

You have a bad coil pack my friend.

[HotWheelz]

I had the same problem with my car a few months back. I was getting the EGR code, but the plugs and wires were also shot at the same time, so it was a combo of both reasons. I'd cay check your plugs and wires, just to be sure.

[97CamaroRS]

Gotcha...I brought the car in to be tested and they could find nothing wrong with the wires or whatever...I don't know exactly what they did lol...so I ordered some new coils for my car and I'm going to put them in when they get here and see where I stand [img]smile.gif[/img] I'll keep this updated because this seems like a very very common problem.

[Iwantafbodyagain]

A shop checked my wires (Resistance test AND visually)
They said It was a coil. So I replaced it. It still did it so I took the coil back, and decided replace the wires myself, the problem was now gone.

[97CamaroRS]

and everywhere that I call, they want $300 to replace the wires.

Anybody have a suggestion on some good wires that are better than OEM?

[Iwantafbodyagain]

I bought accels.
You have get Taylors from www.ammperformance.com for $40 sum bux...
Instlal them yourself...
But that MIGHT not be ur problems, but DONT pay the money for a shop to so something that can be done in a couple hours by urself. ... with nothing needed but jackstands.

[97CamaroRS]

nice..if this doesn't work out i'll have to go run and buy those...and what about the dielectric grease? i don't want to seem like a complete n00b on this but i don't want to screw up anything [img]smile.gif[/img]