1998 Pontiac Grand AM will start, but idles rough and often dies, and sputters and dies every time I press the gas.

10

Asked by dannyb91979 Oct 20, 2014 at 03:18 PM about the 1998 Pontiac Grand Am 2 Dr SE Coupe

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

1998 Pontiac Grand AM will start, but idles rough and often dies, and sputters and dies
every time I press the gas. I've looked over all vacuum lines, and check the spark, all
seems good.  I can hear the fuel pump running, and sounds normal. Any ideas?

8 Answers

55,910

Throttle position sensor could be bad. The throttle plate itself can be dirty. Clean it with carb cleaner. You have to remove the air tube between the air filter box and the intake. Easy to do.

10

I should mention (this is my mom's car) she said it was running fine, heard a loud clunk like she ran over something bud didn't, then it died, and has been behaving like this ever since.

1 people found this helpful.
55,910

Ok....any check/service engine lights on? it could be a plugged catalytic converter but I would start with what I said earlier.

1 people found this helpful.
55,910

The easiest fix would be the throttle plate. Check and see if it has a film on the butterfly. Clean it off and see if that takes care of it.

1 people found this helpful.
143,725

If she heard a clunk while driving,then car has more than likely jumped timing,the sound she heard was a timing tentoiner,broke and jumped timing.

55,910

TST could be right. I would start with checking the easier stuff first because if TST is right that's not going to be a cheap fix.

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