So, first of all, this is my first post here. Woo! Anyways, I've searched all over for a possible answer to my question, but I can't seem to find anyone else who has had the same problem that I'm having. So, heres the issue:

Within the past month or so my car (97 3.0CL) has developed a weird habit. At random times, but mostly when accelerating smoothly, the throttle will give up and slowly flutter down to roughly 2,000 or so RPM below what it should be at. I can floor the gas pedal and nothing will happen - it will just keep up the weird flutter/hover. Usually, it'll rev up quite violently to what it's supposed to be at after a few seconds, but sometimes I have to let up completely off the gas to sort of reset things and resume accelerating. Sometimes it does a similar flutter even when I'm at a standstill. I'll put it into neutral and give it some gas and it will respond a little, but it does so with that same hover/flutter and you can hear the engine struggling and surging. The problem is that its very intermittent, and when I took it to the shop today to have them look at it, they were unable to replicate the problem.

So I'm asking you guys - any ideas? The shop is going to keep my car over the weekend to try again on monday, but if they can't replicate the problem, I'll be in the same situation I am now. I'd leave it alone but it's kinda dangerous when I'm on the freeway and I'd like to accelerate and the car refuses to do so!

Any ideas on what the problem may be or on how to more consistently replicate the problem for the shop would be greatly appreciated!

 

I assume no Check Engine Light since you don't mention. If there is the code is best clue to problem.

Very difficult to diagnose an intermittent problem. Only two options, start replacing parts and hope to hit the right one - expensive and frequently unproductive, or wait for the problem to assert itself more frequently or constantly.

As a guess, I would suspect fuel supply, possibly a partially blocked fuel filter or intermittent fuel pump. A faulty coil delivering a weak spark might cause similar problems and not set CEL. EGR intermittently sticking open could cause this, however I believe this should set CEL.

You may want to start w/ a tuneup; new spark plugs, air filter, clean or replace PCV, clean throttle body entry bore and throttle plate.

good luck

 

That sounds like a transmission problem.... because mine flutter, rev violently,engine struggles......

 

might be the IACV

 

Thanks for the help guys! The dealer wasn't able to completely replicate the problem for me, but replaced the throttle body (which was under warranty) anyways. That didn't end up fixing the problem, since it's still doing the same weird flutter/hover. And the more I experience the problem, the more I think it is a fuel related problem. Especially since the problem occurs in neutral as well. In fact, today the engine died just after I started it and it kicked over. Which reinforces the fuel supply problem idea. I'll try the tune-up idea and maybe replace the fuel filter too for good measure. Again, thanks for the help, and I'll let you all know what it was that was causing the problem!