hesitation on acceleration

My Saturn is starting to hesitate mostly on acceleration. I not
mechanically inclined and my husband is away. Is there a simple solution
or do I take it to a shop.

 

Sinkit,

Basic information would increase the likelihood of a useful or informative
response. Year, make, model, mileage, maintenance history, and a better
description of "hesitate, as well as any other symptoms would be starters
before venturing an "educated" guess.

Bob

 

Please give more information make/model/year/mileage. Also, are there
any other symptoms(shaking, noises, etc). Also do you have
unnecessary loads in the car(truck full of spare tires, etc).

Just a quick observation with my saturn/SL2/97/64k it is very peppy
with only the driver. Add a passenger, slower. My wifey and I add up
to some of my friends' individual weights,I can't imagine filing the
car with them and see the car strain. Geez......

later,

tom @ www.WorkAtHomePlans.com

 

And, how long will your husband be away?

 

Sounds like the same problem my girlfriend, a friend and I all had with our
Saturns (2X 98 SL1 and a 2000 SL1). The next time you fill up get put some
Injector cleaner in with the full tank of gas. Then start buying premium gas
(assuming you don't already, if you do maybe you should switch stations). It
makes about $2.50 difference in the price of a tank and this problem should
go away. You may have to g through a couple of tanks to get it cleaned up.
Like I said it worked for all three of us. Mine started acting up three
months after I got it used I switched to premium and it's been 2 and a half
years with the hesitation not showing up again.
There may be something else wrong but this is a fairly inexpensive thing to
try first.

 

With a name like sinkit and your stating that your husband is away I
have to ask, where are you? ;+)>

 

good advice.

Then start

waste of money

(assuming you don't already, if you do maybe you

possibly good idea


unless you've done some significant internal engine work (shaved head,
etc.), going to "premium" (higher octane) fuel is a total waste of money.
If you've recently filled up with gas from a station you don't normally
use, don't go back there.

I usually put in a bottle of STP fuel system cleaner every other oil
change. And if you have a '96, be sure to clean your throttle body once
a year.

 

My girlfriend thought it was a waste of money too so she started using
regular again and within two months her car was hesitating again. Went
through the process again filling up with premium and her car has been
working fine ever since.
Curious why you say it is a waste of money.

 

Curious why you say it is a waste of money.


Mainly because your owner's manual states that you should run the lower
octane, as the engine is optimized for it. In addition, premium
higher-octane fuel will only provide a performance or power benefit in a car
whose computer is able to advance the timing to utilize it. S-Series
Saturns do not have this ability.

I've read somewhere that continual high-octane use may contribute to a
higher rate of carbon build-up in the combustion chambers and on the valves.
And by using it in a car that didn't need high octane fuel in the first
place, eventually does make the car need it in order to run properly (due to
that carbon build-up caused by it). I'm not sure how true this is. If
anyone feels curious and finds any links to information on the subject,
please post them here.

Lane [ lane (at) evilplastic.com ]

 

What he said. Sorry - I've been busy recovering from the SPC's 1st race of
the year with our ITA '94 SC2, and getting my car ready for a lapping day
this weekend.