Skip to main content
Topic: Having some chugging issues (all fixed!) (Read 1876 times) previous topic - next topic

Having some chugging issues (all fixed!)

My car (87 3.8 bird w/ aod) will sometimes surge when maintaining speed on flat sections of highway.  It seems to be the transmission by the way it's feels, but could also be the motor.  Sometimes it will also just die when I come to a stop.  Today it almost died when I slowed down to take a corner and then accelerated into the turn.  It just seems like the transmission is sticking in gear or the engine is flooding out or something.  It just started doing this recently.  I'm lost here and could use some advice to diagnose the problem.
1987 Thunderbird 3.8. Sold :(

1982 Thunderbird - Goodbye 255, Hello 302!

Re: Having some chugging issues

Reply #1
Quote
My car (87 3.8 bird w/ aod) will sometimes surge when maintaining speed on flat sections of highway.


How fast are we talking?  40? 50? 70?  Or does it do it at any speed?

Quote
Sometimes it will also just die when I come to a stop. Today it almost died when I slowed down to take a corner and then accelerated into the turn.


When was the last time you did a tune up?  When was the last time you checked your TPS/IAC/Vacuum lines?
-- 05 Mustang GT-Whipplecharged !!
--87 5.0 Trick Flow Heads & Intake - Custom Cam - Many other goodies...3100Lbs...Low12's!

Re: Having some chugging issues

Reply #2
just as a quick test, with the car at operating temperature, unplug the IAC, and see if it stalls out, it not, then its probably not your problem, or at least its least likely the problem
It's Gumby's fault.

Re: Having some chugging issues

Reply #3
It will want to die around any speed when I try to maintain speed, when the pedal is pushed slightly.  If I mash the gas, it takes off fine. If I let it idle, it idles fine. It just doesn't like the in between.

Okay, I know about the TPS and vacuum lines, but what exactly is the IAC?

I changed the Plugs, cap, rotor, wires and everything when I got it about 8 months ago.  Is there some kind of vacuum issue?  I did just swap out the throttle body, but it ran fine for a couple weeks and just suddenly started doing this after that.
1987 Thunderbird 3.8. Sold :(

1982 Thunderbird - Goodbye 255, Hello 302!

 

Re: Having some chugging issues

Reply #4
I swapped out the TPS with the original one I had lying around.  Seems to have fixed the problem.  Thanks guys!
1987 Thunderbird 3.8. Sold :(

1982 Thunderbird - Goodbye 255, Hello 302!

Re: Having some chugging issues (all fixed!)

Reply #5
I had some hesitation in my 'Bird,and the H.O. intake fixed the problem.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..