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1997 3.8 GPGT engine problem

S

s7falcon

New member
I've inherited a 97 with 108k on it, last night i got stuck in the snow (Connecticut 10in.) this was the first time out with this car in the snow. It was doing good until I hit the deep stuff. After 30 minutes I did get free, but with a lot of tire spinning. This morning I felt a hesitation while driving 25 - 30mph. The tach was at 1k or so and moved with the hesitation. I stopped put it in park and rev'd the engine. It was smooth up to 4k, then started hesitating almost like a bucking and I stopped. The tranny was shifting good while driving except in the low rpm range. Did I screw the tranny up getting out of the snow ? Or Is it something else. I should say that prior to all this the car was runnung good but with a noticable hesitation at 1500rpm constitantly, which I haven't looked into.
This is my first entry with the forum and I hoping somebody can help identify the problem.
John
 


If you hold the gas while in park and it won't go past the 4k then my guess would be the rev limiter :). I would go outside and make a video of mine I have a 98 GTP stock so i haven't changed anything and it think it limits the parked revs around 4k like yours. And Welcome to the forum :th_thumbsup-wink:
 
Thanks for the quick reply from Canada, rev limiter alright, when I find out where it is, how is tested? A picture would be awesome.
Thanks
John
 
s7falcon said:
Thanks for the quick reply from Canada, rev limiter alright, when I find out where it is, how is tested? A picture would be awesome.
Thanks
John
Click to expand...

The rev limiter exists as software in the engine computer. It does exactly as you describe, limit the RPMs in Park and Neutral to 4k or less.
 


You can only rid yourself of the rev limiter by getting someone with a tuner to remove it haha. That is the first thing I noticed when me and my brothers mustang were parked and he could rev until he redlined and mine petered out at a measly 4k haha.
 
Good, the rev limiter is doing what it should. So, what could be the cause of the pulsating or hesitation feeling that happens at 25-30mph? Tranny problem?
 
The only thing I could think of is traction control in the snow, but when you say it is at 1500 rpm I do not think you would be spinning then. Try turning the traction control off and see if it still does it.
 
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