Question on car misfiring

[troy.70R/T]

I have a 99 Oldsmobile Intrigue. the problem is that when I am driving up a hill and not giving it any gas. (basically just lugging the motor)  it will misfire.   If I give it gas it comes out of it. I have replaced the fuel filter three times but it does not seem to help. I have tried different gas as well but still have the same problem. the check engine light does not come on so I can get the computer scanned. Any suggestions? Thanks

[Silver R/T]

Have you tried testing to see if fuel pump has adequate fuel pressure? How's cap/rotor or does it have coil packs?

[odcics2]

I have a 99 Oldsmobile Intrigue. the problem is that when I am driving up a hill and not giving it any gas. (basically just lugging the motor)  it will misfire.   If I give it gas it comes out of it. I have replaced the fuel filter three times but it does not seem to help. I have tried different gas as well but still have the same problem. the check engine light does not come on so I can get the computer scanned. Any suggestions? Thanks

Buy an old Neon?? 

[troy.70R/T]

It has coil packs. I have not tested the fuel pump. But It does still have a lot pressure in the line after it sits over night. Can I test the coil packs on the car.

[odcics2]

Are the plugs fresh?   And the air filter?

[troy.70R/T]

the plugs have about 50,000 on them air filter is about two years old but  can see light through it just fine. Got a plug wire cause this problem. again it is only when the engine is lugging up hill. If I give it a little gas (enough to accelerate up hill) it goes away.

[cdr]

plugs & wires,pull them off & look inside for burned connectors on the wires

[1974dodgecharger]

buy a old civic?

[Cooter]

You might find it's not the Engine misfiring, but the trans trying to lock up the Torque converter. When you "Step on it" the computer tells it to unlock.
Feels just likea misfire at light throttle.
Try dumping in some Sure Grip additive(Yes, you read correctly) in the trans and see what happens....

[Back N Black]

You might find it's not the Engie misfiring, but the trans trying to lock up the Torque converter. When you "Step on it" the computer tells it to unlock.
Feels just likea misfire at light throttle.
Try dumping in some Sure Grip additive(Yes, you read correctly) in the trans and see what happens....

I agree with cooter, those transmissions are famous for lock up solenoid sticking.

[rt green]

thats possible. does the trans fluid look waxey and brown?  let us know how you come out on this. you can test the coils a couple different ways on the car.

[moparstuart]

sounds like the coil pack to me  , they go bad all the time .  They also have a module thats attached to them that can get flakey .   I should have one in stock if you need one  is it a 3.5  or 3.8  ?

[rt green]

you could ohm the coils- you'll have to look up the spec-{should be type 2?} also you can pull both wires off of one coil and STAND BACK. have a buddy start the car and see if the very large and Frankenstein looking bolt of electricity is a sharp blue. it will be very noisy, and suprise you on how violent it is. if the spark is yellow or the color of say a campfire, you've found your bad coil. be sure you are not leaking gas when you are doing this.  this is a boeified general motors test.

[skip68]

Coil pack. 

[troy.70R/T]

ok thanks guys I will do some testing this weekend. The trans fluid looks good and I very clean when I whip off the dipstick with a white rag. It also does not smell burnt. I change the fluid and filter about 40,000 miles ago and there was probably only a teaspoon full of stuff in the pan.

[troy.70R/T]

BTW the car has a 3.8 in it

[cdr]

plugs, plug wires & possible coil damage

[rt green]

the reason i asked about the trans fluid condition was if it has a brownish color and looks waxy, it means problems with the clutches. just making sure.
if one of the plugs are cracked, it will misfire under load.  a wire can do the same thing.  be aware that if you do the coil test like i mentioned before, the computer will notice 2 cyls not firing and could set off the engine light.   

[troy.70R/T]

ok I am going to start with the plugs and wires first. I think the wired have atleast 70,000 on them

[moparstuart]

ok I am going to start with the plugs and wires first. I think the wired have atleast 70,000 on them

pobable good maintainence but i still say it sounds exactly like what we have changed out here at the shop alot
and its the coil pack and module

[rt green]

food for thought. the triple coils fire twice per cycle, like a stock Harley, so if you think about it, if you had say 70,000 on them, those  wires have the same wear as a set would have with 140,000. GM wants them replaced at 60,000 for normal maintenance.   

[elacruze]

I'm with Cooter on this one.

Ignition misfire typically gets worse with cylinder pressure, meaning increased load. You have the opposite problem. Look to the transmission. Find the converter lockup connector (if it's external) and unplug it. If the problem ends, you've found your cause.

[Cooter]

I'm with Cooter on this one.

Ignition misfire typically gets worse with cylinder pressure, meaning increased load. You have the opposite problem. Look to the transmission. Find the converter lockup connector (if it's external) and unplug it. If the problem ends, you've found your cause.

IF THE Discription is correct, then 

[troy.70R/T]

OK I finally had time to work on my car. I was going to change the plugs and wires. It was just dumb luck that I started by taking a wire off of one of the coil packs to start with and found out that the terminal had alot of corrosion on it. so I check the rest of them and all the other looked brand new except for one other one. So I used some scotch bright to shine them up and went for a drive hoping that it would solve my problem and it did. I don't know how I got so lucky cause it sure can't be cause I'm living right.     Thanks for all the suggestions guys. hopefully next time one of you have a problem like this it will be as simple as it was for me.