Dodge Stealth engine shudders when under a load.

My Stealth has been in the garage for about 4 years without having been driven much. Now when you drive it you get a shudder. I put some Lucas fuel cleaner in it and I'm ordering a gas filter for it. Anyone have any other ideas as to what it could be? Tank is full so I'll have to drive it out to put new gas in. Only seems to shudder when under a load, like when you get it up to 3000 rpm in 3rd. Half expecting a backfire but have yet to get one.

KY

Reply to
KYHighlander
Loading thread data ...

Is this a manual transmission? Shuddering is often caused by automatics, and you didn't say whether you had the girly model Stealth.

Reply to
Joe

No I have a very manly 5 speed. a automatic is a waste in a sports car IMHO.

KY

Reply to
KYHighlander

So it doesn't do it at low rpms? If it was the engine, I'd expect it to be worse at 1500 rpm than it is at 3000, if you know what I mean.

Reply to
Joe

its almost like it isnt getting gas or a dead spark plug. Might have to check the plug wires. it only has 58k miles on it. I just dug a mouse nest out from under the intake manifold, I guess that is what the cast aluminum part is between the valve covers. I haven't worked on engines since I sold my '71 ford Torino GT so all the stuff under that hood is like it came from mars or something. LOL

KY

Reply to
KYHighlander

To which I would reply that anything built by Mitsubishi is a waste of the term "sports car," but I digress :-)

But seriously, shuddering under load with a manual trans pretty much has to be a misfire or a broken motor mount- have you checked for excessive engine motion? Have you checked the plugs and plug wires? It could also be a clogged injector causing that particular cylinder to lean-out under load.

My advice would be to drain the gas tank and get fresh fuel in there, check the plugs and wires, and then see what happens. I don't know how to read the error codes on Mitsubishi-built faux-Mopars, but certainly a code reader could do it if there's not a "cheat" like there is on Chrysler-built cars. Many parts stores offer free code-reading. That might provide a better starting point than our SWAGging.

Reply to
Steve

I think you just answered your own question there. Mice love wire insulation and most other types of insulation too. Why carry the stuff to build a nest all the way from the yard when you can just chew up some of these nice yummy wires! You will probably find that they have nibbled at the spark plug wires and a few other wires as well but the plug wires are where I would put my money as being the culprit here.

Steve B.

Reply to
Steve B.

thanks. I appreciate it.

there hasn't been a check engine light go off though.

KY

Reply to
KYHighlander

I had a '93 Stealth and really enjoyed it. I decided to sell mine when we moved to a different state (pesky IRS).

Unfortunately I don't think your problem is repairable. Your best bet is to sell it to me.

Reply to
Gyzmologist

Dirty plugs, dirty injectors, bad wires, dirty throttle body, plugged air filer, defective AIS, bad EGR?

Most of that is pretty simple stuff to replace. I'd burn through a couple tanks of fresh premium gasoline before making any changes.

Bob

Reply to
Bob Shuman

LOL I love the car, really. But I am getting to darned old to get in and out of it without pain. LOL bought it when I was in my early 30's but am almost

49 now. I'm waiting a few more years to sell. You see very few of these on the road any more, so I think they may get to a classic statis some day.

KY

Reply to
KYHighlander

Ok just changed the air filter and that wasn't it. Taking it to get new plugs and plug wires tomorrow. Seems like after 10 years or so the plug wires tend to go bad in my experience. I put 2 bottles of Lucas fuel treatment in the tank for the injectors and that hasn't helped. I know what the EGR is I had one on my '71 Torino GT growing up and had to replace that myself. Haven't fooled with an engine since those days. What the heck is a AIS? LOL

Was going to drive it to work this morning but it was much worse than it was yesterday. Don't know if it was the damp morning air or what, got half way to work and turned around and came back to get the truck. Darn truck is a gas guzzler.

KY

Reply to
KYHighlander

My 1991 is the first model year that was made. Just turned 137K miles and so far, other than normal maintenance, several sets of tires, a window regulator, and an alternator at about 80K miles, everything is still working fine. It has some dings here and there and scratches in the windshield, but otherwise has no rust and looks like new. Not bad since the car is now 17 years old! By the way, I'm the same age and getting in and out is not as much fun, but once behind the wheel you forget the trouble it took to get there.

Bob

Reply to
Bob Shuman

Plugs are expensive on this vehicle so be prepared to take a home equity loan! :)

If I recall last tune up I did the NGK platinum (60K mile) plugs cost me $11 or $12 each over the Internet. And to get to the back three plugs/wires requires removal of the intake manifold so is not a "simple" tune up. But, the most difficult maintenance item has to be the timing belt and water pump ... these are scheduled to be done every 60K miles too. Good luck

Bob

Reply to
Bob Shuman

Did the timing belt a while back. that ran me $300. LOL $1200 that trip. had some other stuff that was bad. May sell it after I get it running right. LOL

Reply to
KYHighlander

LOL yep and my name is Bob too. LOL

Mine is the pearl white that Dodge did that first year. Actually has crushed pearl in the paint. And it still looks like new, 58k miles and a couple chips in the paint about the size of a pin head but no dings. I do need to replace the window tint on the drivers side and there is a small cut in the drivers seat that my gun caused. But after I washed it this weekend I was amazed at how new it still looked.

KY

Reply to
KYHighlander

My '91 is pearl white as well. It burns some oil and the upper valve train sounds terrible till it gets warmed up, but it still runs pretty well. I am considering rebuilding the engine and transmission, replacing the shocks and the scratched windshield in a couple years down the road.

By the way, my red leather interior looks great except for the small cut in my drivers seat. This car originally came from CA via NV so lived most of its life in the dry desert. I only drive it in the summer and then put it into storage. That is why it is still in good shape even though I live in the rust belt.

Bob

Reply to
Bob Shuman

If the problem is strictly on the secondary (high voltage) side of the coils (ie a bad plug or wire) a pre- OBDII engine controller won't always detect it. Also, you CAN have internally set error codes that won't always trip a CEL, especially on pre- OBDII cars. And there are intermittent faults that might set a CEL, then it will go off on the next engine start but the code will be held in memory. Its always a good idea to start by checking codes. For the most part I'm a fan of older cars, but one thing I will credit newer computer-controlled cars with: they can tell you where it hurts a lot better than a set of breaker points and a carburetor!

Reply to
Steve

"Oil consumption" and "Mitsubishi" go hand in hand. But those v6s will keep running and running and running forever, even with the oil consumption. Provided you don't let 'em run dry, anyway.

Gotta confess- I LOVED the look of the Stealth when it came out (still do, actually) but I developed such a strong allergy to Mitsubishi powertrains that it wasn't even close to an option for me. Now if only a Chrysler 3.5 HO would fit in the hole..... :-) But alas, its a different bellhousing pattern and it only gets worse when you start considering width, accessory placement, manifolding, etc. :-/

Reply to
Steve

would be nice to have a interface and software to hook up a laptop to the car and read those codes.

KY

Reply to
KYHighlander

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.