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'95 Cavalier loss of power/ stuttering RPMs
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dreyescairo
New User
Feb 27, 2009, 8:37 PM
Post #1 of 4
(4191 views)
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'95 Cavalier loss of power/ stuttering RPMs
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Hi, I have a 1995 Chevy Cavalier with 212k miles. Basically I was driving on the freeway and when I hit a hill my speed started declining all the way from 70 MPH to 20 MPH. After I got to level ground I could not accelerate above 25. I i was too scared to turn off the car so I drove to a friends house near by and turned it off. when I turned it on, the RPMs I noticed were jumping up and down when it was idling. when i put it into drive it still stuttered and accelerated slowly. at this point, I tried to reverse and it didnt have enough power to reverse at all. so I had it towed and diagnosed at tunex and they told me that everything was fine but the PCM was most likely bad, so I replaced that and it still has the same problem. it has a good battery everything was tested. I'm stuck I dont really know where to go from that. I was able to drive it back home very slowly and this time it had enought power to reverse on level ground so I dont know it has its better days but overall its helpless.
FYI- It just had an oil change a month before the problem as well as a tuneup.
just curious but could a bad alternator cause a problem like this?
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Feb 28, 2009, 10:11 AM
Post #2 of 4
(4184 views)
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Re: '95 Cavalier loss of power/ stuttering RPMs
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That's way up there on the miles so anything is in the cards.
Alt could stop charging the battery and it would begin to run lousy but wouldn't have the amps to restart at all so I don't think it's that.
It needs some serious diagnosis. I suspect valve timing could be the issue at hand as it happened fast and you didn't note overheat or oil problems. It may use a chain and not the common belt failures your may hear of but even chains have a life and can jump. It would show with some simple tests that valve timing was off.
I don't know what you expected or what's already been done major mechanical to this car but think hard about how much money you want to put into it at that many miles - just my suggestion,
T
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bruceg
User
Mar 3, 2009, 4:41 AM
Post #3 of 4
(4161 views)
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Re: '95 Cavalier loss of power/ stuttering RPMs
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just a shot in the dark, but have the fuel pressure checked from the fuel pump, may be getting just enough fuel pressure to start and run the car, but not enough to excellerate much.
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ladagosta
User
Mar 6, 2009, 8:12 PM
Post #4 of 4
(4150 views)
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Re: '95 Cavalier loss of power/ stuttering RPMs
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THAT SOUNDS Like what happened to my 97 cavalier last march, my mechanic hasnt had time to mess with it but he had another cavaler come in there last month and it turned out it was the timing chain and tensioner was bent..
he is going to do mine this month . the car started sputtering after i had high preformance plugs put in two days later we thought the catalytic converter jammed up and fixed that and the thing still wouldnt run..
i asked him about the timing but he said he looked at it and it appeared fine but this other car came in last month and now he regrets not going under he cover to inspect the timing belt and tentioner..
he is getting rid of his testing equiptment getting ready to shut down after a personal legal battle has cost him everything..so he has little left to diagnose with ,, but the other cavalier is up and running,,
hope that helps if not let me know what you find will ya...
i would lean towards a converter before the alternater
does it still start? and just won't get up speed any more?
funny no codes thrown
(This post was edited by ladagosta on Mar 6, 2009, 8:15 PM)
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