[1BlueJayy]

I have a 2004 Eclipse Spyder GT (no turbo), V6/24 valve. I believe I have a vacuum leak, but to be honest, I'm a female with 0 experience working on cars, so I have no idea where to even begin. Driving down the road, we'll call it "cruising," not terribly high RPM, just regular ole 2500-3000, not hot rodding it or anything, it's sputtering almost. For the last few months it has only sounded like an air hose you just took the chuck off of when I press on the gas, but now it sputters and sounds like one of those sprinklers (you know, the ones people imitate with that dance we make fun of them for doing?) and acts like a car does when it's about to run out of gas.. but let me mash the gas and she's goin; no sputter, just straight acceleration. I think maybe there's a hose somewhere with a hole in it? Maybe my fuel pump is about to give up? Please help! I'll need pictures so I know what to look for. Thank you in advance for any help y'all can give me! 😘

 

[Widgmaster]

It would help your question a lot if you could add a video clip of what's going on. While you are driving, have someone record the sound on a cell phone, then upload it to the site.

 

[Bitter]

Is the engine light on? Does it idle normally? Are you checking/maintaining fluid levels? Is acceleration normal? When did this start? Was it sudden? Was it gradual?

 

[Sisyphus58]

throw some fuel injector cleaner in the gas tank ALONG WITH PREMIUM GAS and take it for a brisk ride on the highway...
may or may not help, but your injectors will be cleaner at least.

 

[jelazar]

Do you have a check engine light? If so, what are the actual codes. For example, "P0300"?

 

[1BlueJayy]

It would help your question a lot if you could add a video clip of what's going on. While you are driving, have someone record the sound on a cell phone, then upload it to the site.

I'll get video within the next day or so.

 

[1BlueJayy]

Is the engine light on? Does it idle normally? Are you checking/maintaining fluid levels? Is acceleration normal? When did this start? Was it sudden? Was it gradual?

To be honest the check engine light has been on since I got it about a year ago. At that time, I did have the codes read. First time: they said it was a bad MAF sensor. I had to save up the moneys real quick, which took 2 paychecks. And I get paid weekly. But I didn't have $115 just laying around to throw at the car at the drop of a hat either. After replacing it, and having had the codes reset, the light came back on. & I really thought it ran fine, but that was until a while after I had had the car, and had stopped babying it so much, right, I'd go to stop at a light or something, and if it was to a stop where I came in kind of hot, once I'm officially stopped though, and I mean immediately, the RPM drops for a half a second, but comes back up. It's so weird. 2nd time I had the codes read: it said it had a bad engine exhaust reburn valve, something of that nature. The O'Reilly's guy that read it called it and EGR Valve though. Not that I know where to find either one. I just haven't really been bothering with it because it's overwhelming and I don't have moneys but I know some things you can't just leave and not fix. I will have it read again soon. Also, acceleration is okay, sometimes it shifts really smoothly, and other times it's a lil rough. It probably needs a drain/refill of every fluid that it takes, truthfully. I don't know how many owners she's had total, but I know that I'm the 3rd that I can find PROOF of... She was ridden hard and put up wet waaaay before she got to me. It's done the RPM drop upon stopping for most of the time I've had it. It just started with the sputtering. And actually, an update on that over the last 3-4 days: it is only doing that "sputtering even though it has plenty of gas" thing intermittently now. I still think it's very odd and needs addressed. Sorry this was so long lol

 

[1BlueJayy]

throw some fuel injector cleaner in the gas tank ALONG WITH PREMIUM GAS and take it for a brisk ride on the highway...
may or may not help, but your injectors will be cleaner at least.

Yeah I was thinking that myself. I was also wondering if maybe the fuel pump is going bad or the filter is clogged. It could be way simpler and I'm freaking out for no reason 😅

 

[jelazar]

You need to get the exact codes and post them. Don't buy any more parts until you post the codes and know what the right steps are. For example, there are multiple codes related to the EGR system, but most of them don't require changing the EGR valve.

 

[Sisyphus58]

The fuel filter is actually part of the fuel pump and not an inline filter like on other cars. The entire fuel pump assembly costs about the same as just the filter alone, so typically you replace the pump instead.
However, based on the symptoms you described, and it NOT bogging down at higher rpm’s, I don’t think it is the fuel pump.

As @jelezar suggested, avoid “guessing” and follow the trouble codes to narrow down the problem.

 

[WhiteSpyder]

It has already indicated a bad EGR valve. I would wait and fix that when you get the funds, then go from there. Guessing what it wrong and buying parts to fix what you imagine the problem is gets expensive fast. Diagnose one problem at a time. Don't let your imagination get ahead of ofthe facts you can confirm. ...J.D.

 

[1BlueJayy]

Guys. I read about most of these on the web, just to get a general idea of what most of them are for but I'm still pretty lost. Anyways heres what I got from what I read, I think.

P0431: efficiency shortcoming in the catalytic converter in engine bank 2

P0421: relates to catalytic converter in exhaust system; code is set off when PCM notices that the system is not operating as it should be during the engine's warm-up phase in bank 1

P0403: relates to "Exhaust Gas Recirculation" Valve Solenoid/Circuit Malfunction

P0306: misfire Cylinder 6

And I already know that I'll only be able to afford to put on, like, one bandaid at a time, so... I need to know what sounds most serious, so I can go ahead and address that first...

Thanks everyone.

 

[1BlueJayy]

Also I am pretty sure it DOES have a vacuum leak, so there's that, but could someone point me to EXACTLY WHERE I should look for said leak? Like include a pic please? I've watched 6 different YouTube videos on what to do to chase a vacuum leak down, but for some reason, there's no video on my exact car/engine for me to follow so I'm still scared to touch anything. LoL

 

[Widgmaster]

If you are able to take your ride to a local shop, they could preform a smoke test and tell you exactly where it is leaking. I do not know your skill level, but you could try this

BEST Automotive Smoke Machine You Can Build

BEST Automotive Smoke Machine You Can Build: An automotive smoke Machine is one of the most useful diagnostic tools you can have. There's a wide variety of different machines, but I built one with the features that I wanted. I want to see visually how much smoke is building up inside the machi…

www.instructables.com

You would need to hook this machine to the air intake hose like in the picture.

 

[1BlueJayy]

I do have a place that already said they would do that for me. I'll let y'all know later what they say! I gotta go do my taxes first though lol

 

[1BlueJayy]

So I went to the place to have them do the smoke test, but they were so busy they couldn't do it today. I might just buy a cigar and test out Scotty Kilmer's method 🤣 y'all stay tuned lol

 

[Widgmaster]

Good old Scotty...a bit of an odd ball, but he does have a lot of good ideas. Maybe ask that shop which line to blow the smoke in.

 

[1BlueJayy]

Good old Scotty...a bit of an odd ball, but he does have a lot of good ideas. Maybe ask that shop which line to blow the smoke in.

”

I'm going to have to ask them because someone else posted a picture "hook it up to here" and I was like "that's not even my motor 😅" so it didn't help ME very much but I appreciated the effort lol

 

[Widgmaster]

It was me that posted the picture... In your profile, you say you have a 04 Eclipse Spyder GT...the only difference between your motor and mine is the upper intake

 

[1BlueJayy]

It was me that posted the picture... In your profile, you say you have a 04 Eclipse Spyder GT...the only difference between your motor and mine is the upper intake

It's different because it's aftermarket right? Also, I apologize if I made you feel like I was being ugly with that particular comment. I didn't really pay attention to who posted it before I said what I said 🤣