Hesitation and cough at low speed when I hit throttle hard

[PaulD]

I never experienced this before I installed the K&N CAI but it has happend several times since the installation. It has never happen from a dead stop nor at higher speeds but if I am rolling very slow and hit the gas hard, it acts like it starts to downshift and in the process, it has a slight hesitation and does a cough. Does not happen every time but enough to get my attention. One time I thought I heard a muffled backfire. It never did this before I added the K&N thus I feel it is tied to the revised airflow from the K&N and how that impacts the mass air sensor.
Has anyone else experienced this?

[BirdofPrey]

Re: Hesitation and cough at low speed when I hit throttle hard

I had a similar issue shorlty after installing the cold air intake and K&N filter. It turned out that #2 COP was the culprit and not the intake. Maybe I was driving it too hard after the installation since the cause of the COP failure was oil in the well caused by a leaking valve cover gasket!

[CapnRon]

Re: Hesitation and cough at low speed when I hit throttle hard

A freshly oiled K&N air filter can, and often will leave oil deposits on the MAF sensor. This can cause drivability concerns. The MAF is very easy to clean but be sure to use only MAF sensor cleaner on it. Carb cleaner can cause permanent damage to the MAF as it can actually etch the surface of the MAF.

[94mcd]

Re: Hesitation and cough at low speed when I hit throttle hard

I had the same symtoms and it was a COP problem not my K&N filter.

[Vintage Merlot]

Re: Hesitation and cough at low speed when I hit throttle hard

Paul,
It is similar to what I was experiencing with a COP problem.

[PaulD]

Re: Hesitation and cough at low speed when I hit throttle hard

Thanks all. If it is a COP problem, it has never lighted the wrench on the dash. I realize that may not happen in all COP situations. I have a set of the WeaponX COP's on order and hopefully that will take care of it. If not, then I will pop out the MAF and clean it.

[02TBIRD]

Re: Hesitation and cough at low speed when I hit throttle hard

Thanks all. If it is a COP problem, it has never lighted the wrench on the dash. I realize that may not happen in all COP situations. I have a set of the WeaponX COP's on order and hopefully that will take care of it. If not, then I will pop out the MAF and clean it.

Paul, I've had 3 cops to go out at separate times, and never
had a wrench light come on.

Gary

[EllisonCal]

Re: Hesitation and cough at low speed when I hit throttle hard

Paul, I've had 3 cops to go out at separate times, and never
had a wrench light come on.

Gary

Ditto, when one of my COPs went belly up I didn't get the "check engine" light either. It just had a miss that kept returning until replacement of the COP.

Cal

[Lindy]

Re: Hesitation and cough at low speed when I hit throttle hard

Hey Paul, no, while I haven't expierieced hesitation when hitting the gas-pedal, nor do I have the K & N kit. However, I once had a K&N filter installed in the '05 which I used to own. One of the possibled variables to check is the MAF itself; there are cleaning products available at your local auto parts store. Try a MAF spray-can cleaner, and spray off the MAF, but do not touch MAF with your fingers. This is easy to do in the '03-'05 because the sensor can be easily removed with out any dis-assembly.

Secondly, you may want to consider a third party product for programming your PCM to get optimum performance from the K&N kit.

Finally on a completely different note, you have an '03 with an electronic throttle, while the '02's have a manual throttle if I understand it correctly. And your query prompts me to wonder if there is any noticable advantage with one over the other from the starting line? In otherwords, a manual throttle is direct while an electronic throttle is subject to some sort of sensory device.

Lindy

[FritsB]

Re: Hesitation and cough at low speed when I hit throttle hard

Your problems sounds exactly like on mine Paul.
If I floor the car 'check engine' comes on coughs heavily. Just stop it, start it and it runs fine again.. at least for a while. Don't take it over 80Mph and it's fine. Had dealer read codes and it says that cilinder 8 is missing. But every now and then it runs on 4 instead of 8. Hope those WeaponX cops are available soon

[02TBIRD]

Re: Hesitation and cough at low speed when I hit throttle hard

And your query prompts me to wonder if there is any noticable advantage with one over the other from the starting line? In otherwords, a manual throttle is direct while an electronic throttle is subject to some sort of sensory device.

Lindy[/QUOTE]

Yep. 02's are faster than 03's-04's-and 05's.


Gary
(02 owner)

[jerrym3]

Re: Hesitation and cough at low speed when I hit throttle hard

Hey, Gary

What about the extra ponies and torque?

I thought that 03 and up roadtests showed quicker times over the 02's?

Mechanic that used to work on my older cars had a 2002 LS. Drove my 04 LS, and said he could feel the difference.

My 04 was quicker.

[bgl]

Re: Hesitation and cough at low speed when I hit throttle hard

It sounds the same, and if so, COP.

[HKS]

Re: Hesitation and cough at low speed when I hit throttle hard

I test drove a 2003 and I imagined there was a difference. Only way to tell is to drag race 02 and 03.
HKS

Hey, Gary
What about the extra ponies and torque?
I thought that 03 and up roadtests showed quicker times over the 02's?
Mechanic that used to work on my older cars had a 2002 LS. Drove my 04 LS, and said he could feel the difference.
My 04 was quicker.

[tbird05cel]

Re: Hesitation and cough at low speed when I hit throttle hard

Paul, I've had 3 cops to go out at separate times, and never
had a wrench light come on.

Gary

COPS brought the engine light on for me. The wrench (limp home mode) showed up with throttle position sensor problem. All fixed under warranty!!!!