[subwaypat]

I just found this forum and hopefully someone can help me out. I have a 2000 ZX2 that has 258,000+ miles on it (I have been the only owner). The only major thing that has had to be done to it is the transmission was rebuilt around 145,000 miles. It does have the usual vibration/rough idle that most ZX2 owners gripe about, but that hasn't been a big deal to me. A couple of issues recently with it have me kind of stumped. The first problem is that in the past few months the engine will stall out when I come to a quick stop--like a stop light or someone stopping quickly in front of me and I have to hit the brakes hard. It will always start right back up, but it is worrisome and could be dangerous if someone else plows over me. It only does this after a quick stop, normal braking/stopping does not cause a problem. There has also been a random issue of the car sort of hesiting (or as I call it "hiccuping') while driving. There has been no rhyme nor reason to it--sometimes it will do it while taking off from a stop and other times it will do it while going down the road at 55mph. It is almost like the engine is cutting out and losing power and then it goes right back to running fine. It was doing it very rarely until this week. It did this about 5-6 times within me getting about 2 miles from my house so I turned around, took it home, parked it, and have been driving my wife's car this week. Vacuum lines/hoses look to be fine and I have had no check engine codes show up. Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[pextor]

the vacuum hoses were the first thing to come to my mind. do the heater controls work properly, or does it only come out the defroster no matter what setting it's on? the heater controls are vacuum controlled, so thats why I ask.

 

[ZX2Fast]

The most overlooked vacuum leak is the PCV line. Check the elbows at both ends of the line. You'll have to remove them to get a good look at them.

 

[subwaypat]

the vacuum hoses were the first thing to come to my mind. do the heater controls work properly, or does it only come out the defroster no matter what setting it's on? the heater controls are vacuum controlled, so thats why I ask.

Yes, the controls work fine. Thanks for the tip.

 

[subwaypat]

The most overlooked vacuum leak is the PCV line. Check the elbows at both ends of the line. You'll have to remove them to get a good look at them.

The PCV line is in good shape; I checked it already. I learned about that one a few years ago. They tend to get a hole in them in the elbow toward the back side of the engine about every 80-85,000 miles. Thanks for the tip though.

 

[mellowness65]

how new is the fuel filter and pump?

 

[gamma500]

I have had the same problems...the stall with sudden chop of the throttle, braking. Also a hiccup, albeit, always at 3300 rpms or so, more so when engine cold but still noticeable when at temp. Cleaned the IAC valve and rechecked, replaced vacuum lines and clamps without any real improvement. My car has 124,000 miles btw... the one change that finally took care of things was replacing my MAF sensor ( a cleaning first didn' t help). I may have lucked out purchasing a non returnable part but it worked out in this case...my check of the car besides the above included just about everything..compression test, new wires, plugs, cam sensor, crank sensor, new timing belt, new throttle body, VCT solenoid check, TPS check, ECU reboot ( I have an SCT programmer) you name it.

 

[subwaypat]

Thanks gamma500 for the info. I have done pretty much all of those things without any luck so I will probably give the MAF sensor a try. I will definitely let you know how it works out.