Cuts Out, Misses
Checks 
 | Action 
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DEFINITION: A steady pulsation or jerking that follows the engine speed.
When the engine load increases, the condition is usually more pronounced. 
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Preliminary 
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|     •  |  Search for service bulletins. |  
  
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Fuel
System 
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|     •  | Inspect  the fuel filter for being plugged or restricted. |  
  
|     •  | Inspect the items which can cause an engine to run rich, with
a long term fuel trim significantly in the negative range. Refer to Diagnostic
Aids for 
DTC P0172 
     . |  
  
|     •  | Inspect the items that can cause an engine to run lean, with a
long term fuel trim significantly in the positive range. Refer to Diagnostic
Aids for 
DTC P0171 
     . |  
  
|     •  | Ensure proper operation of the evaporative emission (EVAP) control
system. |  
  
|     •  | Inspect  for fuel in the fuel pressure regulator vacuum hose. |  
  
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Sensor/System 
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|     •  | Inspect  the oxygen sensor (O2S 1). The O2S 1 should
respond quickly to different throttle positions. If not, inspect the O2S 1
for silicon or for other  contaminants from the fuel, or from the use of improper
room-temperature vulcanizing (RTV) sealant. The sensors         may    have
a white powdery coating. Silicon contamination    causes a   high      but
 false    O2S 1 signal voltage, indicating a rich exhaust condition.
   The   powertrain control module (PCM)  will     reduce  the  amount   of
fuel that is delivered to the engine,    causing   a  severe   driveability
   problem. |  
  
|     •  | Ensure proper operation of the manifold absolute pressure (MAP)
sensor. |  
  
|     •  | Ensure proper operation of the throttle position (TP) sensor. |  
  
|     •  | Ensure proper operation of the engine coolant temperature (ECT)
sensor. |  
  
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Ignition
System 
 | 
|     •  | Ensure proper ignition voltage output with the J 26792 
 Spark Tester or equivalent. |  
  
|     •  | Inspect  the spark plugs for the following conditions: |  
  
|        -  | Wet or fuel fouled spark plugs |  
  
|        -  |  Cracks on the spark plugs |  
  
|        -  | Improper spark plug gap |  
  
|        -  | Burned electrodes or heavy deposits |  
  
|     •  | If the spark plugs are fuel or oil fouled, the cause of the fouling
must be determined before replacing the spark plugs. |  
  
|     •  | Inspect  the ignition control module (ICM) for proper ground connection. |  
  
|     •  | Inspect  the ignition coils for cracks or carbon tracking. |  
  
|     •  | Inspect  the spark plug wires for proper resistance and condition. |  
  
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Engine
Mechanical 
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|     •  | Inspect  for the following conditions: |  
  
|        -  | Sticking or leaking valves |  
  
|        -  | Excessive oil in combustion chamber due to leaking valve seals |  
  
|        -  | Low cylinder compression |  
  
|     •  | Inspect  for incorrect basic engine parts. Inspect the following: |  
  
|        -  | Other basic engine parts, as appropriate |  
  
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Additional
Checks 
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|     •  | Inspect  the exhaust system for possible restrictions. Inspect
 for the following conditions: |  
  
|        -  | For damaged or collapsed pipes |  
  
|        -  | The mufflers for heat distress or for possible internal failure |  
  
|        -  | For a possible plugged three-way catalytic converter (TWC)--Refer
to 
Restricted Exhaust 
 in Engine Exhaust. |  
  
|     •  |  An engine miss condition can be caused by electromagnetic interference
(EMI) on the reference circuit. EMI can usually be detected by monitoring
              engine revolution per minute (RPM) with a scan tool. A sudden
increase in RPM with little       change        in  actual engine RPM change,
indicates EMI is present.   If    a  condition   exists,      inspect  the
routing of the secondary ignition wires,   and inspect for high    voltage
 components near  the   ignition  control (IC) circuits. |  
  
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