Juddering under torque after low fuel

Good morning all,

I wanted to get a consensus before I try some of the fixes I found for a similar issue in the forums.
Hoping mine is a unique and easy fix, But we will see what you all think.

Thank you ahead of time for your wisdom.

Here are her stats...

• gen 2 2005
• 244000 ish miles
• new transmission about 4 years ago (the previous owner never changed fluid)
• I have been sick and she has only seen about 25 miles a week (OR LESS) of driving for the last 16 months.
• had something stuck in the engine mount 3 years ago (easily removed by a technician and said the mounts looked ok)
• Car always runs like a champ, only engine error I get is the knock sensor warning. (only when it is cold out)
• i get a full inspection done every year and run full synthetic in all parts of the car
• burns no oil.
• modded to run in ECO mode with a pull of the high beams bar.
• coolant and all other levels remain the same (except washer fluid Lol)
• replaced the brakes about 4 years ago (full fluid flush)
• modded the car to a sleeper camper (NO mechanical alterations only removed the seat and added sleeping frame)
• DO have a hard-wired inverter directly to the battery (startup not big) (do not leave on)

about a week ago on one of my small 4 mile round trips. I noticed what I felt like were small judders in the engine (like it was cutting out) or felt like a really rough road and since it is the middle of winter up here in Michigan I thought I was just hitting some rough areas in the road.

This only occurred at slower speeds (25-35 mph)

I drove the car again later in the week and was down to 1 bar on the gas gage (not blinking)
and the problem presented itself again (but worse)
The roads were dry and I noticed the problem occurring under torque application at the lower speeds

It reminded me of how the car responded before it died on a trip where we did actually run out of gas (about 5 years ago).

I thought there may be some water in the tank (cold and sitting for a while) so I added a half bottle of heat and some gas from a fuel can for my lawnmower.

I then drove around the block a few times to see if the problem went away.
It DID and I went to a local fuel place and got a few gallons. (I like to feed it better Costco gas and Would be there the next day so I did not fill up)

The car ran terrifically the next morning (and has always idled very smoothly) even during the juddering issues.

i ran my errand and filled up at Costco (low octane)

On the way home (4 mile trip) The car again began to judder under load at slow speeds. Acted like an old motorcycle I had... Could get up to any speed if you took your time but when you gave it gas would choke and sputter.

Stopped at a parking lot where my wife was parked (in case I needed a ride home) and popped the hood.

The engine was idling SUPER smoothly (no hickups or misses that I could tell)

I drove around the parking lot and experienced the same juddering.

I manually turned off the traction control (wondering if something was stuck in the sensor or if the slippery snow was somehow causing really weird problems)
The car was able to peel a strip through the snow and ice and had plenty of 0-10 mph torque (probably the electric drive) but again juddered at 15-30 ish.

I decided to try to make it home (2 or so miles.)

and experienced juddering after every stop but got home without issue.

Could get up to 47 mph without a problem (if I did it relatively slowly) Definitely noticed a loss of power but could get up to the speeds I needed.

Parked it and decided to get your pro opinions before I did anything else

Thanks for your wisdom and feedback

 

Thanks for your reply. I dont know why I did not get notified that any replies had been made

Normally the only code I have EVER gotten on the car is the knock sensor and only in the winter when it is cold.

However I did add some fuel system cleaner and ran the car a bit. It ran like a charm until I went up as small (12-25 percent) incline. Then it ran like garbage alll the way home and will not even idle well now (After a few posts I will put a link to the video in one. Cant add a link yet

It also began throwing Codes like the dashboard was a christmass tress (see Image)

Thanks all for the feedback and sorry it took so long to reply (ill check my notification settings again)

Thanks for your reply. I dont know why I did not get notified that any replies had been made

However I did add some fuel system cleaner and ran the car a bit. It ran like a charm until I went up as small (12-25 percent) incline. Then it ran like garbage alll the way home and will not even idle well now (After a few posts I will put a link to the video in one. Cant add a link yet

It also began throwing Codes like the dashboard was a christmass tree (see Image)

Like spark Coil?

Does that happen on priuses?

Last car I replaced a coil in was an 85 Oldsmobile.
I guess anything could go wrong though.

Do you have more info on this or what Code would be shown. Here are the codes I am getting.

Great questions.

Plugs (possibly never changed) Have some and was thinking of changing them this summer.
Added the Techron fuel aditive and is actually running worse (after going up a small incline)

Attached are the codes I am getting after going up the hill. (also the car will not even idle well now)

Was thinking of cleaning out the MAS and draining out the fuel< by shorting the pump (If I can find out where and how to disconnect the fuel line somewhere betweent the tank and the engine

I hope not but I could see it as a reality.

especially if there is water in the tank.

Still dont know how to upload a video to show you how it is idling.

When I figure it out I will put it up

Thanks

Thanks
Here are my current codes.

Battery seems to be OK moving slowly (not the super up and down of sick batteries) and Occasionally I put my battery healer on (a thing that really slowly (over days) charges the HV battery. I forget who makes it but have noticed a lot more battery health since using it.

Thoughts on what could be wrong with the transaxel?

thanks again for your wisdom

 

Sorry I guess I did not understand how the posting works here. I thought I was replying to each of you separately.

Thanks I will look into the techstreme software (I do have the USB-OBD2 converter just never got the software). do you kwo where to find a copy?

I will find the manufacturer and the link to the battery health keeper as well. Fairly easy to install and brought me back from the trangle of death when I got the car about 5 years ago. Been running well ever since.

Ill see what I can do about getting some real codes

Thanks again

 

The Grid charger (battery health restorer) I purchased was at hybridautomotive. If you search for "hybrid automotive grid charger" it should be the top on google. (sorry I still cant leave links in my posts yet LOL)

Again is saved me from the Triangle a long time ago and the surpport (At least at the time was great)

Not to hard to install (kind of ofun actually)

I found that the whole setup (Including the 15 foot high amp cable I bought fits right in the left trunk storage)

Hope it helps everyone. Its a lot cheaper than a new battery

 

thanks for the reply. Yeah they arent the cheapest of things but a lot less effort than a new battery

Also I was able to get tech stream going but am having problems with my adapters drivers now LOL

Currently running windows 10 64 bit and no luck as of yet getting the PC to see the adapter

Might have to try an old wind 7 laptop but I think that is 64 bit as well.

Tried some web links to install drivers on win 10 64 bit but most of the driver links go nowhere anymore.
I guess Ill keep hunting. Unless you are aware of a windows 10 compatable OBD2 usb scanner

 

Also here is a link to the video of my enging idling. (started to idle really rough after adding the fuel system cleaner and going up a hill)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/idueSsYxDD2ZFPC56

 

Thanks I will give this a look at and hopefully get back to you with some real info

 

Ok all

Thanks again for your wisdom

Here is what I was able to get out of the car with Tech stream

I kind of feel like you have to be a rocket scientist to understand it but...

Are some of the codes what you were expecting? I also have A full CSV report but I cant attach it to this post. A link for it is here...
2020 - Google Drive

The car was idling very hard again and I switched it into drive and there was a larger than normal clunk and the enging started idling fairly smoothly again. I then drove around the block and it ran like it did at the begining with a reduction in torque and a slight feeling of tapping or thumping.

Also the exhaust smells a little wierd (possibly form the fuel aditive)

Also while sitting waiting for my ancient computer to work I recieve the error below on the main display screen of the car.

Thanks again for your wisdom

If you have any questions feel free to ask.

 

Had to use a very old windos 7 laptop (but it is small and a great diagnostic for our Cars better than using my main laptop

Thanks for such a fast reply. Were those the only two codes you could see? Could there be others?

Do you think the car could even run with a timing chain error? I will look into charging my battery a bit more. and see if that helps

Do you think driving the car would be better for it or more damaging. To a certian extent it does drive but I have to wonder why it gets so moody sometime.

Thoughts on changing out the crankshaft sensor? Dosent look to hard if it actually fixes it

thanks again

Any other questions?

 

Thanks for your replies and help And your patience on my reply.

So it looks like it could be a timring belt issue. That kind of makes sense as I have been getting the p0016 errror for quite a while. that would definately be a dealer thing as I am contemplating if I am healthy enough to replace the sensor. (had a work injury a while ago and am still healing.) Which is kind of a bummer because I love this kind of car stuff. LOL

Do you think switching out the sparkplugs is a good start no matter what? From what I understand that is not too bad with the correct extension. plus it would enable me to clean out the MAS. Or do you think that would be a waste of time if the dealership needs to replace the chain as well? (could just toss in some plugs while they are at it)

Thanks for the other p0335 work around but it does bring up a few questions.

1. where does one get great workups like this?
2. with all the crazy tech and integrations in a car why arent they much more expensive lol
3. it may or may not be easier to just replace it but, knowing if the wire harnes or other parts are bad is a great first step.
   Wouldent it be throwing the P0335 error If the sensor was bad? Or is that something the car is not capable of identifying.

Thanks again for all your hlep and time.