Did you damage anything when you "carb cleaned the **** out of the TB"? Per Chrysler, do not use carb cleaner, only specific brake cleaner. You have to make sure that no electrical connections get wet and the plate was not forced open.

 

I wondered about that, but unless some got in the motor, it would seem an unlikely cause.

 

I pushed it open with my finger and sprayed in carb cleaner. Looked pretty black in there, so I gave it a pretty good squirt with the carb cleaner all around. Then I put everything back together and fired her up. She started with a very little hesitation, then caught and ran strong. Haven't taken it for a scoot yet, but will later tonight and see if that (along with the can of Seafoam I put in earlier today) makes a difference. Really strange, and more than a little frustrating.

 

Lack of transmission fluid, mine has recently gotten low and has been rpm fluctuating more. A good month after a fluid change it went without bucking but it has come back.

 

Thanks for the reminder, that was on my list from earlier . Guess I know what I'm doing this weekend. Checked @ Canadian Tire today...damn that ATF+4 stuff is expensive!

 

Did you actually remove the TB? If not, you'll need to do that. Get in there with non-chlorinated brake cleaner, shop rags and a toothbrush. Make sure none of the cleaner gets into the TB motor. A dose of Sea Foam into the brake booster vacuum line may help too.

 

I had the same problem on my 03. When I would have my foot on the gas it seemed to jump but when I would coast it was fine. I dont remember the code but it was misfire in cylinder 3. I took it in and got it fixed. Im not sure how it happened but I had 2 smashed spark plugs in that cylinder. Now I saw you replaced them but the mechanic had to rest a gap on mine after he replaced the spark plugs.

 

I didn't actually remove the TB, so I guess I better do that next. A friend suggested that the TB may be toast and need to be replaced. I'm not a fan of having the TPS built in to the TB like it is on my '03, so I'm wondering if one from a later model (2004 up?) would go on plug and play, or if it would require a sh!tload of mods to get it to work. Any thoughts?

 

Took it to the stealer today, and he says the passenger side exhaust manifold gasket is shot and needs to be replaced. Gonna do some research to see how to do that, but does that sound like somehting that would cause hesitation and/or bucking under acceleration above 3000 rpm? I also am on tank 2 of the seafoam treatment, and it SEEMS (placebo effect???) to be accelerating better. Dunno fer sure.

 

If the exh mani gasket is shot, cracked manifold or broken bolts, fresh air could be getting sucked in the exh and passed through the O2 which gives false reading which makes the PCM try to adjust falsely which domino effects into other issues. So yeah, its possible.