Skorpos

Hello Club Lexus!

I'm going to spare the formalities and say I'm glad to finally become a member on here. Anywho, the story goes like this:

I have a 99' Lexus ES300 with 154k on it.

The other day (never happened before), I stepped on the gas from a red light and noticed a single stutter before it picked up and started accelerating. Over the next few days, I noticed a barely perceptible stutter every so often when accelerating from a dead stop and when shifting into 2nd. Fast forward to today, drop a friend off at home, no problems on the way there. On the way back, however, the car would literally stutter two, three, even four times before it picked up and started going. It would also stutter when shifting into 2nd, but those were not as noticeable. Drove all the way home and experienced the same stutter every single time after a full stop.

So once at home, I do the standard checks. Checked my oil, no problem. Drove the car around the block, cycled all the gears, put it in park, and checked my ATF. Still has a reddish-purple color, doesn't really smell burnt, and the ATF level was slightly above the hot line (slightly overfilled it would seem).

So I take it back around the neighborhood and began experimenting with driving in 2-drive and 3-drive. Like magic, the car doesn't even skip a beat. So I switch back into D and, astonishingly, it no longer stutters. I'm literally about to take the car back out (it is now cold) and see what happens.

To sum this up, the problem surfaced a few days ago, and came back intermittently. No check engine lights, no codes, oil and ATF appear to be in good order. Drove in 2-Drive and 3-Drive, didn't experience the problem even once, and now the problem seems to have disappeared from D as well.

Now, I changed an ignition coil several months back, after a P0300 code and a very distinctive "running on 5" sensation. I would venture to interpret this stutter as POSSIBLY being ignition-related, as it feels like an ignition problem. The reason I suspect the tranny as the culprit is because it only happens when starting from a full stop and when shifting into 2nd and 3rd, but definitely more from a dead stop.

So, has anyone experienced something like this before and have any advice as to what I might try next to solve this seemingly bipolar issue?

Thanks in advance,
Steven

01LEXPL

iTrader: (10)

very weird indeed.

if it were your tranny, you'd know... but I don't even know, perhaps its a sign that your solenoids are on their way out; now that I think back it seems my old trans. let me know it was dying, but I ignored it [when I lost a reverse gear out of the blue, for no reason and it was 'fine' thereafter for a year.]

It can be worthwhile to replace your Oil Control Valves [~100$ aftermarket, and about 15mins to change]. That was the cause of my misfire - NOT the coils, and it was sputtering as you mention; BUT the CEL was intermittent in my case.

Skorpos

So I just let the car warm up and drove a couple miles to Carls Jr. The problem has completely disappeared. It didn't even stutter once. I even had the windows up and the music muted searching for something as small as a misplaced bump in the road that I could somehow convince myself was a "stutter", but alas, nothing. Having driven only manual transmission the last 12 years, I am utterly confused. This is totally outside my experience and when I attempt to diagnose it, a disappearing act seems to have taken place -__-

I will keep this thread updated should the issue rear its mysterious head once more.

310V6

Do you know how long ago the fuel filter was changed.?

mitmaks

x2 on fuel filter. Also buy a bottle of injector cleaner and run it through. Maybe you got some bad gas/moisture in the tank.

BDSL

Back when I had my 97 ES300, I had the exact same problem (slight stuttering from a stop and no CEL).
Eventually, after a week or so, the CEL came on.
It was the EGR valve position sensor.
It was a$30 part and very easy to replace (3 fasteners).

Skorpos

+2 on the fuel filter suggestion from my part.

If no other explanations seemed promising I was going to turn to the fuel system as the next likely cause. I'll keep driving it until the problem resurfaces, or at least until my gut tells me that I should replace the fuel filter as a preventative measure anyway.

Thanks for the suggestions and i will update this thread should I notice anyting new.

Ciao!

Groober

I have this same issue and it's driving me nuts. '01 ES300, 103K, timing belt, water pump, valve cover gaskets, plugs all recently completed at a decent shop - wasn't cheap.

I honestly can't say whether this 'sputter' surfaced before or after the recent service. Performs great when first started. After it reaches operating temp for about 10-15 minutes, it sometimes sputters. Sometimes it is barely noticeable other times it's almost a jerking. Began noticing after upshifts when slight throttle applied. No codes. Solus found no cylinder misfire.

Poking around, I found a gray plastic connector sitting all by it's lonesome near cylinder #3 (the back middle cylinder). I have no idea to what it connects.

I have had three different independent mechanics look at it but so far no go. ALL help appreciated here.

mitmaks

Post a picture.

PFB

When the three mechanics looked at your car, did any of them actually experience the problem that you describe, or did the problem not show up while they drove it?

Groober

Can't really get a picture because of it's location.

I was able to replicate the problem with one of the mechanics. He hooked it up to the Solus but it only does it under a load. The Solus showed no history of cylinder misfire.

Groober

Was searching other posts on here that suggested either coolant temp sensor or neutral position switch. Not really sure about those but I'm still looking.

Groober

Here is the best picture I could take of this orphaned connector. It is behind the intake plenum and originates from the wiring harness that goes along the back side (right side) of the motor near the firewall.

Can anyone identify it?

DJPsystems

Coil connector?