Hesitation\stumble off idle

[k9t8m]

Hello My name is Chris, and my girlfriend has on 01 Limited currently 66k mi. Shes had it about 8 months now and so far so good, well except for the hesitation. Now on to the problem.

I have spent the last hour reading through a lot of threads about this same problem, but there doesnt seem to be any real conclusion.

About a month after she got it, it started to hesitate off idle. Being the car guy that I am, I did a complete tune up, new Champion platnum plugs, Mopar performance wires, air filter, oil change, and the detail it needed.

The hesitation never went away. A couple weeks ago she took her pt to walmart to get the oil changed and they damaged her car. being in the collision industry i have taken it upon myself to fix it.

I have been driving it back and forth to work and I cannot stand the hesitation. Its like it stalls off idle. then when it finally gets whatever it needs it takes off like a rocket. (with or without a\c on) no engine codes either. Its very jerky to drive, and very annoying!

I just changed the plugs and wires maybe 3k mi ago, the air filter is relitavely new, and we have tried runnig fuel system cleaner through and have gotten little results.

One of the threads I was reading had something to do with the timing belts being off. About a month before we got the car the timing belts were done, could this be causing my hesitation?

Every once in a while it seems like the car chokes and dies too.

It seems to me to be a fuel problem, but I have never known a fuel pump to work intermittently, it either works or it doesnt.

What the heck is the deal? Im so frustrated Im thinking about selling this POS!

On a side note I think I am going to modify the airbox to get more air tonight.

[quicksilverdon]

Welcome.
You've hit the basics.
What did you gap the plugs at? Should be 0.040, but I don't think it being off would cause severe hesitation.
On my '02, when I went to an AirAid intake, I noticed very quick throttle response - it cured a hesitation I didn't even know I had.
I'd try a quick spin with the air filter out and see. If that works, buy a K&N filter - runs $35-$45 (but it lasts forever with a $15 cleaning kit).

[Hooligan]

How about the Idle Air Control? Would this cause his problem? Mechanics join in please, and help this member.

[quicksilverdon]

Originally Posted by Hooligan

How about the Idle Air Control? Would this cause his problem? Mechanics join in please, and help this member.

Can't hurt to try.
Look here:
Rough Idle And No Codes

[CREWZIN]

Everything I've ever encountered with a hesitation off idle came with a rough idle also. If your not having the rough idle, then I believe your problem might be the injectors. Just taking a guess, I'd say the idle doesn't need much fuel but taking off from idle fuel needs to increase, if it doesn't then a hesitation occurs, but the same for lack of incoming air. You said the air filter was changed so hopefully that would cure a lack of air but as QSD pointed out, I too notice an increased pick-up when I went to an open air intake.

I'd take it and have a profession injector cleaner run threw the fuel rail. A bottle or two of cleaner might do the trick of cleaning out any gummed up injector the the forced method will tell you instantly if that was your problem. If not, it never hurts to have them cleaned once in awhile anyway.