Engine flutter while accelerating

[Mike]

Started a few months ago on my 2001 Chevy tracker…it sounds like a flutter and does it under load…any ideas?

Topic

[Grayfox]

Any CEL, how are the fluids?

[Mike]

Fluids look good and no CEL. I was leaning towards exhaust leak at manifold or egr valve going out

[dreamer2355]

When was the last time the vehicle had a tune up?

It sounds like its an ignition issue if the problem is during acceleration or engine load.

[EricTheCarGuy]

I think you can rule out the EGR as I’ve never ‘heard’ one of those go bad. Can you get it to make the noise while sitting and revving the engine? If not try power braking it. The first thing is to track down where the noise is coming from and then go from there. Here is a video I did on finding noises that might help.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mpNRJ7m-c8

[Mike]

Thanks. I will check out the video. It does it when I power brake but not while revving it in park or neutral. And it sounds like the rear of the engine.

[Mike]

Quoted From dreamer2355:

When was the last time the vehicle had a tune up?

It sounds like its an ignition issue if the problem is during acceleration or engine load.

I am going to pull the plugs and see how they are burning, but it doesn’t missfire and I changed the plugs a few months ago.

[jbone]

If u get hesitation while accelerating then i would check your MAF sensor..

[EricTheCarGuy]

I would put my focus on locating where the noise is coming from as I don’t think you’re going to get too much ‘reading the plugs’, it could be a much simpler explanation and when looking for something like that keep it simple, don’t fall prey to complicated theories about what’s causing the noise, locate it and THEN come up with the ‘why’.

[spelunkerd]

Can you be more specific about the ‘flutter’. The way I read your description, it sounds more like the engine shudder of a misfire rather than a rattle from the frame, but others here seem to be reading you differently. Do you think you could post a video?

[Author]

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