car runs slow in cold weather

[tootal2]

I have a 99 chevy malibu with 2.4. 78000 miles. When its below 40 degrees its hard to get the car moving. 3000rpm gets me around 2 mph. it runs fine after it has warmed up for 5 min. Above 40 degrees the car runs fine. I hooked up a scan gage to it and could not see a problem.

can the spark plugs cause this problem? I never replaced them.

thanks

[loki]

does it idle rough when it's cold?

checked to see if trans fluid is ok?

anything more that's odd about it?

[vonVeezelsnider]

I have a 99 chevy malibu with 2.4. 78000 miles. When its below 40 degrees its hard to get the car moving. 3000rpm gets me around 2 mph. it runs fine after it has warmed up for 5 min. Above 40 degrees the car runs fine. I hooked up a scan gage to it and could not see a problem.

can the spark plugs cause this problem? I never replaced them.

thanks

My friend had this exact thing happen to his 88 a while back before the engine seized.

[tootal2]

does it idle rough when it's cold?

checked to see if trans fluid is ok?

anything more that's odd about it?

It idles rough when its cold. it also makes some kind of ticking noise. but it runs fine when the outside temp is above 40 degree F.

I had the trans fluid changed at Valvoline Instant Oil 2 weeks ago. There is no dip stick for the trans on this car:( I can bring it back there and they will check it for free.

i hope i can keep this car another year or 2.

[loki]

well your spark plug question... they should be easy to get to, right? pull them out and look at them when you get a chance. with my MC 3.1L v6 bosch platinum plugs /or the non OEM wires my dad and I put on it caused mine to misfire #4 at seemingly random intervals (a couple times a year, seemed worse in winter).

[tootal2]

well your spark plug question... they should be easy to get to, right? pull them out and look at them when you get a chance. with my MC 3.1L v6 bosch platinum plugs /or the non OEM wires my dad and I put on it caused mine to misfire #4 at seemingly random intervals (a couple times a year, seemed worse in winter).

its not easy to change the plugs on this car. The coils sit on top of the plugs. The dealer said the plugs are good for 100,000 miles. driving my car 5 miles a day might not be good for the plugs or my car.

[daves87rs]

How old is the Cat? It might be clogged.....

[tootal2]

How old is the Cat? It might be clogged.....

its almost 10 years old. I think going to trade it in for a new car. This car has so many problems. The front brake pads have to be replaced every 10,000 miles.

fan speeds 1 and 2 dont work. AC dont work. ac would not stay on when it was working.

they say its a good time to buy a new car anyway. I hope they have 0% interest rate car loans soon:)

http://www.carcomplaints.com/Chevrolet/Mal...999/index.shtml

[loki]

its almost 10 years old. I think going to trade it in for a new car. This car has so many problems. The front brake pads have to be replaced every 10,000 miles.

fan speeds 1 and 2 dont work. AC dont work. ac would not stay on when it was working.

they say its a good time to buy a new car anyway. I hope they have 0% interest rate car loans soon:)

http://www.carcomplaints.com/Chevrolet/Mal...999/index.shtml

what car are you thinking of replacing it with then?

09 balt? or something used? something else?

[vonVeezelsnider]

Zero Percent financing on Cobalt, HHR, G5, Aveo etc... is going on up in Canada already, they'll even throw in a free sunroof

[tootal2]

what car are you thinking of replacing it with then?

09 balt? or something used? something else?

Im thinking of getting a 2009 aveo when they come out.

but my car is paid for and the taxes are low on it so it wont be easy for me to give it up.

I think the noise might be coming for the new serpentine belt. It took Valvoline Instant Oil Change 30 min. and 2 people to get the new belt on. Hope they didn't damage anything.

The car seems to be running fine now. dont know why it runs bad sometimes.

[gmpartsgirl]

Could just be a tied tranny. My '07 Avalanche didn't want ot move or shift when it was really cold first thing in the morning, and it had a lifter knock on startup too, so did our '04 Silverado. It's probably just worn out and the cold is so hard on them.

[loki]

Im thinking of getting a 2009 aveo when they come out.

but my car is paid for and the taxes are low on it so it wont be easy for me to give it up.

I think the noise might be coming for the new serpentine belt. It took Valvoline Instant Oil Change 30 min. and 2 people to get the new belt on. Hope they didn't damage anything.

auto or stick? having something you don't have payments on is quite nice.

if the tensioner and space as anything like our 99 GA 3.4's it takes some enginuity to pull the tensioner loose...to pull the belt off. but that car also requires taking an engine mount off to replace the belt....?

[tootal2]

auto or stick? having something you don't have payments on is quite nice.

if the tensioner and space as anything like our 99 GA 3.4's it takes some enginuity to pull the tensioner loose...to pull the belt off. but that car also requires taking an engine mount off to replace the belt....?

I found out where the noise is coming from. A peace of rubber that holds the ac tube to the frame came loose and is rubbing on the crank shaft pulley. Guess and I found the ac leak to:)

update:

I just found a wench in the engine compartment below the serpentine belt. I think its a gift from vioc. Next time i need a serpentine belt replaced i wont go to vioc.

Edited April 2, 2008 by tootal2

[Intrepidation]

I found out where the noise is coming from. A peace of rubber that holds the ac tube to the frame came loose and is rubbing on the crank shaft pulley. Guess and I found the ac leak to:)

update:

I just found a wench in the engine compartment below the serpentine belt. I think its a gift from vioc. Next time i need a serpentine belt replaced i wont go to vioc.

Free wrench!

[loki]

hahah.. nice.. sounds like you can keep that car for at leastseveral more months.. till next winter.