Hesitation, but no check engine light, and supposedly no codes?

[Barwick]

I've got a 2000 LS V8 sport, and I've got hesitation that's getting worse by the day (been about a month now), it was actually hesitating at light throttle around 40-50 mph today, and almost always hesistates at full or near-full throttle on the highway and getting on the highway (and around town for that matter).

It doesn't just die and stop running, but it feels like I'm running on 6, maybe 7 cylinders, then finally 8. Almost like driving an S2000 if you've ever driven one, you can literally feel when that thing flips on its high VTEC lobes, and that's almost what it feels like, you can feel power kick in on it. Only here, you can feel the normal power of the engine coming on as all the cylinders are finally firing.

I always fill it up with 93 or 94 octane, occasionally 92 if that's all the station has, and hardly anything around here has 91.

So I figure there's going to be codes, I take it to Autozone, and they plug the puppy in and say "sorry, checks out fine, and it usually doesn't tell us anything unless the check engine light is on".

Now, someone said that's bull, they can still check it, but I saw them plug it in and saw the output, "Pass". Anything I can do on this, or any way to find out what the problem is?

 

[HyeLifeLS]

Coils??

 

[lsbit]

Coils??

It should be an auto-reply for hesitation at 40 or 50.

Check the tech articles or my sig for some more info!

 

[Barwick]

It should be an auto-reply for hesitation at 40 or 50.

Check the tech articles or my sig for some more info!

I'm figuring on some coils, but the problem is, there's no codes, so no way to tell which ones are bad or going bad. I already did the valve cover replacement on one side. Three plug holes had oil all up in them, and the forwardmost plug hole had just a teeny bit, maybe splashing around from the others I dunno... BUT there were no codes thrown at all, so I didn't replace any coils.

I didn't do the other side yet, it's the driver side, and that looks like a PAIN to get at and work on. Looks way worse than the passenger side. Plus I don't want to get it apart and then a day later find out that I needed coils on that side, so I'm trying to find out where I might need them FIRST, then I can go and do the job.

 

[lsbit]

Plus I don't want to get it apart and then a day later find out that I needed coils on that side, so I'm trying to find out where I might need them FIRST, then I can go and do the job.

Replacing coils AFTER doing the gasket job is not a hard job. You don't have to take apart much at all. Once you have done it once or twice, it is a snap. I have swapped all coils a few times. I had a bad injector in my car and it took many coil swaps to finally decide it was not a coil. It is nice to have two LSs for these things.

I didn't have a check engine light on my wife's car, so I bought a new coil and started swapping it around until it was fixed. I was lucky enough to be a good guesser though. I would say the plug well you mention with just a little bit of oil was due to a bad seal also. The only way oil is going to get in there is from it's own well from a bad seal.

I know it is a pain to do the same job over and over, believe me! You are correct about the driver's side also. It is more of a PITA. Just take your time removing and replacing the cover so you don't crack anything.