I got a 97 catera which has begun to have engine sputtering. I replaced the fuel filter but no change. I had my fuel pump checked and its working fine with the correct pressure. I do not have oil in my spark plugs. I have it in a shop now and they told me it was a temperature sender. Which i dont know what the hell they are talking about. Basically they dont know what they are doing. The car has the symptons of a fuel pump issue but its in not. What do you guys think? Car starts then dies, sometimes it runs fine but suddenly sputters and dies. Please help

A lot of guys have trouble with the engine's crankshaft or the camshaft position sensors going bad and shutting down the engine. The temperature "sender" only goes to the temperature gauge on the dash. There is a temperature "sensor" also, located in the same place at the top-back of the engine hiding under the plenums and intake manifolds that is used by the computer. Get the car to a mechanic who has the right diagnostic equipment before these guys wreck you engine and bank balance.

Jerry O

well maybe it could be a mass air flow sensor they are pretty pricey for the 97-98 also I know on the 99-01 you can just unplug it and the car will run better. I don't know if that will work with the 97-98 models but you can give it a try. But I do suggest if that is what is wrong that you do replace it not just drive around with it unpluged.your mass air flow sensor is inline with the incoming air to your engine. it will be a plug somewhere after your air cleaner box.

I have a 98 - I remember seeing in the shop manuals to unplug the MAF sensor and the computer uses a default value in place of the sensor value. So definitely try that. The difficulty will be if its intermittent and inconsistent in when it does it, diagnosis will be tough.

And just a personal observation on fuel pump. The steps I found for diagnosis was to turn the key from off to on (without starting the engine) and listen for the pump to run for 2 seconds - its in the fuel tank, so you're supposed to hear it coming from there. Well I never could hear it - before or after the dealer replaced my fuel pump. So - just an FYI if you try this: it didn't work for me. Maybe I'm going deaf :-)

Got it checked at a shop. The mechanic told me it was the Mass Air Flow Sensor. Plus luckily this guy has worked on Catera's before, which is rare to find these days. The repair cost is $550 with parts and labor. Autozone had a remanufactured Mass Air Flow sensor that was cheaper but the mechanic did not recommmend it becuase he's had catera's comeback with that remanfactured sensor going bad. Good thing is I get a 12month/12000mile warranty. Thanks for the advice!