My 97 2.4 Z24 has a horrible hesitation problem during normal acceleration from a dead stop. The car also surges bad on initial start up then clears up. It looks like an old fuel filter. Could this be the problem or could it be a fuel pump getting weak and not holding enough fuel psi? Some help is needed guys. Thanks

Possibly the Primary o2 sensor in the manifold.

I had the exact same problem with my 2.4... couldn't figure it out... did this for a whole day, then stopped. I haven't had a problem since, and didn't change anything to make it start working correctly. I can't figure out what the problem was, I just know that it's gone for the time being.


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1998 Cavalier Z24

had the car been sitting for a while with old gas? That's one possibility.

The car has been driven daily ever since new. It has 125k on it. Never had sat for more than a day or two. The previous owner claims the fuel filter had been changed but I can't say. No check engine light just hesitation and surging. To me it seems like a fuel filter issue but I'm just a back yard do-it yourselfer. I don't want to start changing sensors if the engine light is not on meaning no codes.

The only reason i suggested the primary O2 sensor is because i just had to replace mine because of the same problems and i never got a check engine light, but it was the only thing i hadnt replaced, so i gave it a shot.