What's wrong with my 1998 Pontiac Sunfire?

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Tori

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On Monday, I made a 5 hour trip in my 1998 Pontiac Sunfire, gassing up about halfway through. I made it to my destination fine, but it was later after a little bit of driving in town that I began to experience problems. We went out to eat but when I came back out to start the car, it moved a tiny bit, stalled, and turned off. I restarted the engine and made it only a bit farther. I did this multiple times until finally, I revved the engine and got it going. I made it all the way home like this but the car would not go over 60 mph and the check engine light was flashing. Also, when I slowed down, the car shook like crazy. Could this be a bad fuel situation or something much worse?
 
Don't know, why didn't it act up when you put the gas in during the trip. What I would do is put some stuff in that takes water out and add just a little gas with it. Also would change the fuel filter. Then I would get a check engine light reading on why that was coming on. Don't know, if it was mine, I'd handle it one thing at the time, hoping i could even find the problem in a spark plug lead that might have pulled loose and come off. It could be any weird thing.
 
Something much much worse. First off, when driving any vehicle you should know the proper operating limits, like oil and water temp, and oil and coolant levels. Sounds like you are low on oil, you are lucky that with this idiotic series of decisions you made that your engine didn't just seize up right then and there.

#1 check your oil level, make sure it is at the full level but not over.
#2 Check coolant level, make sure there is some in the overflow resivior
#3 engine oil temp and coolant temp, both should be monitored constantly while you drive.
#4 the longer you drive at higher speeds the more oil you will burn and you may have to add some. 5 hours at 65mph or above, esp on a car with high mileage may have caused you to lose a significant amount of engine oil, if your oil fails to lubricate the engine properly you will experience exactly what it sounds like you did.
 
If the car has an automatic transmission, it could be the overdrive sensor. Try and disconnect the sensor plug at the the left lower rear of the engine (by the left front fender). Now go back on the highway for a road test and see if this clears the problem.
 
maybe you are right, the fist think that you have to check is the fuel pump pressure, most of the fuel injection cars need 35 to 45 psi to start and when you have low pressure one you turn the car off you will have a lot of problems to start it again and if you step on the gas you can see the car don't go more than 50 or 60 mph

the fuel low pressure can cause the service engine soon light came up

I hope this help you
 
You might have a failed catalytic converter, or simply a bad fuel pump- but first you need to get the codes scanned,that will help point you in the right direction.
 
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