Highly doubt it's the oil....unless you don't have any!

How many miles are on it?

 

bah GMs arent bad. some hondas are better than some GMs, and some GMs are better than som hondas.

its Ford that you have to look out for.

 

Change the oil, but i don't think thats your problem. A flashing cat means that the cat is in danger of melting down. Usually this is caused by a misfire, so if you find the source of the misfire you will prolly fix ur acceleration problem. I would start with the ignition jus as the other guys suggested. Pull the spark plugs and see if they have brown/black stuff on the ceramic part of the plug. If this is the case, the spark is jupming around and is not going to the electrode. The best thing would be to change the plugs and wires and use dielectric/silicone greese on the top of the spark plug. We had a similar problem today in autoshop. The plugs had black stuff on the ceramic so the owner is gonna change the plugs. Its not too expensive to change the plugs (if you DIY) and it can't hurt anyway.

 

If you've got a CEL and it's a 2002, get the codes read. That will help you narrow it down so you're not just throwing money at it. Being overdue for an oil change ALONE should not cause these symptoms. Air/spark/fuel are the three usual suspects in such a situation. However, with modern emissions requirements and electronic engine controls there are other factors to consider. Really though, start with getting the codes read and that should point you in the right direction.

 

Nah, according to a Top Gear survey, you have to look out for French cars...

 

Hey guys. got it fixed. my dad talked to his mechanic ( good trusted family friend) and he suggested it was the cat, just like on my sisters Jimmy. Well we took it in and found out this is a widespread problem and that our cat had an extended warranty. They fixed it in a day, and no more problems. BTW- I had the oil changed a few hours after I started this thread and it didnt do anything...but oh well, it still needed it!

THanks everyone! I LOVE HCF!!!!

 

theres a bulitin on most newer cars with a 3.8... iv replaced atleast 5 cats with this problem.

 

spark plug wires spark plugs, distributor, injectors. in that order.

what does lack of an oil change have to do w/sputtering at a certain speed again?

 

Cats are actually the easies part to find out if its broken (in my mind). You hook up a scan tool and compare the graph of the first and second O2 sensors, they will be the same if the cat is busted. They will be different if the cat works. Jus a little tip for next time.