okay so, i have a 99 malibu with the 3.1 and california emissions. i have a wierd surge that has been explained to me, and i've somewhere heard that it's important to keep the engine lubed because of the emissions thing. you guys are the smartest out there, i need professionals to break it all down for me. i wanna know how it works, why it does it, how it does it, and mainly what effect it has on my car and what i should do to balance out my loss of power because in these times i need to do all i can to get every sip of gas out of her... i would really appreciate your help. thanks guys...

you guys are the smartest out there, i need professionals to break it all down for me.

This might not be the website you think it is...

You might want to try an N-body forum, or a Chevrolet forum. I don't believe we have many Malibu owners on this site, so going to a site with all/many owners would probably be more helpful.

ETA: http://www.n-body.net/forums/

Edited August 1, 200817 yr by Croc

This might not be the website you think it is...

You might want to try an N-body forum, or a Chevrolet forum. I don't believe we have many Malibu owners on this site, so going to a site with all/many owners would probably be more helpful.

ETA: http://www.n-body.net/forums/

california emissions are foind on more than malibus. i tried on malibuclub.ca and no one has a knowledgeable answer. how bout you let me see if theres some more help before you off my topic.

Excuse me, but I was trying to point you in a helpful direction, not "off your topic." Power surges are not related to CA emissions, therefore fuel-consuming power surges would have to do with your individual N-body. Maybe there's a quirk in the Malibu that makes it prone to this, but an Owner's Club or Malibu/N-body forum would be more helpful than this site. I drive an 01 Aurora, and the people over at the Aurora Club of North America (ACNA) are much better for vehicular quirks than this site, due to it being specifically for/by Aurora owners.

The only thing I've ever heard regarding CA and emissions/fuel consumption, is that the blend of gas used out there, while better for the environment, results in lower net fuel mileage. From first-hand experience, this is true. The fuel blend/environmental concerns is also why it is very difficult to rent a car in CA that is able to leave the state, as other states do not have the cleaner fuel blend.