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My '96 850 with 109k miles on it has done this twice since I've bought it:
I will either start the car, or, if in park, it will just develop a rough idle. I'll originally think nothing of it (it doesn't sound bad to begin). I'll then take the car out on the road and it will drive like crap, losing a LOT of power and forcing me to keep the car in 3 gear at highway speeds just to go 65 miles an hour. If I come to a red light (eventually), the car now has a super low idle, just barely hanging on at an almost unreadable amount on the tach while the low oil light flashes faintly (which I think is just due to the sputtering nature). I will press the gas and the car will do nothing... seeming like it will stall, and then it suddenly realizes I've the pedal halfway to the floor and will surge forward. It continues to run horribly.
I pull over, stomp the pedal a few times, it responds in Linda Blair possessed fashion, not noticing the throttle position, and then roaring to life. I turn the car off, let it sit for maybe 30 seconds, turn the car back on, and it runs smooth as silk.
Now, this has only happened to me twice, and the last time it did this was almost a year ago to the day. Auspicious astrology aside, there are similar circumstances surrounding both incidences: the first time, the trunk was full, and there were five people in the car. A heavy load. And it was hot out (summer). Just recently I was moving back to grad school: hot out (summer) and there were two of us in the car with half an apartment squeezed into the trunk and backseat (again, heavy load).
So my main question is, do I need to worry about this? It seems to be a very rare, uncommon and easily fixed problem. Or, is it something sinister that forebodes my getting rid of the car ASAP due to a soon to become prevalent expensive problem? To me, it seems strictly electrical (versus a mechanical problem which I would think would get progressively worse over time), but there are no lights lit on the dash, etc. Any thoughts?
On a lighter note, the car does seem to burn about a quart of oil every 3,000 miles. Is this normal? It certainly isn't excessive, and there are no signs anywhere of an oil leak in the exhaust, or in the coolant, etc. No drips. I did just have the rear main seal replaced (excellent indy dealer did it for $550). I was thinking of the usual oil filler cap gasket problem (mine hasn't been changed in 25,000 miles). Any other places I should look?
Thanks a bunch!
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