Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting sputtering from a Zetec, need help fast

the set up,

drove the car about 500 miles this weekend from CT to NH and back. While up there I filled up with 89, I normally use 87. Get back and change the oil monday. Was running 10W-40 but we only had 5w-30 so I used that. Didn't drive the car much monday i used my fathers car.

the present,

Today car runs fine most of the morning then I notice this sputter. thought it was the clutch slipping so i wrote it off. I fill up with gas, going back to 87 and a little later the sputtering is worse. As I rev the engine it sounds like it is hitting the fuel cut off. The is trouble accelerating because of this. The car ran fine all weekend, never better. There is 106k on the clock and the timing belt was changed at 104k. in the last few weeks while driving on the highway and having to climb hills so that I have to put my foot down there is a slight hint of a sulfer smell, but I notice nothing from the tail pipe. Also there is no CEL

any help will be great. should I try to drive the car home? it would be fine at my girlfriends house for now, so that is not a worry

The Sulfer smell normally indicates a bad CAT I do believe... Might want to check your plugs and wires too...

ok, after changing the plugs today I noticed no difference. I took the mass air flow sensor and IAT out and the car threw a CEL so I figure it isn't one of those.

I can rev the car with a very little bit a throttle and the shutter doesn't occur. But if you give it more throttle to rev it the engine will sputter. after reving and holding the revs for a sec and it idles back down I hear a buzzing sound like a electric motor trying to turn.

My question is could the IAC failed in a open possition so that idle isn;t effected but it effects the reving by causing this shutter until about 3 thosand rpms?