Sputters and chokes randomly while driving ?? HELP

[turboLude]

I need some help on this one.

I have a ’01 Grand Prix 3.lL SE.
Recently it started to act up without any check engine lights.
It left me stranded on the side of the road in more than one occasion.

It runs for some time without any hiccups and then at random times it starts to sputter/choke, RPMs drop, wants to shut off, almost like it was not getting enough fuel or air, during this I need to press the accelerator pedal down further so that it won’t turn off, and even then it is not always successful, sometimes it just turns off while driving, and after it shuts off doesn’t start right away either, cranks but no start, starts maybe a day later.

Doesn’t happen too much at wide-open throttle, mostly when slowly accelerating from a stop or low speed.

I replaced the fuel filter already, no effect. Air filter is clean. Throttle plate is clean and not sticking. Battery and connections are good. No check engine codes.

I am very lost on this one. Anybody else have this happen to them before? How did you fix it? Please help me.

[Purple pit]

One of the Beretta guys just had a problem close to this and it was the O2.

[pocket-rocket]

Moved to pushrod area.

Have you checked your fuel pressure when it's acting up? To go along with Purple pit, how old is the O2?

[geoffinbc]

My money is on the ignition system. Bad module, bad coils or bad plugs and wires. Heat seems to be causing the problem to show up which is very common symptom of bad ignition components.

[caffeine]

Doesn't the 01 PCM have codes for misfiring though?

[turboLude]

Have you checked your fuel pressure when it's acting up? To go along with Purple pit, how old is the O2?

I'm not throwing any codes for O2. Downstream O2 was replaced about 2 years ago, and I can't remember if I replaced the upstream O2 in this car yet.
Would a bad O2 sensor cause these symptoms? I was assuming that when a bad O2 sensor is picked up by PCM, PCM will run default settings to compensate and throw a code

My money is on the ignition system. Bad module, bad coils or bad plugs and wires. Heat seems to be causing the problem to show up which is very common symptom of bad ignition components.

I think this is where I should focus my diagnostics, any other areas where I should look into?

Doesn't the 01 PCM have codes for misfiring though?

I believe it does, and the weird thing is that there are no codes, it feels like it's misfiring

[caffeine]

My LT1 had a bad O2 sensor and if would only throw a code once in a while, and run like garbage the rest of the time. Easiest way to diagnose this is to drive with the pre-cat O2 sensor(s) unplugged. It will throw a code but if it drives better then you will know what the problem is.

[turboLude]

can I rule out plugs and wires due to the fact that these symptoms are not happening every time?
there is no consistency to this at all, sometimes it runs okay, and other times it stalls in the middle of the road

[trotterlg]

I think about the only thing that would leave it totally dead is the ignition module, most everything else would let it run in some manner. Larry