My02. Cavalier is jerking or bucking while drive

Clean the carburettor . check air filter . Change plugs and points . Rotor arm and Carburettor.

Is it auto or manual shift?

try cleaning out the throttle plate and the idle air control valve on the intake

Sounds like mass airflow sensor to me or your timing jumped. Probably high miles too, eh? Could possibly be voltage regulator but I highly doubt it.

Sounds to me like the timing is off! it COULD be bad gas though! run that tank through, and refill, then see how it feels!

sounds like the tcm is trying to fail..but lets 1st start with a simple reset...disconnect the neg term and let her sit for 30-45 minutes...also have the ****** flushed asap,and then take it to jaguar and have the latest software upoloaded ...ZF has a new software for this jerking issue...

its not reading the speedo signal properly, does you speedo wave about sometimes ?

use a tank of high test 93 octane, had the same type of problem with my 97 cavalier 2.2 ltr motor. If I would shut the car off for a few minutes and then restart it, it would drive normal again for a while. This would typically happen on hot days especially if you are sitting in traffic. A fillup with 93 octane gas for some reason would seen to solve the problems for a few weeks even after filling up with normal low octane 87 gas after the high octane fillup. I found no reason for this behavior and I am a mechanic all I know is that the car hasn't done this for me in some time and no repairs had been done, just one of those weird things cars do once in a while. mine has 277,000 miles and still running

Not a solution but I have the exact problem and my ranger is running hot.

check your abs