Need help, It stalls!!
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
From: Castle Rock Wash.
Need help, It stalls!!
My Wife and I own a 89 Coupe and it at times seems to stall but never does actually dies completly, I have tried to determine if there is a specific thing that makes it do this but it seems to be very intermitant, sometimes it occures when cruising at hyway speeds and sometimes while driving in town. It seems like the computer is shuting it down momentarily (maybe maximum 5 seconds) when it does it thing the tach will read 500 RPM and then will recover and run fine. I have checked the computer for fault codes and it does not show any. I have changed the fuel filter, checked the plugs, cap and rotor and timing and everything checks out fine. What could be shuting the engine down sometimes?
Thanks
Paul :confused:
Thanks
Paul :confused:
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
Likes: 304
From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: Need help, It stalls!! (BLESSED427)
If the fuel pump is OK it could be the MAF beginning to go.
You could try cleaning the three contacts under the fuel pump mounting flange as they get blackened over time and cause fuel delivery problems.
When my MAF failed there were no codes but it was catastrophic (it wouldn't run). If the symptom occurs often enough, try to borrow a MAF from another '86-'89 Vette or F-body.
You could try cleaning the three contacts under the fuel pump mounting flange as they get blackened over time and cause fuel delivery problems.
When my MAF failed there were no codes but it was catastrophic (it wouldn't run). If the symptom occurs often enough, try to borrow a MAF from another '86-'89 Vette or F-body.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 4,763
Likes: 1
From: Connectivette
Re: Need help, It stalls!! (65Z01)
I concur with Jim. When my MAF sensor started to go it was intermiten. There are a couple of relays for the MAF sensor located right next to each other behind your battery. They are about $16 ea. and they are identical sensors. You may want to start there. (burnoff & power relays)
A couple other things you can do............
When you find your car running rough, tap the bottom (square portion) of your MAF sensor with a screw driver and see if the idle changes. If it does then you've found your culprit
or
When your car is running rough you can disconnect the wire connection to your MAF sensor and see if the is an idle change.
A couple other things you can do............
When you find your car running rough, tap the bottom (square portion) of your MAF sensor with a screw driver and see if the idle changes. If it does then you've found your culprit
or
When your car is running rough you can disconnect the wire connection to your MAF sensor and see if the is an idle change.
Former Vendor
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 7,204
Likes: 6
From: St Marys PA
Re: Need help, It stalls!! (chucks88)
You may also have a million other things that could be causing the rough idle. Spark plugs, wires, IAC motor, dirty Throttle body, PCV valve clogging, distributer going bad....etc. I know you already *checked* them, but you may have to replace them, unless that is what you meant.
Before someone can say definately that its one thing, you must eliminate as many items as you can.
If you have a friend that has the same kind of car, start swapping stuff across, that is the cheapest way, otherwise you most likely will have 300 bucks tied up in just changing the above items out, trying to find the problem. You may have to reset the min idle and IAC motor, follow the directions in the tech tips...also, make sure your base timing is at 6*.
Let us know what you come up with.... :cheers:
[Modified by ski_dwn_it, 8:43 AM 12/18/2002]
Before someone can say definately that its one thing, you must eliminate as many items as you can.
If you have a friend that has the same kind of car, start swapping stuff across, that is the cheapest way, otherwise you most likely will have 300 bucks tied up in just changing the above items out, trying to find the problem. You may have to reset the min idle and IAC motor, follow the directions in the tech tips...also, make sure your base timing is at 6*.
Let us know what you come up with.... :cheers:
[Modified by ski_dwn_it, 8:43 AM 12/18/2002]
Drifting
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,509
Likes: 3
From: Hazel Park MI
Re: Need help, It stalls!! (ski_dwn_it)
The same thing happened to my '85. It was the battery. May as well check that, along with the MAF and the million other things like ski said!! :lol: Good luck!! :seeya
Former Vendor
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 7,204
Likes: 6
From: St Marys PA
Re: Need help, It stalls!! (jmrl98)
You know JMRL98 might have hit exactly what it is. I completely forgot about my car doing the same exact thing when the battery was weak. And from my tuning experience there is a voltage correction for the injectors, so if the battery is flaking out, it will screw up the idle bigtime. Have the battery and alternator checked ASAP. Bet that is it. Can't believe I forgot that frustrating venture. :rolleyes:
Good call jmrl98
Good call jmrl98
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
From: Castle Rock Wash.
Re: Need help, It stalls!! (BLESSED427)
what my husband forgot to tell you is that the car will start ,but if I dont then push on the excellerator,it will die. That happens every time. Mrs. Paul (now I know where he spends all his time)
