Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting car keeps friggin stalling

alright, let me give you guys the play by play

coming home the other day, and my car stalls at a stoplight. wont turn back on, it's turning but it just wont turn all the way over. sit for a few minutes, it cuts on and cuts RIGHT back off. eventually, I get it into a parking lot and start trying to figure out the problem. I was thinking the battery, I've needed a new one for a while, but hadn't gotten to it yet. get a new battery, and sure enough it turns on, but a minute later it cuts off, and wont start.

ok, so I go home, call a towtruck and get my mom's car. towtruck get there, I go inside to get money, he says he's gotta turn it around to tow it from the front (parked head-in). I come out and he's driving it around, so I send him on his way. I had to go home to get my mom (so we could get both cars home), and sure enough, it wont start. give it a few minutes, and it starts, and I got it home. I figured I must've flooded it earlier trying to get it to start.

I didn't touch it for over a day, I was busy and wouldn't have had time to look at it much anyways, but I made sure it was starting. today, I turn it on, let it sit for a minute, and go to drive it around for a while to see how it's doing. start slowing down and it stalls, so I pop the clutch to get it back on and took it back home (without stopping for fear of stalling). sure enough, as I pull up and am slowing down to a stop, it stalls again. it has no real problem turning on at this point, but right when I get it on it stalls immediately, I can drive it but I have to hit the gas right as it comes on and it stalls whenever I stop.

my thoughts? well at first, thought it was the battery. replaced it, not the problem. I was thinking maybe fuel pump, but not so much any more. it's been idling low/funny for a while now, and when I get it on (and it doesn't stall out immediately), it idles pretty low.


someone, anyone, please,give me hand here.

v6 engine? You may have a vacuum leak.

yes, sorry, 1995 SE/V6/MTX.

I had that problem... I started by cleaning the IAC valve and MAF. I even replaced both of them. That did not help my problems as I did have a vacuum leak due to detiorating manifold gaskets.

However, several people have tried cleaning their IAC and MAF and it helped them with their idling problem.

Hi,

My car had some of the same symptoms you are experiencing but not quite as harsh. Here's a tip: Test your IAC valve.

Get an ohm tester ($19 at kragen) Put key in OFF position, but keep battery hooked up. Take wiring harness connector off of IAC valve. Touch the positive and negative probes from the ohm tester to the two metal prongs in the IAC valve. If your tester reads less than 6 ohms, your IAC valve is toast. (Make sure to try the probes on the metal prongs both ways to make sure that you are connecting them correctly.)

Other things to check - unmetered air after the MAF. IAT sensor (you can test that too, check HAYNES or CHILTON for exact readings) It's good to have an ohm tester cause you can test all your other sensor parts in the future. Hope this helps.

Glenn

If all that fails, check the crank position sensor.
It's known for causing no start and stalling issues.

IAC VALVE ...oh and thanks for the play by play

no problem, glad you got it figured out.

just to update, I think we found the source of the problem. I didn't get a chance to take it out until sunday, but it ran for about 2 hours then cut off again, and we had it towed home.

I had a leaking radiator overflow hose, which I knew about. The car wasn't overheating at all, and it had plenty of coolant (it was only leaking the excess), but I've been so strapped for time lately I hadn't gotten a chance to get a replacement hose. well, we unscrewed the overflow resevoier just about a 1/4-1/2 turn, to release the pressure so it'd stop leaking until we could get a hose, and decided I'd just keep a watchful eye on the heat until then. well it never overheated, but I think we decided that the computer must've sensed the pressure loss and whenever it went to "reach" for more coolant, it shut itself down.

we replaced the hose and it seems to run alright again, except the towtruck drive jacked up my e-brake unnecessarily hard, then proceeded to pull the car up the flatbed even with the e-brake on, and now the brake handle is limp. I think the cable just came off, but it's just one more thing keeping me from driving the tour it sucks cause I'm stuck in my mom's PT cruiser I'm going to look at the e-brake cables today, it better be easily fixed or that mofo's payin for damages. stupid tow truck driver...

alright, my tour is still not 100%, still kinda lookin for a few words of wisdom

we pulled codes and got O2 sensors and insufficient EGR flow codes. we replaced both O2s and were gonna clean/replace the EGR valve, but it was driving fine (or so it seemed). drove it locally for most of one day, but then I went to start it again and it wouldn't start. it cranks, but wont turn over.

my question, could a clogged/old EGR cause this? symptoms are mostly stalling/not turning back on, and it's the only other CEL we're getting. I think we're replacing it regardless, but I don't want to go driving it again if this could in no way be the cause of my problems.