Looking to see if you guys can help me out with a stalling problem.

A few weeks ago my car (86 2.8) started to stall a bit in drive or reverse. As I backed out of the driveway now it to the point where it actualy dies. It will ssometimes immediately start back up but stall a few more times before I can get down the road.

Now the other day it stalled on the first time and wouldn't start.

On a side note, the car was idling in park at 35000 rpm and I checked the thermostat housing to fiind that there was no tstat there so I got a new one and installed it. It seems like since I did that this problem started but maybe it is coicidence

Please shoot me some suggestions. I'm on a $200 budget and I need to get it fixed by sunday. I'm also without internet as I have just moved so feel free to reply but a call oe text would be better since I'm using a friends blackberry too just post this.

956-776-8128

Thanks
Ryan

Is the car an auto?

Well I see a several things

1 - So the car doesn't start at all now?

2 - The high idle is most likely casued by a leak somewhere in the intake, and thats most likely a leaking EGR tube. Maybe that leak is so bad now that its making it really hard to start. Has the high idle trouble been getting worse? ie higher idle lately?

3 - Do you have drivability problems after you get this car started and out of the driveway?

4 - If you are in a non-start condition now, you need to start with basic spark/fuel troubleshooting.
also MstangsBwr - Its an Automatic - (He talks about Park) - If i have that wrong fierofiero let us know.

re - no internet access - no money - urgent trouble

----

You can get things that are lowest cost, highest quality or quickest. You can sometimes get two of these but you can never get all three.


The magic pill of cure - Buy a different car

Other than that, it's going to take some troubleshooting work

[This message has been edited by phonedawgz (edited 03-11-2010).]

quote Originally posted by phonedawgz: 1 - So the car doesn't start at all now?

Yes the car still starts. Let me kinda give a run through of what happens.

- At the beginning of the day, it starts right up. Runs fine in neutral.
- Once I put it in gear it idles down to about 1100 rpm, sounds fine, but after about 30 seconds starts to stall.
- If I put it in neutral or park fast enough it will sometimes recover
- If I allow it to stall, it will start right back up
- If I allow it to stall several times, it will not start back up for another 10-15 minutes or so.
- If I keep it from stalling by putting it in drive and giving it the extra gas to keep going and drive it for a few minutes, it will not stall at all afterwards and I can drive it around. If it is turned off like this, it still starts right up.

quote Originally posted by phonedawgz:2 - The high idle is most likely casued by a leak somewhere in the intake, and thats most likely a leaking EGR tube. Maybe that leak is so bad now that its making it really hard to start. Has the high idle trouble been getting worse? ie higher idle lately?

I haven't had the chance to check the EGR tube yet but I will. Is that the thin black tubing that runs from the EGR around the back of the engine to another piece of equipment? I say "another piece of equipment" because that tube runs to a piece that someone seems to have modified and cut another tube off. Supposedly it is the EGR solenoid.

I asked a question about what it was and its purpose here: https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/098895.html

Sorry, the link to the pic is broken.

quote Originally posted by phonedawgz:3 - Do you have drivability problems after you get this car started and out of the driveway?

Nope. Once I get it going, it will run fine. Its as if, after it is warmed up, its good to go.

quote Originally posted by phonedawgz:4 - If you are in a non-start condition now, you need to start with basic spark/fuel troubleshooting. also MstangsBwr - Its an Automatic - (He talks about Park) - If i have that wrong fierofiero let us know.

It will start up just fine unless I let it stall several times. Even then it starts up after sitting for 10-15 min. And yes, it is an auto. Sorry for not clarifying.

quote Originally posted by phonedawgz:re - no internet access - no money - urgent trouble

I do have friends who are helping me out with rides to work. I dont like catching rides but they're there for me. I'd like to hopefully get this fixed this weekend. I was able to get online right now to reply but I can only read the forums from my phone, not reply.

If anyone has any suggestions feel free to keep posting or text/call me

I did find out today that my radiator is clogged. So thats another problem I need to fix.

If the idle is normal after the engine is warmed up then its not the EGR tube. The EGR tube if leaking will make it idle fast all the time.

There is a part called the IAC. Idle Air Control. This part is controled by the computer and adjusts your idle speed. It sounds like this part is failing. It adjusts it both up and down. It is supposed to under the control of the computer keep your idle speed under control.

The 'too fast' idle condition went away? Anyways if the idle is good when warm, but when cold it seems like the computer isn't adjusting it when you put it in drive, thats where I would start first.

Its held in by two torx head screws, and is by the throttle plate of your intake.

this might not be the part thats causing the trouble. It is however what I would think is the most likely one.

I replaced the IAC and I still have the same problem except now the stalling is more pronouncedm I can still keep the car from stalling and drive it like before though.

I really need to see what codes its throwing but I haven't had the chance.

I was reading my haynes manual and came across something about the auto transmissions neutral sensor or something like that. Might that have something to do with it?

I appreciate the help so far.
Thanks
Ryan

keep us informed what you find out. my 2.8 has the same issues, but I did in fact get a code 33. I intend to replace that dang IAC because I dont see anything wrong with it and there isnt any ways to clean it without tearing it apart. .

It would be good to connect up a computer and see what the sensors are saying. Perhaps your temp sensor is not reading correctly and saying that the engine is warmer than it is. That could be why the engine fails cold, but not warm. The computer could also tell you if the ECM is getting the "in drive" indication from the tranny. Yes the tranny has neutral switch sensed by the ECM and the ECM adjusts the idle for when the car is in drive.

what kind of computer can read the information from a factory ECM like from the 2.8L v6? is there something i can adapt to plug into my laptop and read the data? or for us old factory ppl we only get a code scanner?

A laptop with a serial port, a ALDL cable to serial port, and this software

http://winaldl.joby.se/

Dodgerunner on here can sell you with a cable at a reasonable price.

[This message has been edited by phonedawgz (edited 03-16-2010).]