# 92 Stanza engine stalling



## Mobile Auto Repair (Oct 12, 2008)

On my friends Stanza he has been driving it for a full week and now it acts as though the fuel filter is clogged, we replaced it and still have the same problem.

It will stall generally at 35 MPH and higher after say about 20 minutes of running. It will start loosing power and may stall right away or run at idle and no higher than 2,000 RPM's for a few minutes before total stall. Then it will not restart for about 15 to 20 minutes where it will run fine and start the process over. 

Any suggestions as what to look for from here?

I have not done fuel pressure, or spark checks yet.

Thanks.


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## 91yrsold (Apr 26, 2007)

Well you could just not drive anywhere further than 20 minutes haha. Have you tested the alternator? When my alternator died I had similar symptoms, in fact I drove for about 30-40 minutes before my car started acting funny and then it died when I was slowing down for a stoplight. Try running some fuel system or fuel injector cleaner to make sure they're still doing alright too. If this doesn't work can you provide more info as to what's happening? Noises or absence of? What are you trying to keep the car from stalling and what is the result?


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## Mobile Auto Repair (Oct 12, 2008)

Did not test the alternator, but the Battery Light would go off when engine is running. Did check distributor pick up wheels (forgot what the device inside is called) and it did not have any oil on the wheels. Test drove car, drove about 2 miles and it acted up on me, pulled over turned off engine (it sat about 6 minutes cooling down) and disabled EGR after finding something to put in the vacuum line. Drove another 1.5 miles and had same symptoms: engine loses power, will run at idle and up to about 2 to 3K while under no load, no power to move the car. Turned off motor and popped the hood exhaust manifold extremely hot. Engine temp normal.

Concluded the Catalytic converter is clogged up.

Any thoughts?


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## Mobile Auto Repair (Oct 12, 2008)

My friend called me up this evening and said that the symptoms are back. The cat has been deleted so that is not it. Not sure what is happening. Does seem to happen once the PCM goes into closed loop parameters. 

When it acts up it will not move the vehicle, if you try it will bog down and/or die.
You can restart the engine, it will idle, it can run upto 3k or so.
Engine temp is below half on gage.
Catalytic converter has been removed.
Fuel filter is new.
New plugs, cap wire and rotor bug.
Recently replaced timing chain and guides, plus the oil pump/timing chain cover. 
Had head redone since previous chain had jumped.

Any suggestions?


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## 91yrsold (Apr 26, 2007)

Man that's puzzling, i wish i could be more help. its interesting that the engine runs until load has been placed on it by the trans. And since thats the only thing you haven't checked/replaced on your list try looking there. specifically i guess where they are mated together. that's truly a guess though and only due to my interest in why the motor would bog when loaded. power should be transferred to wheels regardless of rpm until stall but if clutch or tranny isnt engaging then there's your problem.


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## Mobile Auto Repair (Oct 12, 2008)

It has a 5 speed manual tranny. Once the engine bogs down and you press the clutch or put it in neutral and let the clutch out the engine will run. If you are on a hill when this anomaly happens then the car will coast even in neutral, so I am sure that the tranny is not bogging down the engine. 

I wonder when the PCM is in closed loop and reading the O2 sensor if the sensor could tell the PCM that it needs to lean out the injectors to far, that would be lack of fuel to move yet just enough to run the engine at no load?


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## 91yrsold (Apr 26, 2007)

Well its relatively cheap to replace the O2 sensor so I would try that. You might want to look into why its giving a bad reading though. Hopefully its not something more serious.


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