Hey mechancs! Help me out! My car is going to the dogs... | FerrariChat

Hey mechancs! Help me out! My car is going to the dogs...

Discussion in 'Other Off Topic Forum' started by Nibblesworth, Dec 9, 2003.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. Nibblesworth

    Nibblesworth Formula 3
    BANNED

    Nov 29, 2002
    1,756
    Southern California
    Full Name:
    BillyBoy
    My 1990 Town Car, which I love (I'm a fan of big, old, floaty boats), is very close to hitting 180,000 on the stock motor. It stil runs very well, and I average about 21mpg on the freeway (not bad, considering it's an old 5.0 lugging around over 4000lbs.)

    Anyways, there is a problem somewhere in the engine, and I suspect it is a sensor of some sort. It's a Speed Density FI 5.0 non-HO. The problem is this: when I come to a stop at a stoplight or stop sign, or when I'm cruising on the freeway and let off the gas for more than a second or so, the engine begins to stutter and stammer, and unless I throw the car in neutral, it will stall out.

    If the car is off, and I turn the engine over, the car will idle without a problem, but if I am driving, and the engine goes from load to idle without going into neutral first, the stalling issue pops up.

    It's been a while since I was a 5.0 FI expert, but I know that there are a few idle sensor (Idle Air Control or something like that) that might be the culprit.

    Any suggestions? I don't want to take it to a mechanic if it's a sensor that I can fix.

    Thanks!
     
  2. BrentC

    BrentC Formula Junior

    Aug 13, 2003
    278
    I had an Oldsmobile with the same symptoms - sounds like an Oxygen sensor. I'm not a mechanic, but sounds like what I went through. Cheap and easy to fix if that's all it is.
     
  3. BWS550

    BWS550 Wants to be a mod

    Apr 1, 2002
    8,933
    NEW JERSEY
    Full Name:
    BRUCE WELLINGTON
    NEBS............VERY SIMPLE...........CALL FRANK RIZZO.HE WILL TAKE CARE OF IT FOR YA :)
     
  4. Nibblesworth

    Nibblesworth Formula 3
    BANNED

    Nov 29, 2002
    1,756
    Southern California
    Full Name:
    BillyBoy
    LOOK JERKY....FRANK RIZZO SLAPPED ME ABOUT MY FACE, NECK, BREAST, CHEST AND HEAD! HE ALSO FORGOT TO BRING HIS GLASSES AND SHOES.
     
  5. BWS550

    BWS550 Wants to be a mod

    Apr 1, 2002
    8,933
    NEW JERSEY
    Full Name:
    BRUCE WELLINGTON
    YEA I KNOW THAT, BUT HE WILL SCORTCH ANYBODY"S ASSNIPPLES TO BUY THE CAR FOR YOU........HE CAN SELL..........
     
  6. Greg G

    Greg G F1 Rookie

    Ya know he worked on race cars for 10 years! He's the BEST!
     
  7. Enzo

    Enzo F1 Rookie

    Feb 14, 2002
    4,088
    MinneSOta
    Full Name:
    Pat Pasqualini
    Hey Nibbles let me know if you need me to bring my f@#king tools
     
  8. Nibblesworth

    Nibblesworth Formula 3
    BANNED

    Nov 29, 2002
    1,756
    Southern California
    Full Name:
    BillyBoy
    You keep talking to me like this, and I'll have Michael Jackson slap you across the face with a fishing pole.
     
  9. Chiaro_Slag

    Chiaro_Slag F1 Veteran

    Oct 31, 2003
    7,789
    CA
    Full Name:
    Jerry
    Does your car have a side car? If so, I will problably be suing you for punitive damages. I'll probably be suing everybody you work with also.
     
  10. Hubert

    Hubert F1 Rookie

    Jan 3, 2002
    2,642
    The Left Coast

    Does that heap have a mass air flow sensor? If so... that's more than likely your problem, jerky!
     
  11. Nibblesworth

    Nibblesworth Formula 3
    BANNED

    Nov 29, 2002
    1,756
    Southern California
    Full Name:
    BillyBoy

    It's Speed Density, the predecessor to Mass Air Flow.

    And heap?! When I roll the Town Car, I roll in style! :D
     
  12. Hubert

    Hubert F1 Rookie

    Jan 3, 2002
    2,642
    The Left Coast
    lemme roll it for you this way, jerk-meister, my tools, shoes and glasses are on their way... and it sound like your speed density flux capacitor is on it's last roll.
     
  13. tbakowsky

    tbakowsky F1 World Champ
    Consultant Professional Ferrari Technician

    Sep 18, 2002
    19,344
    The Cold North
    Full Name:
    Tom
    Unplug the torque converter solinoid relay. Sometimes the relay gets stuck not releasing the lock-up feature. This can cause a stalling problem as you discribe.
     
  14. ernie

    ernie Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Nov 19, 2001
    22,574
    The Brickyard
    Full Name:
    The Bad Guy
    Check ALL the vacume hoses first. You would be amazed at how deteriorated they can get, and $5 worth of new hose could do the trick. I had a similar problem with my commuter car. It wanted to die at the stop lights, and it would idle very weird. I heard some hissing under the hood, and sure enough I had a busted hose. A little peace of hose did the trick, and now it is back to normal. Keep us posted as to what it turns out to be.
     
  15. Nibblesworth

    Nibblesworth Formula 3
    BANNED

    Nov 29, 2002
    1,756
    Southern California
    Full Name:
    BillyBoy
    Thanks for the tips. I'll check it out tomorrow and see what's going on.
     

Share This Page