Engine Keeps Cutting Off, pissed off & broke Options

[Jen]

I've had a problem with my car for the past month, and nothing we have had done seems to work.

The problem:
- Very low, and rough idle.
- Stalling.
- The engine cuts out no matter if I am stopped at a redlight, or if I am accelerating.

It can be fine one day, but terrible the next. If it cuts off, I can wait a few minutes and it comes back on. If I let it sit for 30+ minutes, it will work for the rest of the day and possibly the next. When it cuts off it's very random, and it forces me to not go to work, or I am late to work. I'm about to lose my job.

Things I have had done:
- I've had the injectors cleaned or something.
- New fuel pump.
- Replaced PVC Valve.
- Replaced IAC Valve.

Things it's not:
- The battery, or connections.
- The alternator, or connections.

Now they're telling me the distributer. Any other ideas? Discuss.

I totally put this in the wrong section, could one of the mods please move it?

This post has been edited by Jen: Apr 28, 2007 - 4:31 PM

[alltracman78]

It could be the coil.
Which is in your dist.
I don't know if it's available separately or not.

vac leak. start the engine a look for loose or cracked hoses. you should head a hissing from where the problem is.

NO, NO, NO, NO, NO

I don't know how many times I've posted this on different forums.
For some reason 3SGTE folks have this misconception that since it works this way on their engine it will work this way on all engines.
Engines control systems are NOT THE SAME on all engines.
A pressure based system [MAP sensored] WILL NOT, NEVER, WON'T, CAN'T die if it has a vaccum leak. The idle will RAISE. The ONLY time it will die is if the actual vaccum hose to the MAP sensor is disconnected [that DOESN'T mean a crack in the hose, ONLY completely disconnected].
Only on flow based systems [MAF/AFM] will the engine run worse/die if it has a vaccum leak.

sadly, most mechanics arent too smart when it comes to simple stuff like that. pop your hood and take a look around.

hm........

Are you getting any check engine codes? My sources tell me to check the EGR to make sure it isn't stuck open. Also if it is a loose connection you could try to wiggle the wiring harness around the components while the engine is running. The main sensors that I would check would be your crank position and cam position ( cam position is inside the distrubutor requiring the full replacement). A way to free up a stuck egr valve is to lightly tap on it and see if it clears up the rough running condition. If the egr is stuck open it will cause almost all of your symtoms.

Just for reference, the 95 older don't have a crank sensor, only a cam sensor.
96^ has the crank sensor.

Jen, for reference, or if this isn't fixed, there is a more sensitive diagnostic mode you can put the ECU into.

Jump TE2 [NOT TE1, TE2] and E1 [you have to do this with the key OUT of the ignition, if it's in, it won't work].
Drive the car around until you have the problem.
Jump TE1 and E1 to read the code.
I don't know if it will pick up a bad coil or not, but it will pick up loose connections and such.

What was the code[s] that you got?