Car ran fine, now dies right after being started

[polarexpress17]

I took my car (2001 GLS) to wal-mart today after a doctors appointment, it drove and ran 100% fine the entire day. After doing my grociery shopping and loading the car up, i started it and it felt like the motor wasn't even running. Then it died.

Its 19* here and after unplugging the MAF to see if it would run at idle, my hands were numb and it still didn't run. So i figured i would post on here tonight and see if anybody has any ideas what it would be before i go back tomorrow and troubleshoot it myself (hopefully its not cold LOL)

Thanks for any help

[Lucalare]

Ha! it was -15 today here.

[Afugy]

Dumb question, was the security light flashing?

[cavaliers60]

Dumb question, was the security light flashing?

I second this dumb question. :lol:

Also..... don't you think you might get some crap for the name you picked out for here? :p

[polarexpress17]

haha, i've been using this name since long before the movie was made, and no the security light wasn't on (I checked that first) my probe used to do the same thing so i had to disable and remove the factory alarm.

[cavaliers60]

could be a clogged fuel filter. How are the lights and such? Did you try jumping the car just in case? Cold temps could have affected your battery's performance...

[C_eick]

could be a clogged fuel filter. How are the lights and such? Did you try jumping the car just in case? Cold temps could have affected your battery's performance...

Or fuel pump. I just had to replace mine a couple weeks ago.

[polarexpress17]

well the car turns over and starts fine, its just that once its started it feels like there is no power, and if i keep tapping the gas it will barely hold an idle.

as soon as i stop playing with the throttle it dies, Or if i start it without throttle it dies immediately after its started.

Also, if anybody knows what it is, you don't need to sugar coat it as far as technical terms go. i can handle it ;) I just wanted to post on here and see if anybody had anything specific to look for, i will be troubleshooting it myself tomorrow but anything that can make this process faster is better :)

[Lucalare]

check your air filter, sounds to me kinda like it's got a lack of air to the engine, and if you're not way into the throttle it can't get enough to stay running.

[Philbar71]

Its more than likely your Idle Air Control Valve. Mine in this cold weather is doing some stupid stuff too. Try unplugging it, then plugging it back in and do that relearn procedure thing. Or if its got alot of mileage on it then you may want to replace it.

[zzyzzx]

All good suggestions, but unplugging the MAF was a waste of time (what's the thought process there?). I'm thinking to check for vacuum leaks.

It's not the battery, or the car wouldn't crank and start. If you want to verify that then get one of these while you are at Walmart and plug it in:

Equus 3721 Battery and Charging System Monitor
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/410P7ZJHZVL._SL500_AA280_.jpg

But it's still not the battery. My 1995 Escort is at 5.5 years on a 5 year battery, and even then I can see it charging the battery at the alternators maximum allowed voltage all the way to work (13 miles) on the highway, but it does not affect how the car starts or runs.

I can't think of anything that might be cold weather related unless it's a sticky IAC.

How many miles are on the car?

[Ttop191]

I second fuel filter, and/or bad gas

[Vella's Alero]

I second IAC valve. Mine used to hunt and then die but then i changed it and haven had a problem since.

[AleroB888]

All good suggestions, but unplugging the MAF was a waste of time ............

Not only that, if the car is run with MAF unplugged for long (at that point you likely would have to keep tapping the gas pedal to keep it running), it may be harder to restart it anyway after you reconnect it -- the PCM's fuel trims could be thrown off.

Could be a few things, TPS, fuel pressure drop, IAC....

[polarexpress17]

to be clearer, i didn't intend on driving the car without the MAF plugged in. it would just die as soon as it saw throttle. i did the same thing in my brother's explorer and it would idle without the MAF plugged in.

I'll do the IAC thing tomorrow, the car has 140,xxx on it, but i've taken good care of the car since i got it at 100,000 miles

[AleroB888]

to be clearer, i didn't intend on driving the car without the MAF plugged in. it would just die as soon as it saw throttle. i did the same thing in my brother's explorer and it would idle without the MAF plugged in.
........


The problem is with these cars, if the MAF is unplugged, or fails, the PCM reverts to SD mode, and uses the VE (Volumetric Efficiency) table in the computer to calibrate the fueling. That VE table is rarely calibrated closely enough from the factory to keep the car running smoothly, and also affects the tranny's shifting.

[xXManwhoreXx]

Im going to also go with Fuel filter and or bad gas. But your car will not run with the MAF unplugged and if it does it will run like a turd

[Chris2000]

Gremlins is the only suitable answers here. Your car is obviously upset that you use it for groceries. That's what honduh's are for.

[zzyzzx]

I tried driving my 1995 Ford Escort with the MAF unplugged. I only drove it for a mile before I pulled over and plugged it back in. The only thing that happened with it unplugged is that I got a dash light. I was not going fast or anything either.

[xXManwhoreXx]

Gremlins is the only suitable answers here. Your car is obviously upset that you use it for groceries. That's what Nissan's are for.

Fixed

:p

[polarexpress17]

The problem is with these cars, if the MAF is unplugged, or fails, the PCM reverts to SD mode, and uses the VE (Volumetric Efficiency) table in the computer to calibrate the fueling. That VE table is rarely calibrated closely enough from the factory to keep the car running smoothly, and also affects the tranny's shifting.

Like i said, i didn't intend on driving the car, i just wanted it to idle. so trans and the fuel/spark tables weren't that much of a concern for driveability. I'm thinking its the IAC valve as well, it started up after i sprayed starting fluid in it, and i had to keep it around 2,000-2,500 or else it would die. but after it was warmed up it ran fine.

and LOL @ the grociery comment, I have the alero for daily driver duties, thats what i bought it for. It has decent power and it has 4 doors and a trunk. I don't need it to go fast that is what my other car is for :)

Thanks for the help guys

[clutch1]

If the IAC is acting up it'll idle perfectly with the throttle cracked. My friend cobbled together a 3.1 and the TB didn't match up to the UIM so the IAC couldn't get air into the engine... it would idle with the throttle literally baaarely cracked.

I would test your fuel pressure and volume, report back with numbers.

[mfuller]

He could also have a clogged catalytic converter.

[sleepyalero]

Sounds KIND OF like torque converter.

[xXManwhoreXx]

Sounds KIND OF like torque converter.

Hmm idk about that

[sleepyalero]

Usually if it stalls It means its bad.

[zzyzzx]

He could also have a clogged catalytic converter.

Maybe completely clogged, but doesn't a clogged catalytic conveter usually just partially clog up and cause other noticable preformance issues well before it would keep a car from idleing? Having said that, I've personally never had a catalytic converter go bad.

[zzyzzx]

At 140K miles the IAc needs to be replaced if original anyway.

[polarexpress17]

ok, now the car is doing it again. It did it at work a few nights ago, i sprayed starting fluid in it again and it fired right up. Then i hit a deer on the way home.

car ran and drove fine after hitting the deer (just cosmetic damage) I changed the hood, fender, headlight, and front drivers door. Now the car doesn't even start at all unless starting fluid is sprayed in. It will start and die as soon as the starting fluid stops.

I've never had the security light come on but my sister says that it came on twice when she drove it. and since i changed the drivers door i think that it may have screwed up the passlock (what a surprise, POS system) I tried the 10 minute reset deal, no luck. I tried the resistor mod between the black and yellow wires and no luck. I started the car on starting fluid and had a friend keep spraying it so it was running when i snipped the yellow wire. I don't know if that would work or not since the injectors weren't firing but it was worth a shot.

Anyways, my security light doesn't flash. it stays on permanently when you turn the key, and only goes off once you try to start the car.

I'm pretty sure now that the Passlock is the problem since she told me the security light was flashing when she drove it (did it twice for her) I don't have the money to pay for a new key cylinder, I'd prefer to just bypass the thing all together since car theft is not an issue in the area i live in. But from what i understand a remote start is basically the only way to bypass it. Has anyone else figured anything out for it or know of a way to permanently bypass it? (the resistor thing didn't work)

Any info is greatly appreciated, I hate driving my probe back and forth to work because of the mileage it puts on the built engine and the road salt and stuff on the paint, I need to find a way to get the car fixed.

Thanks for any help