Car stalls when RPMs drop below 500 mark

Tiny
NICOLESMITH
  • MEMBER
  • 2001 CHEVROLET CAVALIER
  • 134,000 MILES
I have an 01 Chevy Cavalier Z24. When I brake to slow down, if my rpms reach the 500 mark, it usually stalls my engine. I can try to rev my engine, if I catch it in time, to get it above the 500 mark and the car won't stall. While driving, I can feel the delay in my car shifting gears as well. I just took my car to a mechanic to get a new O2 sensor. Had my car tested and the O2 sensor was the only thing that read bad. So now I'm once again stumped.
Friday, August 17th, 2012 AT 7:17 PM

10 Replies

Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
If you turn on the ac does the idle problem go away?
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Friday, August 17th, 2012 AT 7:55 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Also which engine do you have?
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Friday, August 17th, 2012 AT 7:57 PM
Tiny
JBERNAL50
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
I have the same exact problem and the ac is off when that happens
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Monday, August 20th, 2012 AT 10:58 PM
Tiny
JBERNAL50
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
And it wastes a lot of gas more than usual
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Monday, August 20th, 2012 AT 10:59 PM
Tiny
JBERNAL50
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And its a 2.4 thats the one I have
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Monday, August 20th, 2012 AT 11:00 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
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Same model year etc?
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Monday, August 20th, 2012 AT 11:15 PM
Tiny
NICOLESMITH
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
It's a 2.4 as well. I have to leave my a/c on at all times for extra assurance but the problem still occurs with the a/c on too. Just not as quickly as with it off. Still have to rev engine to prevent the stalling when braking.
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Tuesday, August 21st, 2012 AT 12:36 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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If the problem doesn't go away with the ac on its not the problem I thought it was. Do you have any codes in the computer?I would also try removing the idl air control valve and cleaning it.
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Tuesday, August 21st, 2012 AT 12:42 AM
Tiny
NICOLESMITH
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
I'm not sure about the code thing. But also, my mechanic had asked me today if the stalling occurs after my car warms up and it does. I don't know if that would help in answering or not. They're gonna take another look at it Thursday.
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Friday, August 24th, 2012 AT 10:44 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
I would check it for codes and also clean the idle air control valve. Please keep me posted.
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Saturday, August 25th, 2012 AT 1:27 AM

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