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Car stalls at idle when engine is warmed up

Tiny
RLBUTTA16
  • MEMBER
  • 1999 SATURN SL2
  • 1.9L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 218,000 MILES
My car drives fine in the city and on the highway. When the engine is cold or cool it will idle normally around 800-1000 rpms. Once the engine is warmed up to near the half mark on the temp gauge in the dash the car will stall or try to stall if idling for one minute to five minutes. The rpm's will drop to 500-800, engine will shake, and either stall out or surge up to 1300 rpm's before going back down to 1000. When the rpm's are low if I press the gas nothing happens or the car stalls out immediately. This only happens once it is warmed up. I have consistently let it idle for fifteen to twenty minutes when cold and no problems. Sometimes I get a very light white-grey smoke from exhaust for a couple of minutes. A quick note it always starts right back up after stalling.

This has been going on for a couple months. I am getting no error codes. Short list of things I have tried:

Replaced Camshaft Position Sensor.
Replaced Throttle Position Sensor.
Replaced Battery.
Replaced IAC Valve.
Replaced Spark Plugs (one had a little oil on it).
Cleaned Throttle Body.
Replaced PCV Valve hose.
Cleaned EGR Valve (had a fair amount of carbon build-up).
Transmission fluid level is good.
Replaced Air Filter.
Oil level is good.
Coolant level is good.
No fluid leaks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBRD8T7Mvv0 I made a ninety second video of me being in park once the engine is warmed up where I am just watching it, not pressing the gas or anything.
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Tuesday, June 27th, 2017 AT 7:04 AM

24 Replies

Tiny
RLBUTTA16
  • MEMBER
  • 53 POSTS
Today I replaced the fuel filter and will be making a trip into town that should get it warmed it. I will post my results when I get home.
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Tuesday, June 27th, 2017 AT 11:15 AM
Tiny
RLBUTTA16
  • MEMBER
  • 53 POSTS
New fuel filter did not fix the problem.
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Tuesday, June 27th, 2017 AT 1:50 PM
Tiny
RLBUTTA16
  • MEMBER
  • 53 POSTS
Tonight I replaced the engine coolant temperature sensor, I will not know if that fixed it until I get home from work tomorrow since this problem only happens once the engine is warmed up. I will post results here.
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Tuesday, June 27th, 2017 AT 8:49 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 42,883 POSTS
Hello,

That is exactly what I was going to suggest.

Here is a guide that will show you what you are in for when doing the job.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/coolant-temperature-sensor-cts-replacement

Here is a diagram of where its at on your car. (below)

Great job on the video BTW

Please let us know what happens, we are interested to see what it is.

Cheers, Ken
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Friday, June 30th, 2017 AT 12:05 PM
Tiny
RLBUTTA16
  • MEMBER
  • 53 POSTS
Seemed fine for 2 days but today as I sat in my driveway after a 25 mile drive from work it tried to stutter again while sitting in park. It didn't stall out it caught itself after maybe 10-15 seconds and revved up to 1500 rpms from the low point of about 700. It took 10 minutes or so of idling for that to happen, the temp gauge stayed a little over halfway between the 1/4 mark and the 1/2 mark, never hit the 1/2 mark. The engine was shaking pretty strongly so when I'm off next I'm going to replace the lower engine mount that's near the bottom on the passenger side. I'm running out of ideas.
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Friday, June 30th, 2017 AT 7:17 PM
Tiny
RLBUTTA16
  • MEMBER
  • 53 POSTS
Sat for a few minutes in drive with my foot on the brake and the temperate at the 1/4th mark with no problems. Switched it into park and took my foot off the brake and within 20 seconds it stuttered out and stalled. Maybe I solved one problem but not the main problem? I'm so confused.
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Friday, June 30th, 2017 AT 8:41 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 42,883 POSTS
Hmm, it sounds lie you may have a vacuum leak causing the problem.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-use-an-engine-vacuum-gauge

Please run this test and get back to us we are interested to see what it is.

Cheers, Ken
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Sunday, July 2nd, 2017 AT 6:37 PM
Tiny
RLBUTTA16
  • MEMBER
  • 53 POSTS
Will have to try taking it in this week for a true diagnostic then. I recleaned the EGR valve, where it connects to on the engine, the throttle body, where the throttle body connects in. It's stalling out in Park even when its not all way warmed up. Haven't had it do it in Drive yet but I haven't driven it around much either. I guess I could try cleaning the MAP sensor area in the meantime?

For the record I've tried spraying carb cleaner around all the vacuum hoses I could find and it didn't adjust the idle at all, I read that was a cheap way to test for leaks. Might give that another try too since I still have a can.
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Tuesday, July 4th, 2017 AT 6:17 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 42,883 POSTS
Yep the MAF is where I was going next, here is a guide that will help you clean the MAF but cleaning it doesn't always work and it must be replaced.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/mass-air-flow-service

and

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-replace-a-mass-air-flow-sensor-maf

Please let us know what happens, we are interested to see what it is.

Cheers, Ken

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Wednesday, July 5th, 2017 AT 6:02 PM
Tiny
RLBUTTA16
  • MEMBER
  • 53 POSTS
When I went to clean the MAF I found a couple cracks in the big intake hose. Put a new one on and it runs like new.

Thanks for all the help, this site is great
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Monday, May 6th, 2019 AT 7:03 PM
Tiny
GOAVSROY33
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
  • 1998 SATURN SL2
1998 Saturn SL2 4 cyl Automatic 216000 miles

My car stalls at idol whenever the coolant temp gets about 1/4th of the way up. We replaced the coolant temp sensor, but it still stalls out. We replaced the EGR valve, but it still stalls. It does not sputter when it stalls, it just cuts out. I have no idea what it could be.
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Monday, May 6th, 2019 AT 7:04 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,870 POSTS
First of all thank u for ur donation. Does ur car idle at all when it warms up or does it just keep dieing?Any codes?Let me know.
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Monday, May 6th, 2019 AT 7:04 PM (Merged)
Tiny
GOAVSROY33
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
It only idles when it warms up. The coolant temp sensor gets a forth of the way up, and then the car stalls while idling. And there are no codes. The check engine light does not come on at all.
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Monday, May 6th, 2019 AT 7:04 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,870 POSTS


https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/416332_iac_pic_1.jpg


when u changed the coolant temp sensor did u inspect the coolant temp sensor connector?if not check that out and if its corroded then replace the connector.i would try taking off the idle air control motor its diagram number 7 on the diagram i posted also clean out the hole it goes in real good the hole passes thru the bottom of the throttle body opening u will see the hole if u look into the opening of the throttle.use some carb spray.let me know what u find.
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Monday, May 6th, 2019 AT 7:04 PM (Merged)
Tiny
GOAVSROY33
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
Well, we replaced the idle air valve completely, and it still stalled. And I did not check the coolant temp sensor when I changed it. But I am going to just take it to a Saturn mechanic tomorrow. I have had enough of trying to deal with it. I will post what they did to fix it for people to use for later use.
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Monday, May 6th, 2019 AT 7:04 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,870 POSTS
When it stalls does it start right back up or do u have to wait for a little while for it to start back up?Just curous and iam still thinking about whats wrong with ur car. Let me know because if it does start right back up and u have to wait for it to start back up u could have a bad crankshaft sensor.
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Monday, May 6th, 2019 AT 7:04 PM (Merged)
Tiny
GOAVSROY33
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
I have to wait a little while for it to start back up. It seems like it just ha to cool off some and then it will start back up
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Monday, May 6th, 2019 AT 7:04 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,870 POSTS
Iam sorry I didn't know that it start right back up that's why I was thinking a idle problem and having u clean ur iac. Sounds like it could be ur crankshaft sensor there under 20 and easy to change u just have to Jack up the car and crawl under it it's under the starter. So when it dies and won't start pull off two spark plug wires off ur coils that are right next to each other and have someone crank over the engine and see if u can see a spark jump from post to post. Unless u have the extra cash to spend at the dealer they will Charge u a half hour to a hour for diagnoses and another half hour to a hour to replace the sensor plus like 40-70 for the sensor itself if that what it is. And labor rates are like 80-100 per hr. Let me know just trying to save u some money in this tough times were having.
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Monday, May 6th, 2019 AT 7:04 PM (Merged)
Tiny
GOAVSROY33
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
Well, I am going to get my neighbor to replace the crankshaft sensor today. I purchesed it yesterday, but was not able to get under the engine to replace it. I will let you know how it goes.
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Monday, May 6th, 2019 AT 7:04 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,870 POSTS
So did u find no spark the next time it died and wouldn't restart?If u did I would have checked the ohm
value of the sensor before I replaced it. But if u want to try a new one that's up too. Let me know how it goes.
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Monday, May 6th, 2019 AT 7:04 PM (Merged)

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