It has been cold here (nj) and i dont use the car unless its warm. I just bought it and twice it has stalled out on me after starting. This only happens when sitting for a few days. Second start it is fine. Any ideas. i am hoping it could be bad gas. Car was barely driven before i bought it. i dont konw how old his gas was but i did fill it up once from 1/4 to full with sunoco ultra 94. Any ideas from my technicians?

 

same thing happens to me sometimes when i let the car sit for a long period of time. sometimes it'll even sound like it's just about to stall, and then sort of regains strength to keep running

-chris

 

the ecu just has to get used to the enviorment. NJ weather has been very weird, the ecu probably gets adjusted, then the weather changes and it has to re learn the enviorment.

 

It could be the ECU is not reacting fast enough due to the change in ambient air temps and the fact that the car has sat idle for long periods.
Try this: Before you push the start button, try the key ON twice. Turn to the ON position and wait 3 to 4 seconds. Turn it OFF, then ON again. Wait 3 to 4 seconds again, then hit the starter. This helps to pressurize up the fuel system. If it does it still, then give the car 3 to 4 cold start cycles of stalling after the initial start. The ECU may pick up on this and eventually learn to adjust. My car (and many others too) did this each fall when the temps got cold and after a few mornings of this behavior, the ECU "learned" and stopped doing it for the rest of the winter. The last 2 winters, it never did it at all.
It wouldn't hurt to check the condition of the plugs, either. Maybe use a bottle of injector cleaner.

 

xviper,

I have been told the Air Pump is a high amp draw pump (reinforced by the size wire going to it, 10ga.) that only runs on start-up. Having said that, it it possilbe that this large draw could be causing the stalling?

The owners of these cars have an 01 and 02, older cars = older batteries, only happens when it's cold and the car is hardest to start. Do these owners ever charge their batteries with a trickle charger?

Your thoughts..........................

 

It did not run for a few days when i started last. but the tempeture dropped from 60+ on monday to 30 today. The car is just not used when cold out and was not before. I dont think it is the battery charge b/c it cranks fine, starts and then just dies. Next start it cranks, starts, and runs cold idle. I will start it up the next few mornings while cold so maybe it will relearn.

I am installing new plugs as per my previous post to take care of that TSB. I will also be installing the AEM v2. i just wanted to take care of all of this before adding any performance upgrades (v2 and such).

Next warm day is trans/diff change out. new plugs if shipped to me in time. if not i will check plugs and retorque until new ones come in. Mobil one oil change was done the other day. Hopefully it is just the weather and not being used much.

 

Don't release the clutch directly after start up....

The transmission drag is what does it. Sometimes you can kill it by releasing the clutch the same time the air pump comes on.

 

Does it smell like alot of gas out tail pipe? Could be bad injector bleeding down into cylinder, causing a flooding condition. Also what xviper said if the injectors bleed down could be fuel starvation.

 

I don't think this is applicable. My car did this the first 3 "pre-winters" when the battery was new. This last winter, when the battery was getting a bit "tired", it didn't do it. If it were the air pump, it would never "learn" but the car seems to be able to figure it out after a few near death experiences. I've seen posts here about '03s and '04s doing the same thing.

VERY good point. I should have mentioned this originally. Keep the clutch on the floor and the tranny in neutral till the idle stabilizes, then release it slowly. Push it back in if the "drag" is too much. You'll know because the idle will drop a bit. This generally only happens when extremely cold (like below freezing temps).

 

Exactly, it does this too my 00 and my 04.