Wife's car dies at idle

**mustangphil** · #1 (**permalink**) 04-01-08, 07:48 PM

It's a 1999 Mitsubushi Galant, 4 cyl. She drove it to work today and it stalled at light. She was able to start it again but hat to keep it at about 1200 rpm. I got there to pick her up and it was doing the same thing when it was cold too. I drove it home and it stopped doing it. The car would idle at 1000-1100 rpm (little high) and then started to die again. I took out the MAF sensor and sprayed some brake cleaner into it as well as pcv valve. Now it seems to run like it used to, idle around 600 rpm but I'd like to know what the problem may be. Any help greatly appriciated, thanks.

**timeless2** · #2 (**permalink**) 04-01-08, 08:25 PM

Any codes or SES light?

**mustangphil** · #3 (**permalink**) 04-01-08, 08:50 PM

I forgot to mention that I replaced plugs and ignition wires last week and smoged it. Someone asked me if I disconected the battery before I did it and said that if I didn't, that computer may still think it's running on old parts (I think it's bs but I did it anyway) so the check engine light is off now. With that said, before I smoged it the light was on for a long time and when I scaned it, it showed bad cat and misfire in cyl.3 but it ran fine and I thought that the misfire was caused by old plugs and wires (I had a misfire in one of the cylinders years ago and you could really tell, I replaced the coil and it was fine). Anyway, I cleared the codes, replaced plugs, wires and air filter, passed smog and after 170 light came back on. Still ran fine. Now out of nowhere I have idle stall problem. Hope that make sense.

**timeless2** · #4 (**permalink**) 04-01-08, 08:52 PM

Smogged == seafoamed?

**mustangphil** · #5 (**permalink**) 04-01-08, 09:24 PM

Should I seafom it?

**timeless2** · #6 (**permalink**) 04-01-08, 09:30 PM

Ah, just now hit...."Smogged".......meaning you took it to the shop for a smog test or what? Don't have emissions testing here, so forgive the lack of understanding for the term. Just trying to figure out what all you have done to it, seeing as how something has changed between before and after your procedures.

**mustangphil** · #7 (**permalink**) 04-01-08, 11:59 PM

Yeah, strict California emissinons. Got the car ready for it, and a week later stalls at idle. I think that one thing had nothing to do with the other, just a coincidence that it happened so soon. So any ideas what it might be? BTW, I wish we didn't have emissions here, lucky you.

**mustangphil** · #8 (**permalink**) 04-03-08, 05:34 PM

Pulled codes this morning and the only one it came up with is "Warm up CAT efficiency Bank 1" it had it for years and never a problem.

**timeless2** · #9 (**permalink**) 04-03-08, 10:25 PM

I can't help but wonder if this car has a TPS on it or not. I do not know Mitsus very well.

Commonly, a TPS can cause surges or stalls, depending on the severity of malfunction, as well as engine speed.

That is, to say, if this car has such a device...

**mustangphil** · #10 (**permalink**) 05-17-08, 06:37 PM

It was the $400 idle air control sensor which I got from the junkyard for 75 bucks along with the throttle body, because of course they wouldn't sell me just a sensor.

**timeless2** · #11 (**permalink**) 05-17-08, 09:52 PM

Good thing it was a decent price tag for the fix.

IACs are a pain in the ass on any car in recent makes/models.

If I may ask, how did you figure out the issue?

redredline · #12 (**permalink**) 05-19-08, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mustangphil

Yeah, strict California emissinons. Got the car ready for it, and a week later stalls at idle. I think that one thing had nothing to do with the other, just a coincidence that it happened so soon. So any ideas what it might be? BTW, I wish we didn't have emissions here, lucky you.

Man, I dunno how you Cali cats adjust to that

**mustangphil** · #13 (**permalink**) 05-27-08, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timeless2

Good thing it was a decent price tag for the fix.

IACs are a pain in the ass on any car in recent makes/models.

If I may ask, how did you figure out the issue?

I pluged it into SnapOn scanner and it read nothing besides the usual (bad catalytic). So couple of weeks later I just got pissed off and decided to drop it off at a local shop, let them figure out WTF the problem is, cost me 40 bucks. What do you know, they scanned it and it came up with 3 codes; the cat, IAC, and the ECT. Yeah, the damn fan wouldn't shut off. Now get this, I replaced the ECT sensor, fan shuts off but 2-3 days later when I fire up the car the damn cooling fan is running right from the start, bad new sensor perhaps? Here is the kicker though, the car has problem starting when engine is cold, WTF? After I replaced the IAC sensor, everthing was fine for few days. Now I have to crank and hit gas pedal for a minute to get it started. Once it fires up I got to rev it for about 30 seconds and it runs fine and as long as the engine is warm, it has no problem starting or running. WTF could be wrong with this thing???