HELP!!! Car stalls during driving....

[MopàrBCN]

Hi,

its me again back with more trouble.

Car: 1989 2.5 Lebaron Turbo 1, Stock

Recent work: Swapped Coil, Ignition Cables (Taylor), Plugs (Stock Champion), Distributor Cap and Rotor. Flushed Cooling System, Changed Oil (10w40), Air Filter (K&N), Fixed Alternator.

Now to the problem: While driving in heavy traffic the car suddenly begins misfireing. Eventually it will die on me. It does this while in motion and while being on gas!!! If I am quick enough putting the gear shifter into neutral most of the times I can restart the car while its still rolling out. Then it will go some yards and the story repeats itself. Eventually I will have to pull over because it won't then even start.

This happened this afternoon. Now my observations:

When nothing went anymore I pulled over, waited 5 minutes and started the car again. It stumbled from the beginning and did not react on pushing the gas pedal. Instead it died. I started again. Left it Idle 1/2 minute and suddenly gave it full throttle until 6000 revs. I left it there some seconds and repeatet this 4 times (more out of frustration then anything else). And guess what? Up from that moment I could drive the car safely home besides having heavi traffic. It just did the job as it is supposed to do.

Now, having returned home I left the car idle for a while. The only thing noteworthy were the noises that came from the exhaust. I am pretty sure that it is at least leaking if not that the cat is broken. It did not sound good.

I did not have the mood nore time to read the plugs yet.

Codes: NONE. The 12 and the 55

Please, anything which points me at where to look at.

Could it be the TPS (would it through codes??).

Thanks again !!

[3Bar_Mopar]

Check these:


1. HEP
2. Fuel Filter
3. Catalytic Converter
4. Stuck fuel injectors
5. Fuel Pressure Regulator

[Blue Iroc R/T]

Check these:


1. HEP
2. Fuel Filter
3. Catalytic Converter
4. Stuck fuel injectors
5. Fuel Pressure Regulator

I agree with Devon, porbably 1, 2 or 3

[talanthalus]

How much gas is in the tank? Did you fill up recently?

Aside from the possibility, that you got a tank of gas with water or some other garbage in it, you could replace the fuel filter and make sure there are no leaks in the fuel system. If the hoses are split and either letting fuel out or taking on air, it will run rough, if at all.

Unfortunately, there are always a lot of possibilities with something like this, so go for the easy, inexpensive, and probably needed stuff to start with.

[MopàrBCN]

Hi, first of all, not only out of curtesey,thanks to all replies. This is an area which I know is dificult to analyse without seing the car. For me it is very difficult because this type of problem is beyond my experience level yet. On the positive side, I am learning quite a lot with that project.

1. The cat: Yes it definetely broke that day. It was fine when I drove off and it was really bad when I came home (at least noise wise). So I will try to get it taken off next week.

2. The HEP. Yes, this is the only thing I did not change in the ignition system. Here is a rooky question: Is there a way to test the HEP without taking it out? I myself wouldn't know how, but I am chancing my luck on this. Or generally speaking: How do I diagnose a HEP for being good or bad???

3. The Fuelfilter I wisely bought already so I will put it in tomorrow.

I will keep you posted on my progress. Thanks!!

[BadAssPerformance]

2. The HEP. Yes, this is the only thing I did not change in the ignition system. Here is a rooky question: Is there a way to test the HEP without taking it out? I myself wouldn't know how, but I am chancing my luck on this. Or generally speaking: How do I diagnose a HEP for being good or bad???

The HEP is easy to replace and also a common problem with these motors.

1- remove splash sheild that covers distributor cap (if you still have it)
2 - remove distributor cap leaving all the plug wired connected and lay it over the valvecover out of theway
3 - pull the ignition rotor off of the disributor shaft
4 - take note of the position of the HEP wires coming out of the HEP
5 - remove HEP and unplug 2 connectors
6 - install new one in reverse order

Since your catalytic converter is noisy you might want to fix that first or put a test pipe in to diagnose the issue. A damaged converter can block airflow enough to stall a car and your 6000 rpm action might have unclogged it.

[MopàrBCN]

This is the only really dark side of being a turbo mopar enthusiast in Europe. If say I wanted to quickly try out another HEP, I would have to buy a new one (this doesn't bug me since I always if possible try to get new parts). Junk yard is not an option because you hardly see those cars around here. So far so good. But if I wanted a new one the only chance to get one in my neighbourhood would be to order one from a DC Dealer who would charge me rd 200$ (no joke) and I would properbly have to wait for weeks. So the only option left to me is buying in the States (which will get the thing to my doorstep at half the price and most likely faster then the dealer could fart...). So this is the reason why people like myself always ask 3 times before making a decision... :-) Well then, enough of this..... one day my baby will run !!! It can't harm changing the HEP because then I will have changed the ignition part completely. @BadAss....

[MopàrBCN]

:-) Issue appears to be solved. It was the cat. Got it "evacuated" and since then it was running fine. Now the 2nd day in a row. What a pity that I will have to install a new one. This is quite a noticable difference in performance........

[BadAssPerformance]

Good to hear you got it figured out

If you have to have a cat in your area, you can get a high flow unit to use from Dynomax or other companies.

[MopàrBCN]

Good to hear you got it figured out

If you have to have a cat in your area, you can get a high flow unit to use from Dynomax or other companies.

Hi, Yes, got to have one. Put it this way, I will get away with the way I have it right now between inspection periodes (2 Years). No cop ever will check if the cat is alive nor will he have means to check emissions during a control. But eventually I will have to present the car for emission testing and there they will find out.

Yes I was considering a Magnaflow 2.5" in/out (from Summit) and at the same time putting in 2.5" Mandrel Bents and pipes (from FWDPerformance) and a Dynomax Super Turbo Muffler. That was the idea. Do you have any comments on this? Would apreciate it!

Greetings to Chicago (a place which still is on my list of places to see )

[MopàrBCN]

Hi, It is not solved. Still having the problem.But now I can give some more details which may be helping:

I was able to reproduce the problem while ideling the car.

First of all I warmed it up and left it ideling. All of a suddon it felt a bit nervous. Now what I did was this: I pressed the gas pedal slowly. On hitting between 2500 and 3000 revs it suddenly dropped revoluciones and nearly died. I repeated the game and allways by hitting this mark it dropped sharply (with a bang through the exhaust). Then or it died or it recovered. It was as it was suddenly in a mode of error.

To get out of this I had to floor the gas once and then it was fine.

Now. I did not manage to provoce that it happened again. I do not know what triggers this situation. But when it exists it exists constantly until y floor the gas.

As I said, I was fine now a couple of days.

WTH is going on. PLEASE HELP. I am out of options right now....

BTW: Hep is ordered.

[BadAssPerformance]

Hi, Yes, got to have one. Put it this way, I will get away with the way I have it right now between inspection periodes (2 Years). No cop ever will check if the cat is alive nor will he have means to check emissions during a control. But eventually I will have to present the car for emission testing and there they will find out.

Yes I was considering a Magnaflow 2.5" in/out (from Summit) and at the same time putting in 2.5" Mandrel Bents and pipes (from FWDPerformance) and a Dynomax Super Turbo Muffler. That was the idea. Do you have any comments on this? Would apreciate it!

Greetings to Chicago (a place which still is on my list of places to see )

Sounds like a decent exhaust setup

Chicago is a great city

What city in Spain are you from?

[BadAssPerformance]

Hi, It is not solved. Still having the problem.But now I can give some more details which may be helping:

I was able to reproduce the problem while ideling the car.

First of all I warmed it up and left it ideling. All of a suddon it felt a bit nervous. Now what I did was this: I pressed the gas pedal slowly. On hitting between 2500 and 3000 revs it suddenly dropped revoluciones and nearly died. I repeated the game and allways by hitting this mark it dropped sharply (with a bang through the exhaust). Then or it died or it recovered. It was as it was suddenly in a mode of error.

To get out of this I had to floor the gas once and then it was fine.

Now. I did not manage to provoce that it happened again. I do not know what triggers this situation. But when it exists it exists constantly until y floor the gas.

As I said, I was fine now a couple of days.

WTH is going on. PLEASE HELP. I am out of options right now....

BTW: Hep is ordered.

It almost sounds like it is 'loading up' with fuel and when you rev it it cleans itself out. it should not do that with the stock fuel system but does sometimes with larger injectors.

Could also get that way from damaged or plugged injectors. Maybe fuel filter too? How many miles are on the car? What octane gasoline is in it?

[MopàrBCN]

It almost sounds like it is 'loading up' with fuel and when you rev it it cleans itself out. it should not do that with the stock fuel system but does sometimes with larger injectors.

Could also get that way from damaged or plugged injectors. Maybe fuel filter too? How many miles are on the car? What octane gasoline is in it?

Hi,

I am in a small town about 10 miles south of Barcelona. Good place right by the sea.

When they first released Google Earth I went on a virtual drive through Chicago - It definetly is on my agenda.

Now, onto the problem area:

Right now it got 1/2 a tank full off 98 octane fuel. Normally I would drive it on 95 (which is the standard and also lowest rated fuel in Spain) but I thought I give it a treat once in a while. Took it out for a spin today and initially it didn't cause trouble but on the return it started. The full throttle trick works. Could it be the TPS? It does not stumble on release of the pedal. It does, when it does so, stumble during increasing throttle... This one really has me nuts by now........

Yep the fuel filter is still on my todo list.

PS: Got 112 000 Miles on it (nearly)

[BadAssPerformance]

Hi,

I am in a small town about 10 miles south of Barcelona. Good place right by the sea.

When they first released Google Earth I went on a virtual drive through Chicago - It definetly is on my agenda.

Now, onto the problem area:

Right now it got 1/2 a tank full off 98 octane fuel. Normally I would drive it on 95 (which is the standard and also lowest rated fuel in Spain) but I thought I give it a treat once in a while. Took it out for a spin today and initially it didn't cause trouble but on the return it started. The full throttle trick works. Could it be the TPS? It does not stumble on release of the pedal. It does, when it does so, stumble during increasing throttle... This one really has me nuts by now........

Yep the fuel filter is still on my todo list.

PS: Got 112 000 Miles on it (nearly)

Sounds like you live in a really nice pat of Spain!

Chicago is nice, too bad Google Earth doesn't show all the traffic jams!

Wow, 98 octane? What method do they calculate that at? US octane listed at the pump is typically calculated (R+M)/2

If your 98 would be the same as our 98, then you might just be running too rich. Rememeber the 'loading up' comment I made? If the octane is higher than you need for the calibration and boost level, then the excess fuel can 'load up' just like having too big of injectors or too high of fuel pressure. I would try to back to 95 and see if it runs better.

Also, high octane burns at higher temps and typically can melt the insides of a catalytic converter.

A TPS or other sensors should draw codes...

[MopàrBCN]

Well I keep on learning. After having done some reading it appears that our 98 is somewhere between your 94 and 96. Therefore our 95 is somewhere between your 91 and 93. ... and I thought there fianlly was something we were advanced on .... Apperently we are happy just to put on the RON value. So the only advance left to us compared to you guys is that our chicks can be naked on the beach without being getting arrested

But now that you mention it. It is true that my problems occured since I put in the 98 fuel.

Now in total with all the things I did after the first problem occured, when swapping the coil etc. the car has improved a lot. Before swapping cables the car was not drivable. What remains is this issue.

Today I will swap the fuel filter. And keep you posted!

AHH: One Thing, this relates to the other thread I have running about the Engine: I have ordered a Mopar Performance Cal for the 1989 2.5 T1. Today it arrived. I suppose it is useless for my car if it is a 1988 2.2 T1, right?

Thanks for all your help and advice. Surely there are a couple of pints of beer waiting for you if you ever make it to this side of the world!!!

[talanthalus]

I was trying to post a reply here, but I'm half asleep, so I give up for now... Hope the fuel filter fixes the issue.

[MopàrBCN]

I was trying to post a reply here, but I'm half asleep, so I give up for now... Hope the fuel filter fixes the issue.

Hey, I think for now I should organize you coffee......

[talanthalus]

IV drip of caffine will work fine! Maybe...

[BadAssPerformance]

Well I keep on learning. After having done some reading it appears that our 98 is somewhere between your 94 and 96. Therefore our 95 is somewhere between your 91 and 93. ... and I thought there fianlly was something we were advanced on .... Apperently we are happy just to put on the RON value. So the only advance left to us compared to you guys is that our chicks can be naked on the beach without being getting arrested

But now that you mention it. It is true that my problems occured since I put in the 98 fuel.

Now in total with all the things I did after the first problem occured, when swapping the coil etc. the car has improved a lot. Before swapping cables the car was not drivable. What remains is this issue.

Today I will swap the fuel filter. And keep you posted!

AHH: One Thing, this relates to the other thread I have running about the Engine: I have ordered a Mopar Performance Cal for the 1989 2.5 T1. Today it arrived. I suppose it is useless for my car if it is a 1988 2.2 T1, right?

Thanks for all your help and advice. Surely there are a couple of pints of beer waiting for you if you ever make it to this side of the world!!!

maybe the 98(94-96) is too much? I run 100 in my '87 T2 Shadow with 42pph injectors and it will load up at times.

I beleive the '89 2.5l cal is designed for more fuel and larger injectors than the '88 2.2L cal. You can plug it in and see how it runs tho.

No problem on the help, just hope you get it figured out! I will keep the beer and beaches in mind if I'm in your neighborhood tho