Engine Stall problem ...

[Raven6208]

I have a 1999 CRV (Manual Transmission with about 60K miles) and I'm experiencing a weird problem that no one (dealership nor mechanics) can figure out and I'm hoping someone here can help.


If have I have my AC turned on ... my rpms would drop to zero and stall my engine whenever I apply the brakes to slow down. The problem is that it's intermittent. What's weird is that if my engine does not stall within the first ten minutes of driving with the AC turned on ... I'm fine !!!

Now what I have noticed is that my rpms have been idling low (below 300 by the indicator) whenever I'm braking or in neutral. It would commonly dip down to zero BUT would pick back up to around 500 or so. So long as my AC is not turned on ... the engine would not stall (battery and oil pressure lights come on and occassionally the ABS light).

I have gone in for the regular servicing. I've even gone in for the ignition switch recall. But the problem still persists.

So long as I do not turn on the AC ... the engine will never stall, even with low rpms. But once I turn on the AC .... I'm in left wondering for the next ten minutes of driving if my engine will stall !??!?

What I've noticed is that the engine is more apt to stall if I'm coasting down a slight decline (i.e. going at 40mph and shifting to neutral - the rpms start to drop to zero and eventually stalls).

Any help/input is GREATLY appreciated. (sorry about the long message!)

[lorunner]

has the car ever been in an accident, maybe there is a blockage in the a/c system putting too much of a load on the engine.

[Raven6208]

The car has never been in an accident.

Another thing:

Been trying to purposely stall my car (with the weather being fairly cool lately) and here's what I've found...

If the weather is cool (below 55 degree F) then the engine does not stall ... even with the A/C turned on !?!?!?

[lorunner]

you say within the first ten minutes i am assuming the engine is still cold at this time? have you ever had your valves adjusted? There has been an overubundance of crv's with tight valves and when they are cold the valves stay open and aren't fully closed and as it warms up they close.

[ziggyz]

I have the same year with 50K miles and it is doing the same exact thing...same behavior...

I noticed a clicking before the stall and looked inside and it seems to be the clutch of the ac compressor...

Ive had the car serviced and they cannot find the problem...

Ive asked to have the valves adjusted and they said they dont need it till 80K miles...

any ideas?

[lorunner]

dont believe the service advisors when they say 80k for a valve adj. they arent in the shop all day believe me as a tech if they haven't been adj at 30 get them done

[pop1111]

I have a 2001 CR-v with 37k on it, unfortunately, the original manufacture warrenty (3 yr or 36k) is over before the problem appears. For a couple of weeks now my car is having extreme rough idle vibration. This occurs when the car is in gear and foot's on the break pedal. I still don't know what's wrong with it.

[rak911]

Originally Posted by pop1111

I have a 2001 CR-v with 37k on it, unfortunately, the original manufacture warrenty (3 yr or 36k) is over before the problem appears. For a couple of weeks now my car is having extreme rough idle vibration. This occurs when the car is in gear and foot's on the break pedal. I still don't know what's wrong with it.

I also have a 2001 CRV and right about warr exit time 35k-36k, the idle started gettting rough and would occasionally die, ie, stopping at a stop sign. Now we have 50k miles and it got worse, so I messed around with the idle adjustment bolts and jacked up the idle to about 900 rpm. About a month after that my wife took the car to Phoenix and the battery died, so she got a new one from Costco. On the way home, the idle was running about 1500 rpm when she stopped for gas or food and twice the gearshift lever would not come out of PARK until she shut off the engine and re-started it. After reading a couple forum items, I'm inclined to head for the dealer unless some of you more-experienced-with-CRV-folks can offer me some better direction before I submit to Dealership victimization.

[philipkoman]

i experianced before the engine almost die when i turn on the AC(cause by the ac compressor heavy work).
finally solved problem by reducing freon to reduce pressure.

[ripps486]

Originally Posted by rak911

I also have a 2001 CRV and right about warr exit time 35k-36k, the idle started gettting rough and would occasionally die, ie, stopping at a stop sign. Now we have 50k miles and it got worse, so I messed around with the idle adjustment bolts and jacked up the idle to about 900 rpm. About a month after that my wife took the car to Phoenix and the battery died, so she got a new one from Costco. On the way home, the idle was running about 1500 rpm when she stopped for gas or food and twice the gearshift lever would not come out of PARK until she shut off the engine and re-started it. After reading a couple forum items, I'm inclined to head for the dealer unless some of you more-experienced-with-CRV-folks can offer me some better direction before I submit to Dealership victimization.

I was also having the same problom with my 2000 CRV 90.000 miles on it.
The idle was around 200 barely running,also the AC compressor was cutting in and out. What i found out was a simple fix. After talking to a few people i found out the injectors and the throdal body needs to be cleaned i bought a bottle of injector cleaner and pored it in with a tank of gas. After one tank of gas my idle is back up to 900. The cleaner i used sea foam. Good stuff. www.seafoamsales.com I was expecting a larage repare bill,instead it cost me 6.95.

[importaudihaus]

check the recall list. there was a recall of the distributor. my 97 had the same type of problems with shutting off during normal driving.