Engine stalls when clutch is engaged

I have searched through the forums and think I have found some answers, but not completely so I am going to ask the group. My son has a 97 Eclipse, 2.0L w/ a new Turbo / cold air kit / blowoff w/ manual transmission.

The car is hard to start and I find it stumbles bad when the clutch is engaged (need to have the clutch in to start!). Once it starts, I immediately let off the clutch and it idles fine and engine runs smooth. As soon as the clutch is engaged, it will die. If I keep the rpms up, I can engage the clutch and get going while it is stumbling and then the engine seems to run fine, as long as I do not let up off the accelerator when the clutch is engaged.

The check engine light is on and I have not had the codes read. My son said he believes it needs an O2 Sensor.

My question is, what other things would make the engine stumble and stall when the clutch is engaged?

Can anyone provide me some insight or point me to a post that may address this problem? Thank you in advance.

I would suggest getting those codes read, and doing some maintanence on the car. Plugs, wires, fuel filter, maybe even run sea foam through the motor. Its probable just a sensor that needs to be replaced.

Yep, pull codes first and fix that. If the problem persists then give 'er another go.

As for having the clutch in to start, that is from the factory on these cars. If you want to be able to start it without the clutch pedal depressed, its as simple as disconnecting the clutch sensor up by the pivot point on the pedal itself.

Yes like Thor said there is a little plug at the very top of the clutch pedal that you can just disconnect and it will not require the car to have the clutch engauged while you are trying to start it.

As far as the car stalling when the clutch is pushed in. I had the same problem when my motor was what we call crankwalking, another term would be thrust bearing failure. You can do a search on it but pretty much what could be happening is that when you push the clutch in it is putting enough pressure on the crank to push it up against either the crank girdle or wall of the block to wear it is slowing the crank down enough to kill it. A good way to check if the car is crankwalking would be to jack the car up and get underneath with a crowbar. Pry the harmonic balancer towards the block and have someone in the car push the clutch in and see if it is moving back and forth.

Now dont go putting crankwalk into his head.

I believe he means releasing the clutch when he said engaging. So that shouldn't have anything to do with crankwalk.

Its a possiblility though. Does the clutch pedal fall to the floor when making left hand turns?