crank sensor

[cnorr2]

My 91 PA can't seem to stay in 'drive' without stalling. Sometimes it starts right up, other times it takes up to several minutes to start. If I do manage to get it to start it will idle in 'park', but will want to stall again if it is in 'drive'. If I rev the engine enough, I can get it into drive and it will run until I've had my foot off the accelerator for a few seconds, then it stalls again. Several people have told me this sounds like a bad crank sensor, but I don't know where this is on a 91 PA. Can anyone tell me where it is, and how I can test it?

Thanks a lot

chris

[rotaran]

Hi Chris.
This is, what my Haynes says about the sensor:




Another possibility is the oxygen sensor (right on the rear exhaust manifold)

Hope that hepls.

Mike

[parkavenuechrome]

It doesn't sound like either. It sounds like a Bad IAC Motor ( idle air control ) motor. It sets the idle speed and maintains it. you can try to clean it with some Throttle body cleaner or replace it. If it was your crank sensor it would either not run or run erratic at random times. But definetly sounds like the IAC..

[yogi_123rd]

While you didn't specify whether the CEL light is on or has been going on-off periodically, you may want to download the codes.

Recently while tinkering with my car, I reproduced your exact symptons of erratic and being unable to idle with the exception that the car always seemed to restart right up. THe ECM was doing this in response to another problem.

In my case, my problem is that the low speed cooling fan continuously runs. OK in summer, but afffects heater in winter. So I removed the relay that controls the fan and took a drive. All was well for about 10 minutes when the CEL came on. It stayed on a minute or two and went off. The CEL would come on and go off like this for the duration of my drive. After this, each time I came to a stop, I discovered the car had rough idle and stalled. Car ran OK, but wouldn't idle right. After 30 minutes of this, and knowing what I did to cause it, I replaced the relay I removed. Engine operation and idle went back to normal.

[cnorr2]

Thanks to everyone for their help. I will check some of these possibilities out over the holiday.

Again, thank you.

chris

[Dsmith362003]

I Hvae the same problem and i changed the crank shaft sensor guess what still doing the same thing someone told me it could be the egr valve just passing my info you're way