'94 Cavalier - Stalling and ABS light

[jesseahouser]

I've been having some issues with my '94 2.2L Crapalier.

Problem: The engine will randomly stall. This can happen at highway speeds, accelerating from a stop, or at idle. Sometimes it won't completely die, but always the speedo bounces down to 0 and the ABS light flashes and stays on for a couple seconds. Other times, the engine will die and I won't be able to start it for quite a while - say maybe an hour. The service engine light has flickered once or twice.

Stuff I've already done: New plugs, wires, fuel pump, fuel filter.

Any ideas?

Here's some entertainment...my '87 "Crabalier" (RIP).
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jesse...ouser/my_photos

[Classicrocjunkie]

Injectors, broken line somwhere.?

ABS light will go off if you cleanout/ plug back on your sensors located near the wheels.

[JayDeavor]

Looking down from the front of the car under the hood, Look at the right side of the car at the transaxle (Transmission), You should see a square plug that plugs into a sensor that goes into your transaxle.. Unplug that sensor and disconnect your battery for at least 10 mins.. Reconnect your battery and start your car and drive it down the road for at least 3 or 4 miles at a speed above 45 miles per hour.. (Must hold above 45 MPH for the 3 or 4 miles)...
If this solves your problem you can either leave it unplugged or have it replaced.. Most people just leave it unplugged...
If this does not solve your problem hook the sensor back up and disconnect your battery for another 10 mins and drive it about 45 MPH again for 3 or 4 miles...
The sensor is called your lockout torque converter sensor.
The reason for driving your car above 45 MPH is to reset your computer in your car...
I hope this helps... Take Care

[TheTurdRules]

Originally Posted by JayDeavor

Looking down from the front of the car under the hood, Look at the right side of the car at the transaxle (Transmission), You should see a square plug that plugs into a sensor that goes into your transaxle.. Unplug that sensor and disconnect your battery for at least 10 mins.. Reconnect your battery and start your car and drive it down the road for at least 3 or 4 miles at a speed above 45 miles per hour.. (Must hold above 45 MPH for the 3 or 4 miles)...
If this solves your problem you can either leave it unplugged or have it replaced.. Most people just leave it unplugged...
If this does not solve your problem hook the sensor back up and disconnect your battery for another 10 mins and drive it about 45 MPH again for 3 or 4 miles...
The sensor is called your lockout torque converter sensor.
The reason for driving your car above 45 MPH is to reset your computer in your car...
I hope this helps... Take Care

I was given this same piece of advice from my mechanic and I thought it sounded kinda odd, but I guess it could work. My problem is similar to the one described above, but I have an 88 Chevy Celebrity and I dont think there is an ABS light (or is that the Service Engine Light?). Mine does basically the same thing, but it will start up just fine, but as soon as I put her into drive or reverse she dies. After I wait an hour she'll start back up just fine and go, but not if I try to start it right away. I am going to give it a shot when I get home as I guess it cant hurt if its not really a needed piece. Is that piece easy to find and are there any special tools needed to take it off?

[JayDeavor]

We have never replaced this sensor, But I am quite sure ("and someone can correct me if I am wrong") but I believe that the transaxle will have to be taken apart and replaced from the inside... This is why most people just disconnect the sensor and reset the cars PCM (Computer).
We have had some results of the "service Engine Soon" light come on and the only way to turn it off was to reconnect the Torque Converter Lock Out sensor and returning back to the same problem from the start..
If your lights does come on and stays on after you reset your PCM (Computer) as I described above, there is an easy fix: you can either pull the bulb from the speedometer head unit or just take a small piece of electrical tape and place it over the light..
If this doesn't solve your problem then you might want to try another test that is pretty well known for GM and Ford products..

Once you have reconnected the torque converter lock out plug back in and reset the computer by disconnecting the battery for about 10 mins or so and driving your car down the road for 3 to 4 miles above 45 MPH at a steady speed, try and drive it ("with a passenger with you") try and make your car do the problems it was doing.. Once the car shuts off on you get to a safe place and open you hood and pull a spark plug wire off and insert a screw driver into the plug wire and place it about a 1/4 inch away from something metal (KEEP AWAY FROM ANY METAL PARTS THAT MAY CONTAIN GAS!) also DO NOT hold the screw driver with out the proper tools. (Something plastic that will grip the screw driver and hold it like maybe a plastic pair of pliers).
Check to see if maybe you are losing spark..
if you do not have any spark I would suggest replacing the Control Module... The control module is located under the spark plug coil pack.. The control module can be very expensive..

I have a 1984 Chevy Camaro (Daily Driver for my wife) and she was calling me 4 to 5 times a month tell me that the car had broke down for her.. When I would get to where she was located the car would start every time for me...
I had replaced the control module and haven't had that problem since...

Try and disconnect the Torque Converter Lock out test first... Less expensive than replacing the control module.. Average cost for a control module has about a $200.00 price tag on them depends on your location..

[jesseahouser]

I'll give the Torque Converter Lockout test a try. I was aware of that but didn't think it was the problem since the car does not buck or jerk at all. Also, what could explain the ABS light being triggered when the problem occurs? I can imagine the light coming on if the contacts in the connectors are corroded or dirty. But, the fact that it only comes on when the problem occurs is very mysterious to me. I don't understand how a malfunctioning brake component could create a stalling problem. Hmm... Thanks for all the suggestions!!
-Jesse

[jesseahouser]

I ended up taking it to a local mechanic. He claims the problem was a bad fusible link. It drove home okay. I guess I'll see if I get stranded on the way to work tomorrow. Sure hope not!

[BlazerLT]

Would it stall out when decelerating to a stop?

[jesseahouser]

I don't remember it stalling when decelerating. I do know it stalled at idle, constant speed, and under acceleration. I haven't had any problems with it stalling since I got it back from the shop.

[BlazerLT]

Do the normal tuneup stuff.

Plugs, wires, PCV valve, fuel filter, air filter.

Clean and reinstall the IAC valve and the assembly it inserts into with TB cleaner and a toothbrush.