1990 Custom Cruiser Stalling Problem

[RSmith8]

Hello all:
I own a 1990 Olds 88 Custom Cruiser Wagon (5.0 V8, 4BBL). Recently, the car has been stalling out on me...the stalling ALWAYS occurs within 2 minutes of putting it into "Drive," and almost always in the early morning, around 7AM. I will be driving, and the engine will cut out without warning (very smoothly, almost unnoticible). The "Charge" light will come on, followed by the "Choke/Oil" and "Check Engine Status" lights. The power steering goes out, but the brakes still function...enough to get me to the side of the road. The car will not restart once it has stalled...the engine cranks but does NOT turn over. My mechanic told me that after about an hour of sitting after it stalled on me once, he was able to get it to start. This does seem to happen with there is moisture in the air, but it has happened when this is not the case.

I had, due to a warranty, a new carburator installed free of charge...and this did not fix the problem. The mechanic has not yet been able to reproduce the problem, and he is kind of up in the air until he sees it happen...and since the problem is intermittent, there are no computer codes. He reports that the car runs "like brand new," and he has been driving it home nights and has had no problems.

Any ideas whatsoever? I really love this car, but I need to be able to get to school in the mornings (I'm a medical student in Maine)! This just started happening about 3 weeks ago or so...often about a minute after stopping at a light or stop sign. I am a slow driver if that matters.

Thanks very much for reading.

Best regards,

Ryan.

[Ian Szgatti]

when the engine heats, a crack in the Crankshaft sensor gets wider until it looses charge, and it goes fast.. within a couple seconds. Thats a possibility. Have him check the crankshaft position sensor and all accociated circiutry...
A 1990, if fuel injected... check the injector(s) as they could act up when warm as well, and effect the current of the fuel injection circuit in such a way that they cause the circuit to shut down... usually once cool the car can start again. Tell him to check the resistance of the injector(s) when cold and when hot and compare to specs.
Intermitten codes are "soft codes" which are retrievable because the computer will hold on to them in memory for so many drive cycles... go to a different mechanic.
Im not familiar with the custom cruiser.. i dont even know if it has throttle body injetion, or if it is a carberated engine.. throttle body injection looks like a carb though... are you certain of what you have??
How many kilometers or miles do you have on the engine, and when was your last full service?

[maxwedge]

Originally Posted by Ian Szgatti

when the engine heats, a crack in the Crankshaft sensor gets wider until it looses charge, and it goes fast.. within a couple seconds. Thats a possibility. Have him check the crankshaft position sensor and all accociated circiutry...
A 1990, if fuel injected... check the injector(s) as they could act up when warm as well, and effect the current of the fuel injection circuit in such a way that they cause the circuit to shut down... usually once cool the car can start again. Tell him to check the resistance of the injector(s) when cold and when hot and compare to specs.
Intermitten codes are "soft codes" which are retrievable because the computer will hold on to them in memory for so many drive cycles... go to a different mechanic.
Im not familiar with the custom cruiser.. i dont even know if it has throttle body injetion, or if it is a carberated engine.. throttle body injection looks like a carb though... are you certain of what you have??
How many kilometers or miles do you have on the engine, and when was your last full service?

FYI this is a carbureted 8cyl 307 Olds, no crank sensor or injector issues!

[maxwedge]

Originally Posted by RSmith8

Hello all:
I own a 1990 Olds 88 Custom Cruiser Wagon (5.0 V8, 4BBL). Recently, the car has been stalling out on me...the stalling ALWAYS occurs within 2 minutes of putting it into "Drive," and almost always in the early morning, around 7AM. I will be driving, and the engine will cut out without warning (very smoothly, almost unnoticible). The "Charge" light will come on, followed by the "Choke/Oil" and "Check Engine Status" lights. The power steering goes out, but the brakes still function...enough to get me to the side of the road. The car will not restart once it has stalled...the engine cranks but does NOT turn over. My mechanic told me that after about an hour of sitting after it stalled on me once, he was able to get it to start. This does seem to happen with there is moisture in the air, but it has happened when this is not the case.

I had, due to a warranty, a new carburator installed free of charge...and this did not fix the problem. The mechanic has not yet been able to reproduce the problem, and he is kind of up in the air until he sees it happen...and since the problem is intermittent, there are no computer codes. He reports that the car runs "like brand new," and he has been driving it home nights and has had no problems.

Any ideas whatsoever? I really love this car, but I need to be able to get to school in the mornings (I'm a medical student in Maine)! This just started happening about 3 weeks ago or so...often about a minute after stopping at a light or stop sign. I am a slow driver if that matters.

Thanks very much for reading.

Best regards,

Ryan.

2 basic diagnostic issues not done here, when it dies and no start, do you have spark to the plugs, do you have fuel in the carb, remove the air cleaner and pump the throttle linkage and see if gas squirts from the accelerator pump nozzles. This is the only way to start pinning down the problem.

[Ian Szgatti]

Originally Posted by maxwedge

2 basic diagnostic issues not done here, when it dies and no start, do you have spark to the plugs, do you have fuel in the carb, remove the air cleaner and pump the throttle linkage and see if gas squirts from the accelerator pump nozzles. This is the only way to start pinning doen the problem.

dually noted

[RyanS32122]

Hi Everyone:
Thanks for your advise. I will ask him regarding the above possibilities.

A friend mentioned that it might be a problem with the elecronic choke / computer carb position sensor at the choke...or a vacuum problem. He also mentioned the distributor cap.

Since it happens when it's wet, it may also be electrical in nature.

Anyone think he may be onto something? The car can run perfectly well for extended periods of time (i.e., 2 hrs) with no stalling. Recently, in the mornings, the engine has been cutting out within 2 minutes of starting it. The engine quitely, almost unnoticibly, will just stop running, and the wagon will just glide along until I apply the brakes...no sounds, no backfiring, no rough riding...just wanted to reaffirm this.

Thanks very much for your input, I appreciate it.

Regards,

Ryan.