1991 Cutlass Supreme: Stalling problem

[jcutler]

When I come to a stop my car idles way down and wants to stall, and then if I am traveling at a high rate of speed and come to a stop it does stall. My car has 137k and has very good maintenece record seeing as how I work at a very good automotive shop. The problem is we specialize in brakes and suspension, not engine and diagnostic work. Any suggestions?

[96aurora]

Could be a timing chain. Is it a 3.1L

[torn132]

i have a 91 cutlass 3.8 had the same problem had to change the trans it seems that there is a filter between the enginge and trans and when it starts to stall this screen filter is clogged causing the brain to hickup soto speak and it stalls at stops and hard breaking i couldnt figure out problem and a feww weeks later the tranny started to slip

[Slade901]

Do this.
1. Locate your IAC (Idle Air Control solenoid). It is located on the throttle body and just above the TPS (Throttle Position Sensor).

2. Remove the IAC, spray it with throttle body cleaner to get rid of any carbon build up and use a brush. Clean also the spot where you remove the IAC from and clean it good.

3. Put back the IAC (dry) and test the vehicle.

4. You may have to replace the IAC as they go bad over time.

5. The TPS might be failing as it tells the computer the position of the throttle plate. If the TPS is giving a voltage below the minimun voltage at IDLE then you could have a very low RPM and cause stalling problem.

6. Another possibility is the TCC (Torque Clutch Converter switch). Stalling problem when travelling at high speed and then going to a stop sign is probably caused by the TCC not disengaging properly or late disengagement. Try removing the TCC switch which is just above the tranny and see if the stalling problem is cured and then you know the TCC switch is the culprit and needs to be replaced.
The TCC switch is used for fuel economy and lock the tramsission gear when it is at cruising speed and disengage when the vehicle slows down. It is like leaving the manual transmission at the last gear while you are slowing down and of course that would stall the engine.
Severe problem with the TCC switch problem is that the vehicle will just suddently die and would not start at all unless you leave the engine to cool down for 15-30 minutes and start again. It is like starting a manuall transmission at the last gear and so it will never start and will never IDLE.

[number72002]

I had an '85 Olds until very recently. When I first got her...same problem. I dumped 1 1/2 bottles of fuel injector cleaner into a full tank of gas and the other 1/2 straight into the fuel injector compartment, slowly at first with the running and then drowned it to stall the car. Waited about 10 mins. Started back up...blew smoke everywhere...never stalled after that. If your using 87 octane gas it gums the crap out everything.

[Slade901]

Originally Posted by number72002

the other 1/2 straight into the fuel injector compartment

What do you mean by fuel injector compartment?

[live_&_breath_cars]

check the charge off the alternator.

i have a 90 cutlass surpreme SL with the 3.1L with 215,000km and i get that problem every 2-5years.
after changing the battery and alternator its fine. it most likely is the alternator.i think i have a short or some other electrical problem, but i'm not bothering with it.
the car runs great besides this problem, latz.

[number72002]

Actually I not sure what the correct term is or if the newer vehicles have this spot either, but on my car it had the air cleaner on top of the engine. When you removed that, there was a compartment just below the air cleaner housing which smelt like gas, so thats where I dumped the bottles.
A slower way I heard of, is to put 2-3 bottles in to a full gas tank and then go find a highway/interstate.

[eversio11]

two words: TCC solenoid

[number72002]

Thankyou eversio11. I've heard that term used. Never knew where or what is was.