My Caprice Stalls :(

[RochelleC]

While at a red light, the car would accelerate at a very slow speed when the light turned green and would take forever just to cross the intersection... finally it would accelerate at normal speed! Later, it just kept stalling after having the acceleration problems. It wouldn't start back up right away... but when it would start it would only accelerate slowly.. and only up to 45mph.. before stalling again. It is a 1994 Classic Caprice. Can anyone tell me what the problem could be.. and possibly what the cost would be?
Thanks,
Rochelle

[TommySS]

Fuel issue.

Do you have a throttle body?

[RochelleC]

I don't know. It is a 4 door

[CD Smalley]

Opti-spark

[TommySS]

If it has opti-spark, the chances are pretty good it's giving you fits.

However, if you have a conventional distrubutor, I'd be less inclined to think that you have an ignition problem.

Fuel issue.

[CD Smalley]

It was stated it's a 1994 Caprice Classic. If that much is correct, can not sure be of that given that RochelleC replied with "I don't know. It is a 4 door.", then it would have to have an opti-crap. I mean opti-spark.

[TommySS]

I'm not too good post 1990 Caprices. However, any other year and I can help.

[RochelleC]

WHat is a Opti-spark? How would I have this problem fixed? My friend took it a mechanic shop who told him it will cost him $950.00 to diagnose and fix since it is a computerized car..............said.. he doesn't know what the problem is.. -Something doesn't sound right. This is why I thought I would try this message board to see if I can find out the real cause of the stalling.

[HLandin]

What is Opti-spark everyone keeps talking about??? I get the impression it had a lot of problems. How is it same/different from distributor??

[CD Smalley]

Opti-Crap or rather Opti-Spark is the name given to the particular type of distributor on the LT1 and L99 engines installed in 94-96 Caprices and similiar years of the 4th gen F-body and Corvettes of certain years too I guess. It's mounted on the front side of the engine. And when the water pumps fail on these cars, the coolant will drip down into the opti-crap and cause all kinds of problems. It's a POS design that requires the water pump and I believe even the harmonic balancer to be pulled to replace.

The part alone is usually $200 alone and removing and replacing it will drive the costs up significantly.

[TommySS]

I'd start with fuel issues (much less expensive to diagnose)

[gbutterf]

Could try checking the EGR first, mine was sticking open and caused similar probs--a lot easier to check, purchase, and replace than most other components. Could be the control solenoid sticking open and allowing vacuum to the EGR all the time, or just a wide open EGR. See if vacuum is going through the solenoid to the EGR at idle (it shouldn't be until rpm > 1700 or so, and hot)--if so, see if the control solenoid is powered up (shouldn't be.) If no vacuum to the EGR at idle, remove the EGR and see if you can blow through the thing (the nasty blackened port, not the vacuum port.) If you can blow through it, it's open when it shouldn't be.