Intermittent Stalling at IDLE.

[Slade901]

Just recently our 1997 Mercury Sable started having intermittent idle issues. Sometimes when you crank it and let it idle then it is fine but then when you put it in drive then it starts to die and push the gas a bit about 1K rpm then it stabilizes. If you put it in Neutral or Park then it kinda stabilizes as well but you can feel the engine surging a little bit or missing a bit.

Check Engine Soon light came up yesterday. Had it check at autozone and it shows multiple mis-fires and also code for the O2 showed up. Suggested to try to replace the spark plugs and spark plug wires and come back to clear the code. I just disconnected the battery and the Check Engine Light turned off. However, I still have intermittent idle issues. I drove it going to Home Depot and no problem but after leaving Home Depot then the idle issue came up again.

This issue started when some folks on their truck have their garbage in a plastic bag not secured and scattered on the highway and one of them when underneath our vehicle. The following day, we can smell rubber burning. I check the engine bay and no sign of burnt rubber. Checked underneath the car and I see the plastic bag stuck underneath the catalytic converter and took it out and some of the plastic have already melted and stuck on the metal part of the catalytic converter. I occasionally smell the rubber burning once in a while. A few days later, we were following a truck and the truck have a high clearance and guess what some dead deer was in the middle of the lane and I wasn't able to avoid it and got the deer pass through underneath our car. Now, we can smell some burnt meat parts of the deer. Tried to cleaned up the underneath. Now, we have a plastic and meat burrning underneath. We still have intermittent idle issues.

I was checking the maf, idle air solenoid, tps, cleaned the throttle body with carb spray. I was thinking of adjusting my idle by turning that screw that stops the throttle linkage or put something so that the idle will be about 1K rpms so that it won't surge or miss. I was thinking it could be the pcv that is blocked up and causing the engine pressure to reverse blow the some air/oil mixture back into the intake and would probably clogged up the Idle air solenoid, and other sensors. Replaced the PCV today. Replaced the oil as well and filter and now I have oil dripping in the drain plug and I was afraid that I will loose oil and messed up the engine and the combination of the idle problem might get me stranded in the highway. I have to get a drain plug gasket and now it's not leaking

I'm in the process of cleaning the throttle body again. Removed the TPS, IAC and cleaned the MAF sensor. I have tried to spray carb cleaner on the intake , around the throttle body gaskets to see if if the IDLE changes but it did not.

I'll let you know what I find. If you have any advice, let me know.

Thanks,

Slade901

[PaulRogg]

I just had a similar problem with my 95 Sable. I was losing vacuum. It started off small but the hose finally cracked open and I was able to hear the leakage.

[Slade901]

Found the vacuum like what you have which is a vacuum leak. The vacuum hose was rubbing on the EGR hot exhaust tube. Here's the picture. http://www.geocities.com/southbeach/...acuum_leak.jpg