Car just dies losses power

[helicopter23]

Originally Posted by Tech II

When they closed the GM school here in Massachusetts, I had to go to Tarrytown, NY for school....what a pain in the ass drive.....one day classes sucked.....if it was a multi-day school, I stayed overnight there.....several times, Rt. 95 came to a complete stop going home....

There is a special tool to check the IAC.....it can manually command the pintle in and out.....should move smoothly in both directions....also check the harness to the IAC.....make sure those female connectors in the harness are tight.....

I would definitely clean that throttle plate and it's mating bore......easiest way is to remove the throttle body(you will need a new throttle body gasket)...just relieve system pressure by removing the radiator cap....you will lose a little coolant when removing the throttle body....

Now you can easily clean the plate and bore, and also blow out the passageway for the IAC....clean the mating surface of the IAC passageway....

One way to check IAC operation....at idle, turn AC on, and rpm's should increase.....or turn the steering wheel briefly all the way left or right, and again the rpm's should increase....

It was always tough, working on vehicles, that were intermittent like yours.....about all you could do as a tech, if you could not recreate the problem, was try every known solution, and check all possibilities, while you had it in your bay, and hope for the best.....

Is my problem gonna become worse ??? Maybe I need the car just not to lose power and not start back up so it can be diagnosed.

[helicopter23]

Originally Posted by Tech II

When they closed the GM school here in Massachusetts, I had to go to Tarrytown, NY for school....what a pain in the ass drive.....one day classes sucked.....if it was a multi-day school, I stayed overnight there.....several times, Rt. 95 came to a complete stop going home....

There is a special tool to check the IAC.....it can manually command the pintle in and out.....should move smoothly in both directions....also check the harness to the IAC.....make sure those female connectors in the harness are tight.....

I would definitely clean that throttle plate and it's mating bore......easiest way is to remove the throttle body(you will need a new throttle body gasket)...just relieve system pressure by removing the radiator cap....you will lose a little coolant when removing the throttle body....

Now you can easily clean the plate and bore, and also blow out the passageway for the IAC....clean the mating surface of the IAC passageway....

One way to check IAC operation....at idle, turn AC on, and rpm's should increase.....or turn the steering wheel briefly all the way left or right, and again the rpm's should increase....

It was always tough, working on vehicles, that were intermittent like yours.....about all you could do as a tech, if you could not recreate the problem, was try every known solution, and check all possibilities, while you had it in your bay, and hope for the best.....

Well car hasn't had power loss in about 1 month. Im now thinking maybe it was the 5.5 year old battery. This power loss problem started in the dead of winter around February. Since it has warmed up the power loss while driving hasn't happened. I also remember around the same time in February when power loss started car would barely turn over due to the cold weather. Could the power loss be my battery being old and on its way out ?? Especially if car doesn't lose power again til the cold months like December ??

[Tech II]

I'm not leaning towards the battery, because the car cranked over and started, and then your alternator takes over for the battery......it's too intermittent to likely be a battery or alternator.......

Changing the battery and cleaning the connections at the battery, are a possibility, but I don't think so.....

Did you ever clean the throttle plate and bore? Clean the pintle of the IAC and the passageway in the throttle body? the only way to clean the bore , throttle plate , and IAC passageway, is to remove it from the plenum(you will need a new gasket)....

Check the connections in the harness to the IAC for tightness?

I am leaning towards the IAC or throttle plate because you state the rpm's tend to drop as you slow down....

Just for ha-ha's, last time fuel filter was replaced?

[helicopter23]

Originally Posted by Tech II

I'm not leaning towards the battery, because the car cranked over and started, and then your alternator takes over for the battery......it's too intermittent to likely be a battery or alternator.......

Changing the battery and cleaning the connections at the battery, are a possibility, but I don't think so.....

Did you ever clean the throttle plate and bore? Clean the pintle of the IAC and the passageway in the throttle body? the only way to clean the bore , throttle plate , and IAC passageway, is to remove it from the plenum(you will need a new gasket)....

Check the connections in the harness to the IAC for tightness?

I am leaning towards the IAC or throttle plate because you state the rpm's tend to drop as you slow down....

Just for ha-ha's, last time fuel filter was replaced?

Fuel filter was changed with last oil change Im guessing. Don't they change the fuel filter with every oil change or are suppose to ??

[SleepyHead98]

No they dont change fuel filter at oil change. Heck they hardly change Oil filters at oil change, even though they charge you for them.

A typical oil change consists of new oil, and a new oil filter.

The Fuel filter is extra, and you have to tell them you want it changed. Just go to a reputable shop to get it done, shops like jiffy lube and the like have been real shiesty lately. I dont want to insult anyone, but I only trust repairs I have done myself. And If i screw up, I can only blame myself. I love it that way.

[Tech II]

Fuel filter was changed with last oil change Im guessing. Don't they change the fuel filter with every oil change or are suppose to ??


Are you serious? This makes me question your knowledge of car maintenance....

With an external fuel filter, it's normally changed every two years/30K miles....the newer vehicles have fuel filters that are integral to the pumps, in the gas tank......there usually isn't a maintenance schedule for these......

Over time a gas tank gets condensation, "bad gas", sometimes crud, etc.....I have seen the external fuel filters cause driveability problems like hard starts, extended starts, hesitation on hard acceleration.....when an external filter is plugged, you will know right away by the difference in weight between it and the new filter....

So it amazes me that manufacturers have eliminated the external filter, and incorporated it into the fuel pump module......in some modules, it is replaceable......but the cost to replace it is crazy(if there is no access panel to the pump, the tank has to come down)....and the filter is not cheap!

[helicopter23]

Ok. How much time should it take my mechanic to do each and how much is the new gasket for question 2?:

1.) Clean the throttle plate and bore
2.) Clean the pintle of the IAC and the passageway in the throttle body? the only way to clean the bore , throttle plate , and IAC passageway, is to remove it from the plenum(you will need a new gasket)....Check the connections in the harness to the IAC for tightness?
3.) Change fuel filter
4.) Change gas tank out ?? Mine has a pin hole about 4/5 the way up, so u can't fill it over 3/4.

[helicopter23]

Ok last couple of days it has been very hot and humid and car has barely been starting just like it did when it was really cold, which is barely. Is this a battery issue ?? Battery is like 5.5 years old.

Hey Tech II I was reading a forum where it said that if you're car barely starts in the heat that it could be a bad crankshaft position sensor ???? You also said that the random power loss could be from a bad crankshaft position sensor. Maybe that is the problem ??