92 chevy lumina runs rough and stalls when brakes are applied

[Tater_Salad]

i have a 92 chevy lumina and it just started to run really rough and backfire, and when i apply my brakes to shift or to stop it will stall. any help would be great

[Chebyman]

I had the same problem. Try checking the plug wires and the coils to see if they are bad. If the plug wire is not fire completely it will make the car die and backfire. The plugwires are the only timing item you can change. (i.e. get in the wrong order) i Chenged thewires and fixedthe problem. Hope this helps.

[Overtime]

Also check the distributor cap and rotor for carbon build-up. Make sure you don't have any vacuum hoses that are disconnected or worn out as these can cause the computer to do strange things with the timing. Finally, if these fail to resolve it and you don't have a carburator, check your fuel injectors for a clogged one (or add fuel injector cleaner to you gas if the problem isn't pronounced).

[JERKY420]

hey why the hell does this guy seem to think any lumina made in the 1990"s has a distributor cap and rotor. Maybe nobody told him about the technological advances in the automotive indistry but distributors are somewhat like dinosaurs the are almost extinct. Also a vacuum leak will not change your timing, that is controled by your crank shaft positioning sensor, throttle positioning sensor,and icm wich you coil packs (not distributor cap) are connected to. If you try to see if your injectors are plugged good luck you can"t just look at them and see, you have to take them out
and find the right testing equipment wich most shops do not have, but if you want to try give it hell have fun and be prepared to get pissed.

[Overtime]

Originally Posted by JERKY420

hey why the hell does this guy seem to think any lumina made in the 1990"s has a distributor cap and rotor. Maybe nobody told him about the technological advances in the automotive indistry but distributors are somewhat like dinosaurs the are almost extinct. Also a vacuum leak will not change your timing, that is controled by your crank shaft positioning sensor, throttle positioning sensor,and icm wich you coil packs (not distributor cap) are connected to. If you try to see if your injectors are plugged good luck you can"t just look at them and see, you have to take them out
and find the right testing equipment wich most shops do not have, but if you want to try give it hell have fun and be prepared to get pissed.

First of all, unlike you, I want to help people. I don't have a Lumina, so I am guessing at the motor configuration. Since the last of the distibutor model cars didn't really disappear until after 1995, I look at the year. If the suggestion doesn't fit, it will be ignored or corrected. If I am corrected, I learn something. My posts are designed to help draw more info out and to help direct a person in their testing. I find most people have enough intelligence to use there own judgement in dealing with their own car. If not, they take it to a mechanic instead of trying to find to find an answer here.

Vacuum hoses CAN cause the computer to advance or delay timing. This is why a car will run rough. It can't change it to the extent that it would not start, but it can affect the timing. Checking the injectors is a good call. I checked my 97 Olds by unbolting the fuel rail and laid it on a large piece of cardboard. A short couple of cranks showed them to be spraying fine and not leaking. A digital multimeter can tell you if the injector is going bad by 'ohming it out' and a $6 noid light can tell you if the injector is receiving power. If the o-rings are in poor shape, they can allow a very small amount of air to get by, but enough to make the fuel/air mixture run lean. ERG valves can become clogged in vehicles with well over 100K causing this type of thing. ERG valves can also leak air into the intake causing this type of thing. Coils going bad can cause this type of thing and, as you have mentioned, the Ignition Control Module. I usually don't volunteer this much information as it puts off and confuses novices. As the person starts volunteering more info or test results, the problem will usually present itself.

[JERKY420]

well dumb a** the vacuum hose leaks cause the fuel/air mixture to be to rich or to lean it does no i"ll repeat DOES NOT cause the timing to be altered in any way shape or form if you can"t except that get F#*&ED and be a stubborn little bitch if you know there is a coilpack on a cavelier why wouldn't there be one on the same motor in a different car.

[Overtime]

http://www.classicchevytrucks.20m.com/vacuum.htm
http://smccd.net/accounts/mcafee/Lab...orksheet2.html
http://www.chevytalk.com/tech/igniti...g_Advance.html
http://www.snapondiag.com/automotive...ming_light.asp





Tater_Salad : Sorry for the all the flaming going on in your thread. I would be glad to try to help you if you would like to PM me. It only take one immature idiot who like to toot his own horn to drive interest away from the problem at hand. Let us know if you get it worked out.

[lakerfan1784]

My friend owns a 93 Pontiac Grand Prix that exhibited the same problems you are having. It turned out to be that the spark wasnt strong enough to completely ignite the fuel, which was making it progressively run worse as the plugs became fouled. All that needed to be done was replace the plugs and wires, but it is a total bitch to do the rear plugs on the 3.1. If that does not solve it, Id go for the packs as overtime stated.

JERKY420, there is no need to make an ass of yourself by trying to display your "seemingly infinite knowledge" about cars. People make mistakes, get over it. Oh, and vacuum leaks can cause the computer to do all sorts of things... it only makes sense since there is a sensor for vacuum pressure. The only stubborn bitch in this thread is you

[JERKY420]

here's the deal tell me were to find some actual literature
on how a vacuum leak can cause a change in the timing and I will apologize accordingly.

[Overtime]

The issue at hand is not 'can a vacuum leak cause a timing change' but 'can a vacuum leak cuase this problem'. Do a search on GOOGLE. There are too many hits to ignore it. For example:
http://members.aol.com/carleyware/library/vacleak.htm
This sounds exactly like what he is talking about.

[92 Lumina]

A vacuum leak on a fuel injected vehicle cause the rpm's to be high at idle (the worse the leak the higher the RPM). Would need more info. If its a 3.4 DOHC start looking at the timing belt. Mine did that just before the timing belt stripped.

[speed125]

thier is also a senser on tranny u mite want to unplug it and see it that helps if it does then u have to change the senser in side tranny get a mech to do it

[queenofengland]

well, my car had the same problem. with a twist, of course. not only did it stall when you hit the brake, it also ran away rpm-wise occasionally.
I had to shift it into neutral when coming to a stop so i could keep my foot on the gas while it was bucking and trying to stall. (just play it off like I'm actually in a red-light rodeo competition) Dunno WHAT the self-impressed mr. fixit spouse did to it, but I suggested we start with the basics like the spark plugs/wires and coil pack, and new fuel filters. but the problem turned out to be the map, O2, throttle, and air flow position sensor. a whole host of electrical problems like that. It's good to try and tackle it on your own (we were in the right direction with the spark plugs/coil pack), but when dealing with electrical problems, it's best to just know when to give up. The mechanics won't think any less of you.....(Seriously!) They might just snigger after you leave.:>)

[speed125]

u mite wont to check the 2 plug-ins on the coil pack its next to oil fiter on the 3.4 l twin duel overhead cams.not for sure on the 3.1l u got but they have to have plug-in for the ECM