Lumina idles too low and misses.

[larry220]

Hey -could use some help on this one. I got a 91 lumina 3.1L.(180K) It originally had a intermitent stalling problem last summer so had it towed to shop where they replaced the ICM and all was fine till now. The other day it randomly died going up a steep hill. Started right back up and ran fine. Now the problem has gotten slightly worse. It is totally fine when cold but when you drive it 20 minutes or so then let in set for 45 mins and try to start it. it starts and immediately dies. If you keep trying to start it , it will eventually starts up fine after about 6 cranking and starting up and then dieing episodes. I thought it was the ICM again so put a new one on and it was fine for afew days now it is stalling again. I did relearn the idle and it was running fine for afew days and now its back to doing the same thing except now it wants to stall at stop signs and idles too low, and surges at idle and starts to slightly miss. But if you shut it off for few minutes it starts right up and runs fine with no miss. This problem is getting worse everyday it seems but i am still driving it everyday to work 50 miles as the problems is only when it is warmed up . Could it be a bad ingecter, or coil pack?? It was just tuned up last year with new plugs and wires and fuel and air filters. And it runs like a top till you are idling and it is warmed up . Appreciate any help.

[JamesTheScot]

Larry,

mine doesn't really miss, but i have the same low-idle / stall issues you are having.

the car runs better when its cold. in the mornings i crank it starts right up and idles fine. i put it into gear and the tach drops a little and does that surge thing. the surge disappears on acceleration.

if i brake slowly it will surge but stay running..if i sit at a long light the idle will then level off. but if i brake quickly or put the car into park after it warms up it stalls. then when i restart it will immediately stall unless i give it some gas.

i haven't tried the re-learn yet because it seemed like the car has been trying to re-learn itself.

but its been almost a week now...and it had started doing this before i parked her in December.

93 Euro Coupe (3.1)

[maxwedge]

Clean the iac, clean the egr, check for any vacuum leaks, scan the engine look for proper maf operation. Check sensor inputs when this happens also, no cel I assume. Fuel pressure ok during the event?

[larry220]

Hey thanks for the replies.

As i said this is very intermitent now as it has been fine for a couple of days since I wrote this thread but then it seems you have to have the car at a certain temperature when this occurs. If i drive this car to work (50 miles) all interstate so no idling. When I pull into work and shut it off and then try to start it several times it works great starts right up and idles fine. But if I go into work and then come back 2 hours later it may act up?/ SO very intermitent .

Thanks for the suggestions I will look at some more things. As i said this car has 185k and is well maintained but could very easily be fuel pump going or some clogged line or sensor going bad with that many miles. I am sure it will get worse(probably when I least expect it).

.

[richtazz]

I would look at the crank sensor, very common problem on these engines, especially on Jamesthescot's issue, as a failing crank sensor will cause tach fluctuations. Depending on the engine vin, the 93 may have two crank sensors, one in the back of the block, the other behind the harmonic balancer. Larry220, your 91 only has one crank sensor, and it's the one in the back of the block, slightly toward passenger side, just above the oil pan rail.

[larry220]

Hey Thanks for the replies. The guy at Auto Zone recomended the crank sensor but from reading the forum it sounds like its a witch to replace. I will try that though if I can find it.Its only about 20 bucks. This a 91 lumina 3.1. Did you say its on the back side of block(towards rear of car) on passenger side by harmonic balancer by all the pulleys??

[maxwedge]

Autozone.com/repairinfo has it all.