this is actually a resolved issue. i just wanted to post what i did to fix it as there were very few actual solutions to my problem yet many that had it.
vehicle:
1996 camry le - 4 cylinder
problem:
all of a sudden my car would start
stuttering at stops. a day later, it started stalling. the next day, it started
idling rough frequently with
rough pickup and more stalls. odd thing was that it would drive fine for an hour or so and suddenly happen. once it did happen though, it would keep happening all day. the next day, ran fine for a while until the stuttering happened again. and of course,
no check engine light was displayed.
repairs:
i first started with a basic tune-up.
- distributor cap & rotor - less than 6 months old - didn't touch
- spark plugs - less than 6 months old - replaced
- air filter replacement
none of this helped. then i took it to a mechanic and they did:
- new fuel filter
- fuel injectors cleaned
- throttle body cleaned
this did not help at all. in fact, it made things worse. now my check engine light started coming on the minute i left their lot. took it to a different mechanic after i had trouble starting the car for 15 minutes. non-stop stuttering and stalling the day i left the mechanic. so i took it to a different mechanic.
- timing belt replacement (needed done after 100,000 miles since the last one anyway)
they checked the code that the check engine light gave and it showed a bad coolant temp sensor. which i was told would cause some cold starting problems. they did not think it was related to my stuttering problem.
solution:
i
replaced the fuel pump & fuel filter. this made it drove like new again, but there was still some little prob's. starting was still rough. not starting from a stop, but turning the vehicle on. also idling was not perfect. acceptable, but not perfect.
that's when i
replaced the coolant temperature sensor. at this point, it started like a charm and the idling problem was resolved. the rpm's never fluxuate any longer!
if anyone has any questions about particulars, i am more than willing to fill them in.
Linear Mode
