Help! Stalls at idle

[nhb1978]

I have an intermitten problem with my 93 toyota camry. Sometimes while idling my car will all the sudden die. Most of the time it idles fine and stays in the right rpm rangne during cold and warm opperation. This happens about 1 every 2 days. Usually it will start right back up, but every once in a while it will take 30 seconds of cranking before it fires up again. Has anyone had this problem? Any suggestions?
Nathan

[burchard]

Originally Posted by nhb1978

I have an intermitten problem with my 93 toyota camry. Sometimes while idling my car will all the sudden die. Most of the time it idles fine and stays in the right rpm rangne during cold and warm opperation. This happens about 1 every 2 days. Usually it will start right back up, but every once in a while it will take 30 seconds of cranking before it fires up again. Has anyone had this problem? Any suggestions?
Nathan

search this site for coolant temp sensor. It might be a problem with that sensor.

[Diehonda]

Does it stall from idling in park or at a stop and then driving?? Could be the alternator, plugs or wires.

[Calvin327]

Does it idle funny? Like when you start it up it goes up to 2000 RPM or something and when its set in gear it dies? Just check the ISC (Idle speed control valve) and the ECT ( engine coolant temperature sensor)

Calvin

[Pineapple]

ECT -> Electronic Control Transmittion. So just say Coolant Temp Sensor
Check idle, timing, ignition coil and do a throttle body cleanup.

[bronzemaxell]

my 93 i4 had stall problem 1 yr ago, it was the ect sensor malfunction, flooding the engine with too much gas after warmed up, but yours seems like maybe something else.

[nhb1978]

Thank you for your reply's. It idles good all the time, such as keeping in the right rpm range and not flectuating abnormally. It has only stalled out after driving for a while and then coming to a stop. Before I have a chance to go again it dies. I checked the ect and kept an ohm reader on it all day. All readings were good all day while driving, but it also never stalled yesterday. It is very intermitten and I seem to never be able to replicate the problem when I need to. I am going to go ahead and replace the ignition coil today. I took it apart the distributor and found some cracks in it. We will see if that helps anything.

[Calvin327]

While your at it, mine as well change all the spark plugs, wires, distributor cap and rotor. Just to be on the safe side.

Calvin

[JetspeedCamry]

Originally Posted by Pineapple

ECT -> Electronic Control Transmittion. So just say Coolant Temp Sensor

He did!

[emerald_gen3]

does it do it in park/neutral? or just in a drive gear? if it only does it in a drive gear, it could be the Torque Conveter cluctch locking up... if it locks up at and idle the engine will be over loaded and die, similar to letting the clutch out with the brakes on w/ a manual trans...

[burchard]

IN case you get this erratic problem again, the way I proved that the tem sensor (ECT)was faulty was connecting the ECT sensor to an ohm meter. I started the car, let it idle. Everything goes well until the ohm meter goes down to 280 ohms then it starts to go up very erratically given readings of 40-200 Kohms. At that point I opened the radiator and measured the temp with a thermometer. I did this several times, the sensor goes nuts at 81-84 degrees Celcius. Probably the continuity of the resistance within the sensor is lost at that point. If you do not feel like measureing the tem, let the car idle for a while untill the fans start. I presumme that when the coolant temperature gets haigh (80-85 Celcius) it triggers the problem.
End of this story (untill next problem shows up). I changed the water temp sensor (engine coolant sensor) part # 89422-20010. It took me 3 min. Never had the proble again ( about 2 years now)

[racerhex]

which one of these problems would make a check engine light come on?

[burchard]

I never had a check engine light on

[racerhex]

even with the thermostat f'ed up????? hmmmm well I have a JDM 3vz and in the cold now its starting to stall but I got a check engine light on a bit ago not sure what the problem is I neeed to start trouble shooting I guess!

[nhb1978]

Well I tried the advice and replaced the ECT. My problem has been resolved. Thanks guys!