Car sputters and stalls? - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

Cape Yota · 10-27-2010, 03:28 PM

Hey guys. Over the past six months or so my 1990 Corolla DX has been giving me problems. As I'm driving to work, I'll pull up to a stop sign or stoplight and when I go to hit the gas, the car will sputter and want to stall out. Sometimes it will stall out, but it starts back up without much difficulty. This issue generally is worse when it's raining or wet out, but it doesn't always happen when it's raining. But since it does seem to happen more often when it's wet out, I'm thinking an electrical issue.

I did new plugs, wires, cap and rotor a few years ago. The car doesn't get much use, so it probably has 15K miles on the new parts.

So, thoughts? Maybe my coil going bad? I'm not real sure how to go about troubleshooting this. Thanks in advance for your help.

numero9 · 10-28-2010, 12:47 AM

This happened to me, it kept sputtering for nearly 6 months. Never quite stalling out but always close. It was the MAP sensor. I just got a cheap one off eBay and it's been fine since.

Cape Yota · 10-29-2010, 01:44 PM

Thanks for the reply. I'll try and check out the MAP sensor this weekend.

Cape Yota · 12-07-2010, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by numero9

This happened to me, it kept sputtering for nearly 6 months. Never quite stalling out but always close. It was the MAP sensor. I just got a cheap one off eBay and it's been fine since.

I replaced my MAP sensor a month ago and have not had any more sputtering or stalling issues. Thanks numero9!

Cape Yota · 01-13-2011, 02:40 PM

Okay, my sputtering issue started happening again. The car will sputter like it's only running on two cylinders after I come to a stop and try to take off again. During/immediately after it happens it smells like it's running rich. Other ideas?

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BennyProphane · 01-13-2011, 11:19 PM

someone with more knowledge of corolla's might have other ideas. i have the same year corolla but havent had any engine problems yet. i come to this site to just read about propblems\solutions, just in case I run into the same problems in the future. If it was my car, I would check the easiest things first. Since you smell fuel, I would check to see if you have a leaky fuel injector, or one which isn't working, which may cause "flooding" of some sort. I'v used the poor-mans stethoscope for testing injectors. Any broom handle type thing (about 1-2 feet long) works well... if you can still find them made out of wood. Or many other things may work as well. I'm not sure about corolla's, but I might also suspect a faulty fuel regulator (those can leak too). But those are a couple of easy things to check (since you're smelling fuel).

ayang951 · 01-15-2011, 10:45 PM

you know man i was having that same problem too... then i change out my fuel filter and ran a bottle of seafoam in my engine and gas tank, after that i put in one tank of 91 and ran it down to the light and filled it back up with 87... now i dont have that problem... so you might want to check your fuel filter, also on a side note, its note a little clear one its a huge black carcoal cannister looking thing under the master brake booster... and the gas smell, well i had it too, but never looked too much into it, just changed the filter and i never smealt it again. so i migh suggest looking into the filter, that might be your problem as well.

Cape Yota · 04-19-2011, 03:13 PM

Pulled the diagnostic codes from the car this past weekend. Code 31 - vacuum sensor (MAP sensor) - Open or short circut. Not sure, what to think about this, since I replaced the MAP sensor with a new one a few months ago. Vacuum seems fine to the MAP sensor, so I guess now I troubleshoot the vacuum sensor circut? Any help on how to go about this would be appreciated.

90 GP · 04-19-2011, 03:41 PM

Did you replace the vac line when you replaced map sensor? If not might want to try that. Otherwise check the continuity of wires going from sensor to computer.

Cape Yota · 04-20-2011, 09:06 AM

I did not replace the vac line. I did check the condition and it was in good shape, supple with no cracking. I also looked at the plastic wiring connector where it plugged into the MAP sensor and that was in good shape too. I'll try and investigate the wires and check continuity this weekend. Since it only really happens when it's wet out, I'm beginning to think there's a short somewhere. Thanks.

Cape Yota · 12-09-2011, 10:41 AM

Did plugs/wires/rotor/cap earlier this summer and the problem went away.

I think the wires were just getting old.