1988 Chevy Celebrity car misses then cuts out while idle or

Tiny
BARBEEE2415
  • MEMBER
  • 1988 CHEVROLET CELEBRITY
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 145,000 MILES
I just recently aquired this vehicle and this problem didn't start for a few days. On thanksgiving I reattavched the tailpipe to the muffler and the s belt was loose due to the tensioner pully being loose. While driving apprx 8 miles or so the car missed and seemed like it just shut off for a second. It did it again and I pushed on the gas Nothing it then just shut off. It wasn't a back fire or a stutter it just shut off and wouldn't start back up. I had it towed to my sisters and when I tried to start it it fired right up. On Friday we replaced the tension pully and the belt was good. I thought that maybe it was running on the battery not the alternator and that was the problem. Well I left my sisters to go home and a few miles down the road it did it again. I checkd the codes and got a 15, 42 and 44. I also want to say that sometimes I feel the accelerator continue to accel when I lift my foot and today as I sat in the car with it idle right before it stalled I heard it accelerate then about a minute or so it stalled out. After sitting about 20 minutes it starts right up but after about 15 minutes at idle it stalls and will not start back up.
Sunday, November 29th, 2009 AT 7:15 PM

2 Replies

Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
Welcome to the forum, I'd erase the codes, see if any code comes back? Code 15 is for coolant temp sensor circuit. Code 42 is spark timing issue. Code 44 is lean exhaust. When the vehicle stalls, if it refuses to restart quickly, have a helper crank it, while you check for spark at the plugs, if you have spark everywhere, use a gage and check fuel pressure. How long since a tune-up?
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Monday, November 30th, 2009 AT 10:03 AM
Tiny
BARBEEE2415
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
I haven't tuned it up yet I'm working on that now. I replaced the coolant sensor and that stoped the overheating reading but cracked the housing while doing it. Tell ya it's always something. So the car sat running for a while and then AGAIN it surged like acceleration and then within a minute it stalled. I read in one of your spots that a blocked muffler could do the surge thing. I just found out today that someone took off the catalytic conv and put the muffler there. I rigged the tail pipe to the muffler and that's when this all started. So I'm gonna pull off that pipe just to see if it stops it from stalling. I'll let you know. I'm still gonna replace the ign coil and tune it up and take it from there.
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Monday, November 30th, 2009 AT 6:35 PM

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