1994 Explorer Stallling

[JDel]

Trying to figure out why car keeps stalling. This has been going on for about a year now. I have taken it to different mechanics and I am told something different by each one. So far, I have had a tune-up; I have had the car hooked up to see why the CEL light comes on randomally (mechanic said everything is fine); fuel pump and injectors checked; and, finally yesterday I had someone tell me the idle control valve needed to be replaced. I had my husband do it and today the car stalled again while he was on the freeway going 65 mph!!! Also, after the tune up a couple months ago, the car didn't stall until a few days ago. It's really frustrating because the mechanics that I am going to don't have a clue and I can't afford to take it to the dealer. Any thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!

 

[MrShorty]

At this point, I have more questions than answers.

What resources do you have? A large part of diagnosing a problem like this is having the tools/skills to diagnose the problem when it happens. An intermittent problem like that is tricky for a mechanic to diagnose because in many cases he has to be able to look at it when it stalls.

What codes came up when the mechanic pulled codes, and what did he do to determine that everything was fine? I don't see any reason that you can't pull codes yourself (it isn't any harder than changing an IAC valve). See my notes on pulling EEC-IV codes thread and the other similar threads in the EEC-IV forum -- the only tool you need is a paper clip. Sometimes a sudden stall like that will leave a clue in the computer's memory. (Just recently someone else here had an intermittent stall and the codes pointed to a fault in the fuel pump circuit, which was then easily corrected once we knew where to look)

Does the car start right back up when it stalls?

When they checked the fuel pump and injectors, how did they check them? Most importantly, did the engine stall/not start while they were checking? Can you get a fuel pressure gauge yourself? Do you have voltmeter you could use to tap into the fuel pump circuit? As I indicated above, one of the hardest parts of diagnosing something like this is to be looking for the problem while the problem exists.

When it stalls, how does it stall? Does it chug/lope/stumble until it stalls, or does it simply act like someone turned the key off?

 

[Tbars4]

...What MrShorty said and, when was the last time the Fuel Filter was changed???...I didn't see that mentioned...

 

[fixxxer]

Hi and welcome to the forum JDel

 

[JDel]

I'll answer the questions I can.

The fuel filter was replaced a couple months ago when we did the tune-up.

The mechanic told me that no codes came up at all. He said that he checked the fuel pump but honestly I didn't ask him how he did it. I don't have any resources to check any of this myself, but if I know what needs to be checked maybe I can relay that to the mechanic.

I found it hard to believe that no codes came up because the check engine light continues to come on.

At this point I don't know if I should pay $100 to have it diagnosed again (by someone else of course) and actually watch them do it?

When the car stalls, it just shuts off. No warning. No chug a lug. Most of the time it starts right up. A few times I actually had to wait about 5 minutes because it wouldn't turn over.

I will read the thread on pulling the codes myself. I am just totally frustrated because I am wasting money by replacing parts that don't need to be replaced because the mechanic is guessing at what it could be.

thanks.