92 Taurus stalls when cold

[War1ock]

I have a 92 Taurus that stalls when the engine is cold and I try to accelerate from a stop. It'll run fine when stopped but once I press the gas the engine will slow and sometimes stall but if I mash the gas most of the time it won't stall. If it stalls I have to crank the engine and press the gas to get it to start again. Any ideas what the problem could be? I've had the fuel injectors cleaned and cleaned the TB.

 

[BrooklynBay]

It sounds like the IAC solenoid or the MAF sensor.

 

[dogfriend]

My vote is IAC.

 

[War1ock]

If it is the IAC why does the problem go away once the engine warms up?

 

[BrooklynBay]

Seals expand, and make a better fit when they are warm. Some parts like the MAF, and ECT change in proportion to temperature.

 

[War1ock]

I'll replace the IAC tonight and I'll let you guys know how that goes tomorrow.

 

[War1ock]

New IAC is in. We'll see tomorrow morning.

 

[War1ock]

Didn't seem to do the trick. But it felt like the problem went away a little quicker.

 

[dogfriend]

If it is the IAC why does the problem go away once the engine warms up?

Another possibility is a vacuum leak. The reason it would go away when warm is because the intake manifold expands and seals the leak. The o-rings on the SOHC motors are known for doing this (leak when cold, seal up when warm).

The reason I voted IAC was because the low idle speed is typical when the IAC isn't opening far enough. This can happen if it is sticking. My IAC failed this way, but in reverse: it would start and idle fine when cold, but would be hard to start and would stall in gear when warmed up.

Another thing to check is the ECT (engine coolent temp) sensor. If it thinks the engine is always warmed up, it will run like crap when cold. Test it if possible, rather than just replacing parts you think are bad. It gets expensive to guess. The Ford service manual and/ or the aftermarket manuals will have tests you can run on the sensor(s) to see if they are working correctly. Or just Google it.

 

[BrooklynBay]

This chart is in # 25 of my list of useful links:

 

[War1ock]

Thanks. The ECT was my first thought. I'll see what I can do with that.

 

[War1ock]

The coolant level is low, could that be the cause? I haven't had a chance test the sensor yet.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Add coolant, and see if it helps.

 

[dogfriend]

The coolant level is low, could that be the cause? I haven't had a chance test the sensor yet.

Yep, if the coolant doesn't reach the sensor, it can't read the temp.

 

[War1ock]

Adding coolant did not help. Still haven't had a chance to test the ECT.