DodgeIntrepid.Net Forums banner

96 3.5 stalls when driving

1K views 9 replies 5 participants last post by  sgtmike 
#1 · (Edited)
96 3.5 stalls when driving - fixed! page 2

First thanks to everyone who has helped keep my 'Trep on the road with all the great help and advice.

History: I have a 1996 Intrepid with a 3.5 and 72,000 miles. To date I have replaced the plugs, wires (twice, last time at 70,000), coil pack (last month), and this past weekend the complete intake manifold gasket kit. I had been having lots of misfires, cyl 1 and 4, which I attributed to the coil pack. These mostly went away after replacing it. However, I started having severe fast idle problems just before replacing the coil pack. I figured this was the intake gaskets. I took the IAC out and cleaned it but it did not help at all. I also checked with the local Dodge dealer and he informed me the fuel rail recall had been complete prior to me purchasing the car. One week prior to installing the gasket kit I was driving home, about 65 mile trip each way, and the car began losing power and then slammed into gear, hard (this was at highway speeds). It did this several times. Once it flat out died, but restarted fairly easily. I parked the car until I could get the gaskets replace. The only codes in the computer were misfires.

Replaced the gaskets this weekend without any problems, thanks to the great directions on this site. The middle bolts on the intake were just over finger tight, I think I think I found my leak. Reassembled the engine - not to bad of a job. Started the car up and it idled right at 700 RPM, ran like a champ. Filled up the coolant and took it for a spin.

After about a twenty minute drive I began to feel like it was stalling again. Not as severe as before, but almost the same. Neutral idle was still around 700, in gear stopped it was down to around 500. Car was not low on fuel and there are no codes.

I have searched the site and came up with Cam and Crank sensors. Anyone have any other ideas?

Thanks.

Sarge
 
See less See more
#2 ·
just by coincidence my 96/3.5L died like that. turns out i put some gas with crud in the tank and the in tank fuel sock was plugged. my car would stumble and than refire and i could not tell if it was my engine dying or tranny that was making the car jerk so bad. i would check your fuel delivery system. filter, fpr, maybe even your fuel pump. i did get a code for lean condition. is that 32 or ? no wonder. plugged fuel system.
 
#6 ·
Well, I got home at 4:00 this morning from work and decided to fire up the Trep to see how it was running and to check for any leaks. Started up fine and promptly stalled. I checked everything over and it looked fine. I unhooked the cam sensor (the one up front) and plugged it back in. Started it back up and let it run up to temp without any more problems. I don't think it is the trans.

However, changing out the intake gaskets has made a world of difference in the car. It idles smooth and at the proper RPM. Other than this stalling issue it is running like a new car.

Mike
 
#8 ·
Problem is getting worse. If it was not so intermitent, it would not be so hard to figure out. Tonight I was heading to the office and while going about 40mph down the road it started to drop the RPM from about 2K down to 5-600 then stalled. This was preceeded by the ususal hesitation, loss of power and lurching forward. Cranked over fine but was a hard restart. Once I got it started I put it into 3rd gear (not D) and that seemed to help, maybe keeping the RPMs up???

I also have the CEL on. Again code 43. I took it to the parts store and the code was for coil #1. Maybe I have a bad (new) coil pack.

Thanks for all the help.

Mike
 
#9 ·
Just checking, have cam and crank been changed?
Did you run a Fuel Press. check?
Missfire codes can be thrown by many different reasons.

I was getting some when I have a short in the engine harness and had injectors shorting to gound and spraying all the time. So it seem to much or to little gas can set the codes also. Guess a missfire is a missfire not matter what causes it...
 
#10 · (Edited)
I think it is fixed

Well, I think I have it fixed. Still not sure what exactly was wrong. One of our local junk yards has a 97 with a seized engine so I went down this morning and pulled off the coil pack, throtle sensor, cam sensor, and crank sensor. I replaced the TPS and Cam sensor first, with no change (still stalled). I then replaced the Crank sensor and the coil pack. I hooked up the battery and the codes were cleared and it ran fine. Took it for a spin and it ran great. Thanks for all the help everyone.

Mike
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top