Engine Stalling?

[playbass06]

This has only happened to me once (just this night), but I couldn't figure out what was wrong. Here's the scenario (stock '98 GT, by the way):
I was at a stoplight, completely stopped, and the light turns green. I try to go and the engine stalls (I'm a new driver, this is the first I've experienced a stall, so I can only assume that's what happened).
The oil, battery, and check engine lights come on, along with the change oil and traction off lights. The change oil light has been on, and I was going to change it soon, but I had not turned traction control off when this happened. Power steering and braking was gone, and the car acted as if it were in neutral. So I started rolling.
I got to a safer place, took the key out, and started it back up. It worked just fine after that and the whole way home.

At first I thought it was due to the oil, I haven't changed it and am due for a change, but I added a quart this past Saturday since it was a little low (it was probably low because I fixed an oil leak a while ago). Is this a common problem, is the idle speed too low, or was there just an air pocket in the fuel line? It's not acting up now, but I'm still not convinced it won't happen again. Hopefully this is enough information to make an educated guess. Any explanation or idea would be helpful - thanks!

[gtpinsc]

most common issue for this is a failing crank position sensor.

[KeithGTP03]

^^ Agree...Keep an eye on your tach. If it drops to 0 while driving, its usually a tell tale sign of the crankshaft postion sensor. It could also be somethin as simple as a fuel filter clog.

[playbass06]

Thanks, I'll keep an eye open for such signs. It was fine all of today, thank goodness.

[shawnooohhh]

Dude. Get it checked out right now. Im having the same problem and it started out like that last summer. Now it is way worse. So like i said, get it checked out asap. Eventually it'll start shutting off while driving everyday.

[summerk723]

Ugh! I am having the same problem!!! 01 GTP~Stock......It started out as just a fake stall out when backing out of the drive while it was cold. Now it will shut off at red lights, stop signs, and during turns. No warning, no notice, nothing. Dash lights do stay on when it happens as well.

I have taken it to a mechanic, he did a full tune up on it, still didnt help....Check Engine light is on....Not throwing a code, mechanic said it could be the boost solenoid on the supercharger went out. Still shutting off, had mechanic tow it in cause I was scared to drive it after it shut off on me 4 times in a matter of 5 min. He took it in, and replaced the crank sensor on it.....seemed to be working fine, and here we are 3 weeks later and it did it again turning into a friends driveway....

Any help or suggestions you all may have will be greatly appreciated, as I am thisclose to trading it. I have two young children that I have to drive around in that car and I feel like it is an accident waiting to happen.

[NegativeOne13]

I'd find someone with a scan tool to see your fuel pressure. A few things that might cause it, would be clogged fuel filter, weak fuel pump, or maybe even a short in the wiring somewhere. I highly doubt a short but its possible.

[summerk723]

a scan tool to check codes? cause we have already done that....Not showing any.

[NegativeOne13]

Same tool yes, but to check real time data. Like hook it up, drive down the road, stop at stop lights, check to makes sure that your getting proper fuel.

[summerk723]

ah ok. thanks.

[suzie]

My car is currently doing the same thing so I am going to plug and play with some parts tomorrow, but if you pop it in neutral while at a stop sign or light it shouldn't die out as if you were still in drive

[playbass06]

I should probably let you know that my car had a major issue that might have been causing this - when the engine was rebuilt, a bunch of alignment pins were sheared off instead of being used to actually align the engine. This caused a major oil leak, but that's all been fixed now, and it certainly seems a lot better when running.
It's only been a day since I got it back, but I'll let you know if this happens again.

[BillBoost37]

LOL at all that say "I had this same thing"... The car stalled once...no real symptoms or issues. Keep on driving, try to find consistency and then we can help fix up each of you.

A common cause of a stall w/o warning at any speed or stop without any codes or seeming symptoms is the crank sensor. That's the first thing. However on one stall out,.... it could have been a touch of water in the fuel. Any time the weather/temp is changing this can happen. It's not common like in the days of our parents, but it can happen.

Play.. you will find that all those lights and symptoms are normal when the engine isn't running. Go out and put the key into the igniton, turn it to on not run and you'll see the same thing. No power steering (drive by an engine belt), no power brakes (vacuum from engine), light for everything (normal test of the bulbs) and no engine response (not running). Sorry to hear about the stall, but there's probably nothing you can do at this point about it w/o throwing money around w/o a clue of what's up. Keep driving and look for any consistent behavior like a chug or cough, if it only happens at lights/stops and then bring that info back. That's teh stuff that returns good diagnosis.

[summerk723]

Meh...I just decided it wouldn't be worth my time to have it at the mechanics for who knows how long, and be without a vehicle, so I traded it before it became a big issue and and a very high mechanic bill. I love, love, loved my pontiac, but I just didn't feel comfortable driving it with my kids in it and taking the chance of something happening and throwing a wreck with them in it. I would never be able to live with myself....

[BillBoost37]

Thinking of the family and safety are the way to go....but how does a stall cause a wreck?

Usually it means I coast to the side of the road and call AAA for a piggy back ride.

[GTPinSF]

i was having a similar problem with the stallin/turning off i had several vaccum leaks and fixed them all now the car runs great

[playbass06]

LOL at all that say "I had this same thing"... The car stalled once...no real symptoms or issues. Keep on driving, try to find consistency and then we can help fix up each of you.

A common cause of a stall w/o warning at any speed or stop without any codes or seeming symptoms is the crank sensor. That's the first thing. However on one stall out,.... it could have been a touch of water in the fuel. Any time the weather/temp is changing this can happen. It's not common like in the days of our parents, but it can happen.

Play.. you will find that all those lights and symptoms are normal when the engine isn't running. Go out and put the key into the igniton, turn it to on not run and you'll see the same thing. No power steering (drive by an engine belt), no power brakes (vacuum from engine), light for everything (normal test of the bulbs) and no engine response (not running). Sorry to hear about the stall, but there's probably nothing you can do at this point about it w/o throwing money around w/o a clue of what's up. Keep driving and look for any consistent behavior like a chug or cough, if it only happens at lights/stops and then bring that info back. That's teh stuff that returns good diagnosis.

Really, the problem was that I had no clue what happened. That was my first car, and I hadn't had it for very long (maybe 3-4 months), and I had no idea what to do considering I was a new driver. Now I know what to expect, and it doesn't scare the crap out of me anymore (it's stalled maybe two times since then).
Any stall since then seems to be random, usually happening upon gear changes. There have been telltale signs at startup with the RPMs dropping noticeably lower than usual and the car shaking a bit, but that only seemed start with the weather getting warmer now that you mentioned that aspect.

So basically, blame it on the ignorance of being a new driver and having no clue what the signs of a stall were.