Thread: 2000 GTP strange stalling problem

I posted about this problem back in November. This is what has happened since then:

I've had this car for year and a half. Has 125,000 miles on it. Back in November it started stalling once in a while. The check [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]engine[/COLOR][/COLOR] light came on. Took it in. Tech said it needed a MAF sensor replaced. Did it.

Weeks later, it started stalling again. This time, tech said fuel pump wasn't getting proper voltage. Replaced pump. Weeks later, it started stalling again.

So, instead of continuing to throw money at the car, I decided to drive it until it would stall and not start again. That was 4 months ago. And the car continues to stall but always starts again. But, it seems to be getting worse.

Here's what happens: The car almost always stalls about ten minutes after starting the car cold. It shuts off like no gas is going to [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]engine[/COLOR][/COLOR]. Within a snap of the fingers, it's off. No hesitating. Nothing. But always about 10 minutes after starting it cold. But, if I go somewhere, let the car sit for like 2 hours, come back out, start it and drive--and it's never had a chance to cool down the whole way--it runs with no problems.

When it stalls, it usually starts right back up. Recently though, it's getting harder to re-start. Maybe like 10 seconds of cranking before starting.

No check [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]engine [COLOR=blue !important]lights[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR]. No codes. Still has great power when it's running. It gets the [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]mpg[/COLOR][/COLOR] it should.

I'm wondering if there could be some problem with the computer going from closed loop to open loop. Is that possible? Like it gets confused, so it shuts everything down. And then starting it back up clears everything out and then it runs fine. Any ideas out there?

To re-iterate, it only seems to happen when I start the car after it has sat for a while. And only happens about 10 minutes after starting. After that, it runs fine.

Sounds like either the ICM is going, or the crank position sensor is getting flaky. Does the tach drop to 0 before it dies? Also, maybe try bypassing the fuel pump relay and see what you get. Next time it shuts off and won't restart, check to see if you have fuel pressure at the rail, and also check for spark. One of those is quitting on you.

I acknowledge the crank sensor is a possibility. But, why would it only mess up when the car is started cold? Without error, the car stalls when the needle on the temp gauge gets to the first long mark if the car is started cold. Doesn't stall before then or after then. And under normal driving conditions it hits that point 10 minutes after starting. For example, I was over in Orlando. Left hotel to drive back to where I live near Tampa. The car stalled about ten minutes after starting. Started it back up and didn't have one problem the rest of the way . . . which is like an hour and 20 minute drive at over 70mph. It's crazy, I know. But these are the symptoms. What I'm doing now is before I go anywhere, I let the car idle for 10 minutes and see if it will stall in driveway or out on road once I pull out.

To answer the first questions . . . Don't know if tach goes to 0 first or not. I can tell you this: The car shuts off so subtly that sometimes I don't even realize it's shut down. I'll be doing 40mph, I'll want to speed up and then I'll notice the car isn't on when it doesn't accelerate. And I don't have a fuel pressure gauge or anything like that so I'm not sure I want to get into all that. I should also say I never notice any gas smells once it finally does start again after cranking for like 5 seconds.

An update:

Had to pick up dad at airport today. Started car, left it to idle while I got ready to leave. After about ten minutes, I didn't hear it idling. Went outside. Car had stalled right when it got to operating temperature (essentially the first long hash on temp. gauge). Turned key. Started right back up. Picked dad up and drove back--about a total of an hour--no problems at all, ran great. Crazy, huh?