Chrysler Repair: 99 Sebring Jxi 2.5L starts then stalls


Question
I have been having an issue with my car running. At first I would jerk back and forth then die. It would restart at first. The code for the TPS came up and was replaced. The next time it acted up after visiting my boyfriend 2 hours away. It drove there and back perfectly, then the next day died at the end of my street. My dad sprayed the throttle plate with Seafoam Spray and it ran great, until I went to see my boyfriend again 2 weeks later. Again, it will start and try to idle then die. I tried the Seafoam spray again and it worked. A local business ran a code reader and the TPS came up as well as low voltage.  I need help on what is wrong with this as I will be moving to where my boyfriend lives this fall.

Answer
Hi Katrina,
Sorry for the delay a but I just found your question in the "pool" to which it had been referred by the other "expert", Kevin.
My suggestion is that your Dad locate the exhaust gas recirculation valve on your 2.5L V-6 engine and then again that he use the seafoam spray to loosen up the 'action' of that valve. It is mounted in a small diameter pipe that is attached to the front exhaust manifold and is routed toward the rear of the engine. He'll see the valve under the area where the thermostat housing is located. It is mounted sideways and has a round top with a vacuum hose attached to it. Between the valve body mounted to the pipe and round top of it there is a flange which conceals a rod which is the valve stem. Where the valve stem enters the valve body is the place he would spray with foam. Then notice that the stem has a circumferential slot into which the tip of a screwdriver can be inserted that allows the stem to be moved back and forth which with the spray present will loosen the stickiness of that "action" so that the valve stem moves to the closed position via internal spring-action to a dead stop. The cause of your engine stalling is probably that valve is sticking slightly ajar rather than closing tightly when you coast to a stop or even try to restart it. The valve has to only open when you are in motion and driving at a steady speed. When he sprayed the throttle plate earlier some of the spray lubricated the valve slightly, but what he needs to do now is do that from the exterior surface of the valve at the stem where it enters the valve body. I think that will solve the problem. The TPS may well just be a "stale" code so don't worry about that unless it persists. It can be 'erased' by disconnecting the battery briefly but that will temporarily cause a code which says the 'battery was disconnected recently'. It too will go away in about 50 engine starts. The 'low voltage' code may have been due to the engine running roughly due to the sticky egr valve stem.
Please read the PS (below) and respond to it.
Thanks.