QuestionQUESTION: I have an 1989 New Yorker and while driving or stoping the car stops for about 1/2 -1 full second. I mean that while driveing on the interstate at 60 mph the car will simply try to stop dead on a dime. the it wil resume operations like normal. It would be the same effect as if I slamed on the breaks.
During the times that this happens if my foot is on the gas I can hear the engin ramp up like in nurtal I also notice that the dash display (speedometer and such) goes haywire and then back to normal as well, BUT I have seen the display go nuts and the car drive fine.
This does not just happen when I am pressing on the Gas; it happens while I am slowing down to a stopp light with my foot on the break (gently) but during that time it again feels like I have slamed on the breaks.
Kicker: Last week I noticed while takeing my wife to work that the cruse control was on so I turned it off and it didn't act up once on the way home.
ANSWER: Hi JP,
There are several possibilities for these things, and the quickest way to get a lead is to readout the memory of the engine controller for any codes that it may have stored when the problem occurs. Take the ignition key:turn it "on-off-on-off-on and leave on" doing that in 5 seconds or less elapsed time. Then watch the check engine light, which remains "on", to begin to flash, pause, flash, etc. Count the number of flashes before each pause. Then repeat the process to make sure that you have a duplicate set of flash counts that are accurate. Then write back with the counts, in the order that they appeared and we'll go from there. The controller has self-diagnostic capabilities and is very likely that the flash counts will give us place to begin. The last two sets of flash are always 5 in each as the is the code for "end of memory readout". Let me know whether you have the 4 or the 6 cylinder engine.
Roland
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: I did as you said and after many tries I came up with 3-4-5-5 The trouble was that quite often the displat would go through a mini-power cycle or reset were the digetal displays on the Speedometer would all light up and at that time the flashing would seem to stop and give a different code of 2-2-3-4-5-5-4 just thought I should put that in there to be safe.
Than you for the quick responce
AnswerHi JP,
The 22 is about the coolant temp sensor which if 'off-value' would cause an improper mixture of fuel/air (hard starting or stumbling after warmed up; the resistance of the sensor should be aroun 10k ohms when cold, 1k ohms when hot), the 34 says the vacuum or vent solenoids on the speed control unit are acting up (which you noticed), the 55 of course means end of readout. If by chance you are misreading, so give it a couple of more tries, and there truly was a 54 code (the latter readout showed 7 numbers BUT there has to be an even number of flash counts as we pair them up in the order of appearance to form the 2-digit codes) and if you have the 3.0L V-6 engine, then that code would suggest that one of the two sensors in the distributor is flaky which would be a possible cause for the brief dieing of the engine. While there are two sensor in the distributor, they are replaced as a single unit, called the photo-optic sensor plate. Let me know if you want to try to repair any of these. And you can disconnect the battery and that will erase all the codes (except that you will cause a 12 code) and then you can re-read the codes again after a few more trips.
Roland
