Chrysler Repair: 98 Sebring 2.5L V-6 idles roughly, chrysler sebring lxi, 1998 chrysler sebring lxi

Question
I have  1998 Chrysler sebring LXI v-6. I am having a problem with the engin wanting to stall out when sitting at an idle. When I stop at a stop light I have to rev up the engine to approximately 1000 RPM's to keep it from dying. When it does this the check engine light usually comes on. It wont stall out all the time but it does do it quite often. I have went to 4 different mechanics two of them told me cam and crank sensor and another told me it was the pcm. Any advice as what to try first to repair it?  

Answer
Hi Justin,
Did any of the 4 mechanics try to readout the memory of the PCM for fault codes? If not I would do that before any of those suggested repairs because there is a code for each of them if any are true. You may be able to get a free readout at Autozone stores, or at most $40 at a fair priced shop.
You might also try using the ignition key, on-off-on-off-on and leave on doing that in 5 seconds or less elapsed time. Then see if any codes appear in the odometer window. In any case when you get the codes ask for the numbers, what they mean, what they propose to do, and how much. Then write me back and we'll compare that to the manual.

I have another suggestion though, and that is the exhaust gas recirculation valve. Here is how to check it out:
The first thing I would do is check the mechanical function of the egr valve which is located along a pipe that runs from the left exhaust manifold (on the side of the engine facing the front of the car) to the intake manifold area (where the incoming air in the large rubber tube enters the throttle). That valve is metal and has a round fitting with a vacuum hose attached, mounted on the top of the valve, and the round part is attached to the main body of the valve by a sort of saddle.  Inside the open saddle you will see a metal rod (with a slot) that connects the round top fitting to to the valve body. That rod is a stem on the valve and it is supposed to go in and out in response to the engine vacuum which varies with RPM and throttle opening (gas pedal position). Take a spray can of WD-40 or other penetrating lubricant and spray the stem where it enters the valve body and then use a regular screwdriver blade tip inserted in the slot to lever the valve in and out to try and free up its motion. Also check all the rubber vacuum hoses associated with the valve and a nearby vacuum solenoid valve. If the valve seems to open (against the action of a spring) and close firmly by the spring action when using the screwdriver blade to facilitate the motion, then you should be able to start and idle the engine. You can, once it is idling, check that the valve stem moves when you rev the engine from idle to 2500 rpm and back to idle. If it still won't idle right, then removing and cleaning the interior of the valve, or buying a new one if it seems too crudy and corroded inside, is the next step to getting the engine to idle right in the absence of any relevant codes from the PCM memory.
Roland