QuestionHi Roland,
Firstly, thanks very much for volunteering your valuable time and experience.
I have completed the test you described to me (very concise instructions, if I may say so - my sincere compliments). I repeated the test half a dozen times, with the same result (unfortunately, if I understand you correctly, it doesn't reveal much). The results are (following the 3 quick returns to the ignition-on position):
Light on for 3 seconds.
Light off 1 second.
Light flashes on 5 times quickly.
Light off 1 second.
Light flashes on 5 times quickly.
Light remains off.
It's clear to me that you know your stuff, so I should mention the only thing that I know to be wrong with the car. The right-hand CV joint is worn and due for replacement. I didn't mention it before for fear of confusing the issue, since it seemed to me unlikely to be related to the stalling, as I figured that a right-handed turn actually shifts weight to the left side of the car, not the right side (albeit a slight shift of weight since we're dealing with gentle turns).
That is the only thing I'm already aware of that's wrong with the car. The battery is strong (headlights are fully bright without the motor running). As part of routine maintenance, I throughly clean and tighten the battery terminals about every 6-8 months. I changed the spark plugs, air filter and fuel filter about 6 months ago(used premium parts for all). The plug wires all fit snugly and no light is visible from them when viewed in the dark with the motor running. Belts are a bit worn, but tension is about 1/2 inch (midway between pulleys) and the charging gauge consistently stays in the "good" zone (about 70% of the way to the right of the gauge - it isn't marked to indicate specific voltage).
Again, thanks for your thoughts on this. Any other ideas?
Andre
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Followup To
Question -
Hi Roland,
I'm writing about a stalling problem with our 1992 Dodge Shadow (4 door, 2.2 L, automatic). The problem seems very strange to me. It hasn't been a major inconvenience for me personally, but I worry that it might happen when circumstances could make the timing of the incident hazardous. I realize that it might become more serious, and I'm already reluctant to let my wife drive, especially since we live and drive in a city (Calgary, Alberta, Canada).
In short, the car stalls in right-handed turns. It's been acting this way for about a month now. I know how odd that must sound. I've experimented in parking lots and during regular commutes and determined:
At any speed much above a walking pace, if I coast through a right handed turn, even a very gentle one like a highway ramp, it's guaranteed to stall...consistently. I can prevent the stall by maintaining throttle pressure, though of course I don't always want to accelerate when I'm making right turns. At very low speeds (engine idling - walking speed) it doesn't stall, but at speeds of about 15 kph (10 mph) or more, it will always stall when turned to the right (unless accelerating). Strangely, I can't cause it to stall by turning to the left at any speed.
It's no problem to start the car again. If I put it in neutral and turn the key to off, I can then restart it immediately. Just leaving the ignition on and turning the key forward to engage the starter, however, doesn't work. It will only start again if the ignition is first switched off.
I'm thoroughly confused by this and would very much appreciate any advise. Thank you.
Andre
Answer -
Hi Andre,
I have not heard of that sort of behavior before but that doesn't mean we can't fix it. I suspect there is a loose electrical connection or that there is a sensor or actuator that is flakey and opens an electrical connection due to the centripetal forces generated in the turning motion. One promising approach is to see if the engine controller has sensed a reason for the stall and recorded this in its memory as a coded two-digit fault number. Fortunately the on-board diagnostic system can be readout by the driver/owner using the ignition key. So here is what you do:
Begin a readout as follows. Take your ignition key and turn the ignition switch "on-off-on-off-on" and leave it "on". Do this switching quickly so that no more than 5 seconds elapses. Then watch the 'check engine' light to begin to flash, pause, flash, pause, etc. Count the number of flashes before each pause and make a note of them in the order that they come. The pauses will be a bit longer between every other "number" which thus helps to identify the ending count of the second digit, from the beginning count of the first digit of the next code number. The last two flash groups will be 5 in each. Repeat the readout until you have the numbers accurately (the same result, two times in a row). Then pair the numbers two at a time in the order they came, to form two-digit numbers, for example the last number will be 55 which is the code for "end of readout". Then write back and tell me the other numbers that came out and I'll see if any of them are related to your problem.
I bet we will get a clue that way. If not, we can try shaking various clamps and harnesses to see if we can get it stall while it is at rest, idling.
Roland
AnswerHi Andre,
Good work on getting the code 55 which at least means there is probably not a flakey sensor or actuator. The one "master" actuator is the autoshutdown relay, but there is a code 42 which would come up if that were flakey. The 3 second check engine light is sort of a "warm -up" so I didn't mention it.
While I understand your thoughts about the CV, I believe that it actually is the case that the right one might have more bind-up on a right turn than a left, but you would hear a huge clunk if it locked up entirely and in any case that should not stall the engine, due to the differential turning capability of the transaxle between the two drive shafts and the slippage potential of the torque converter. So that is not in my mind the likely reason for the stall. I think you might try the "shaking of the harnesses approach" while the engine is idling, and also you might try tapping on the steering column underside (a little way below the level of the ignition key)and/or take the steering column covers off and see if the ignition switch might have corroded "run" contacts that you could polish or clean with some electronic contact cleaner. It could be the ignition switch is sensitive to the turning motion because of compromised internal contacts.
Other than that, I can't imagine how turning right, but not left, causes the engine to stall, unless maybe there is a loose multipin connector (that is associated with the igniton switch)at the base of the column that is getting tweeked by the motion of the steering shaft. There is no electrical sensor that I know of that would perturb the engine due to turning of the steering wheel. An outside possibility is something related to the turn signal cancellation mechanism impinging on one of ignition wires in the steering column is about as far as I can stretch my mind. Is the turn signal on the right side working o.k.?
Nonetheless, it still might be a good time to repair the cv boot so that you might avoid having to replace the entire half-shaft. Then you would certainly eliminate the joint as a source of you stalling problem. I know you will figure this out, maybe it will take the car dying and refusing to restart, in which case we have a whole exercise for "no start" we can try!
Roland
P.S. You might take a look at the exhaust gas recirc valve and its vacuum hoses to see if something there might be loose. If that valve is not shut when the engine is idling then the engine will die.
