Mitsubishi Repair: 1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse Dying at Stops, high mileage car, computer control unit


Question
I have a 1998 Eclipse RS that is dying when I come to stops. I have almost 300,000 miles on it and don't want to spend alot of money on it. I found when the problem started I could unhook the battery for a minute or two and then hook it back up and it would do fine for a while. Now it is getting more regular and the battery reset is not working as well as it did. It seems to do worse in wet weather too. I have changed the plugs and wires and cleaned the air filter. Any ideas that aren't extremely expensive since the car is about worn out?

Answer
Terry,
This could be anything from a bad alternator to improper ignition timing to a malfunctioning computer control unit.  The challenge with replacing one or two troubled components on such a high-mileage car, it can cause an accelerated failure rate of related components.  Because there are so many different things that can cause the problem you indicated, your best bet would be have a mechanic look it over and give you an estimate on a repair.  Then you can decide for yourself if the expense is worth it.
Good luck!