Alexbenz

have around 191k on her now...been really good to me over the past 12 years..

For the past 6 months randomly in the mornings the car will start then die if i don't keep my foot on the gas, eventually after i keep my foot there after a few minutes it'll run but very rough/shakes under 1000rpm and only gets better if i start driving...

2nd issue is i randomly smell gas from the car...mainly comes from the middle of the drivers side. When it's idling you can smell it and when it's parked the smell goes on for awhile...

was told by my mechanic it could be the catalytic converter but they checked for leaks and nothing and of course the car was fine this morning and started so i'm going to wait until the starting issue to have it checked out.

For the catalytic converter i heard is a dealer only item with a cost of around 900 a side. If that's the case then looks like i'll be retiring the car

BDSL

Could be sticky fuel injector(s)......try seafoam or other injector cleaners.
I had similar problem before with my 97 ES300. Problem was solved after a can of seafoam into gas tank.

DRACO A5OG

Check the Fuel Pressure Regulator. If it leaks, it will mis-fire. +1 Injectors may be stuck open. Check the OHMs on them.

Did you get a CEL?

Alexbenz

Thanks for the input guys...no no cel... I heard seafoam can be harmful to a car.? I know these cars can go for another 100k miles but I think instead of dumping more money into her its time to move on..

ES300NZ

I guess it's your call, 12yrs for one car is quite a long time. I'd be looking at moving on too. There's still value in it, might be time to extract that now.

I think you car's an easy fix, but if I were in your position I don't know if I would either. Probably not.

I'd guess, it's a fuel injector, probably got a sticky gate, (fuel deposits cause that), If you take all six out and send them off to be reconditioned, or replace them I bet the issue will disappear.

808mcv20l

I think it may have something to do with fuel and emmissions.

I owned a 2008 VW32 and it had a recall for an evap ventilation valve, in warm temperatures the valve would fail to fully close and causing fuel to enter the charcoal canister and saturating it. This would cause jerking and stalling.

You may want to hookup an obdII scanner on it and check for "pending fault codes" even though there is no check engine light the pending codes might still tell you something.

Alexbenz

the shop i take it too is always busy so i'd have to leave it.. It was alot easier before because i had a spare car...I had a buyer willing to pay 3900 for it, i'll see if i can just sell it because that's way over kbb but my car's really clean for a 97...so if it goes then i'll sell it or else i might just keep it as a spare car...

BDSL

A can of fuel injector cleaner is only $10.....

Seafoam will not harm your engine....people either don't follow instruction or blame their engine issue on seafoam.

Alexbenz

any of these symptoms you guys mentioned would produce the gas smell right away after starting the car?

BDSL

If the fuel injector(s) are sticky, you might run rich (i.e. too much fuel).
As I said, a $10 can of fuel injector clean will not do any harm.

Alexbenz

well over a year later and i still have the issue of the gas smell. it has gone away and came back several times and its back now and the odor's even stronger