inrisls400

Hi guys i was wondering if maybe someone here could help me out since we have alot of experts here on the forums. Whenever i turn my car on and put it in drive or in reverse the enigne just dies, now i am able to turn the car back on and sometimes it is fine but at other times the car vibrates and does not drive very smooth, this has been going on for about a week now and am afraid it might shut off on me while i am in traffic, any help would be greatly appreciated, oh and also my car has been idleing at about 400 when in park.

qewani1

High idle most of time is because of dirty TB, Try to clean Throttle Body, its easy you can do it your self.
Test battery, tight the battery terminals.
search forums & google.

avalon42

iTrader: (1)

I would clean the TB so maybe the TPS is tripping on it. If not, it could be the MAF (Mass Airflow Sensor is really outta whack.

Any CEL (Check Engine Light)?

inrisls400

Thanks for the reply guys i have checked the battery terminals and have also cleaned out the throttle but it still does it, there hasn't been any cel either which is very frustrating, ihave not checked the MAF though is that something hard to change and also is it expensive.

qewani1

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/t349307.html
If you have an AutoZone auto parts store bnear by, take it to them as they will test the car for FREE.

qewani1

Hi there,

I have ever encountered this problem and apart from this, I can't think of any other possibilites.

The engine uses an air flow meter and any vacumn leakages would cause the engine to shut off. I would suggest checking the air hose for leakages, hidden cracks that would only appear when the engine is shifted into reverse.

When in forward gears, the engine would tilt to one side, there are no leakages but when shifted into reverse, the engine tilts the opposite way, ( old engine mounts tends to allow the tilting to be quite substantial) causing the air hoses etc to open up any cracks and allowing excessive air to leak between the air flow meter and throttle body causing the stalling.

Hope this helps.
http://www.justanswer.com/questions/...-shifting-gear
http://www.google.ae/search?hl=ar&q=...ne+stalls&meta=

Since when problem accured, while you cleaned your TB, maybe you have adjusted by mistake the throttle body plate position sensor, causing car idling high.
http://www.lextreme.com/tb.htm
http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/EFI/tps.html
http://www.google.ae/search?hl=ar&q=...tps+ls400&meta=

qewani1

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load...405714076.html

qewani1

http://www.google.ae/search?hl=ar&q=...ne+stalls&meta=

inrisls400

Thanks a alot guys, this is all pretty helpful stuff i am going to check the hoses today and see if i have any cracks or vaccum leaks, if i find anything significant i will let you guys know, thnaks again

inrisls400

Hi guys i'm back again, i took the car to my mechanic he's a good friend of mine so i know he won't screw around with me, and he checked out the car for me and told me it was the MAF sensor, he said it wasn't reading properly so i have to get a new one, any suggestions on where to get? Also thanks to each and everyone of you for trying to help me out

Amleth

I have a similar problem: the engine stalls at street lights sometimes, usually foreshadowed by all the electronics turning of and then back on.

shadowless

honestly a maf is an expensive thing to just say is bad and say it wasnt reading properly. not saying your mechanic is ripping you off but be sure they are testing it properly and find out where they are getting their specs.

also you are putting a load on the engine when you engage a gear. which means your vehicle instantly using more gas/air/spark etc whether you feel it or see it happening its there. check your engine grounds. all over. also try adding extra grounds to your motor with large gauge wire. alot of the time better grounding cures alot of electrical gremlins as well as idle quality issues. i suggest single digit size wire 6ga 4ga which is easily found in autoparts stores. you cant make good spark with out a good ground and you cant burn fuel properly without a good spark. when you stall chances are you leave extra fuel inside your motor and exhaust which can cause crappy running issues.

for now before you search for a maf (even used ones can be just as questionable as the current one) do the simple obvious things that can only help regardless of problems. add some grounds, clean your maf with a good maf cleaning product (crc maf cleaner), remove(if possible) and clean your throttle body of any carbon on both sides. i know it says you cleaned it but how well??? cant be too sure unless its completely clean on both sides of the throttle plate as well as vacuum fitting coming off of it.

what im trying to say is dont be hasty with it and start shooting from the hip. it sounds like you overlooked some very common and easy steps that can save some real money.

inrisls400

I thought cleaning the MAF was a bad idea, some people on these forums say it's good others say it's bad, but i might check out and see if i can find a tutorial on it casue i want to do it but am not exactly sure how too, as for my mechanic he's not one too try and rip me off he's a close friend of mine and said he would even install it for free cause it's easy, he just told me to look for the part. What i am going to do is take your advice and check everything else before any MAF sensore is bought cause it is expensive, i am going to check the throttle again and spark plugs, thanks again for your help.

nthach

The earlier LS models don't use a hot film/hot wire MAF - it uses a Karmann Vortex generator type MAF.

I would check the TPS and IAC.