Engine stalls easily when hot

[Roky]

Hello everyone,

For the last two days my manual transmission 1996 festiva stalled a couple of times though it usually doesn't.

I noticed also that the RPM is lower than usual when I start the engine (it's usually 1500RPM when I start untill the engine warms up it goes down to 800 or so) now it just 800 even when it starts.

If it was the choke, would that be the cause for the engine to stall as well ? or you think it the spark plugs or what ?

Another observation is I can hear the engine "bangs" louder driving uphills (or may be I am imaginning things) ...

Cheers

Roky

[doylerl]

Does it idle ok or is it rough? Possibly a blown head gasket?

Edit: woohoo!!! 1000 posts!!!

[walth]

could it be your IAC (idle air control) going bad? possibly sticking shut...

[Roky]

Does it idle ok or is it rough? Possibly a blown head gasket?

Not really ... the engine sounds smooth when it's idle

could it be your IAC (idle air control) going bad? possibly sticking shut...

Is there anyway I can check that myself ?

Besides, could that IAC cause the engine to stall or bang ? So you guys don't think it's the spark plugs !!

[doylerl]

How is the fuel filter? Air filter? Could be the plugs, but I would expect a rough idle if they were the culprit. As far as it getting louder going uphill, that is probably normal because of the added stress on the engine.

[WmWatt]

Intermittent stalling is a sign of a failing ignition control module (transistorized points). If there's no rhyme or reason to the stalling, and if it doesn't start right up again, you might want to take the module to one of the parts stores which offers to test them for free. If you do and it fails the test shop around for a replacement because they all come from the same manufactuerer but the distributors vary widely in their markups.

[Jacob]

So it's in the distributer. Do u need to replace the entire distributer?

[walth]

make sure you get a spare fuel pump too...I was having weird stalling (and NO restarts for one-two days) and it turned out it was the pump

but the modules go too

do some searching on here for the ICM issues

[Roky]

Thanks for all the advices guys ... will let you know what happens

[Eaglefreek]

Have you figured out what's causing your problem? As of yesterday, I started having the same problem. It has been running like a champ until yesterday it stalled on me when coming to a stop. Today it stalled several times. I changed plugs, wires, cap, rotor, and PCV valve and it still does it. It started doing it within 10 minutes of filling up. I think I may have got bad gas. I will put some stabilizer in it and run out this gas and hope that solves the problem.

[WmWatt]

Jacob: sorry about the ambiguity over "distributor". I meant the distributors of the ICM's, ie the parts wholesalers and retailers.

[Eaglefreek]

After adding some Lucas stabilizer to the tank my stalling problem has been solved.

[walth]

that's awesome. sounds crazy tho...hope it's not a short term glitch