Hi everybody,

I'm driving a 1989 Pontiac Sunbird back and forth to work, 100 miles a day total, mostly all highway. Recently the car is giving me problems. It started late at night the car would not start all of a sudden. The power was on but there was no sound whatsoever. No grinding, anything. However ten minutes later it started fine.

About a week later as the weather started getting colder, the car would not start. A friend of mine who works on my car came over, played with a few wires and it started fine. A few days later though, I started the car and set it to "defrost" to get the ice off, and went in the house. 8 minutes later when I came out the car was off and I could not start it for ten minutes. My friend came over again but it started as he got there, and he told me he didn't know how to fix it unless he could hear it.

However, the next week while I was driving down the street during lunch hour the car stalled while I was driving and I had to pull over, with AAA having to come get me and tow me 50 miles back home. I missed another day of work while they "fixed my car." I had a new distributor, new spark plugs and spark plug wires put in, as well as an oil change and filter cleaning. The car started and drove much better.

The problem is that I'm still having problems. When I'm idle on this road for too long, the car shuts off. The lights inside the car are still on. My headlights are on. But the car has lost running power. The car thankfully starts right back up now. However this worried me since I have a long commute so I took it to another place (Strauss) to see if anything else was wrong. However they ripped me off. They told me the spark plug wires were put in wrong (burned) and they put new wires in. $34 for "parts" and $130 for "labor". Can you believe this? I complained and they knocked $50 off, but it's still a ripoff and has not fixed my problem. All I want is for someone to help me and I'm blowing big money trying to fix this car.

Just tonight it stalled again at this same street after work where traffic piles up and you have to wait forever. The car started back up after about 5-7 seconds which is longer than it usually takes (and scared me again). What can I do? I don't want to take it to another place because they do nothing but take my money. There has got to be something else I can do to buy me some time before I get another car.

stressed in Pennsylvania,
Lou

I'm going to bump this for you, but honestly it could be quite a few things. If it isn't making any funny noises and it isn't an electric problem (bad battery or alternator) or ignition problem, then it must be fuel related. I'm sure someone else will offer you more insight. Good luck with it

Thanks for bumping it. I have an update. I can recreate the problem by:

1. Starting my car
2. Putting it in drive
3. Pressing on the brake
4. Turning the steering wheel either left or right.

Eventually the car will stall however all lights, radio, heater, are still on. I just did it and now my car won't start at all but probably will after it sits there another 20-30 minutes. I just don't understand what's going on. I've had so much stuff done to my car...

brakes were worn out completely, noticed grinding on metal from tires when driving so I had to get both front tires brakes/rotors. The car had trouble starting at random times... then car shut off while driving (with lights, heater, etc still on), so I had it towed and got new spark plug wires, spark plugs, distributor. Then it stalled while idling, took it to a new place and all they did was change the spark plug wires... A few months ago the exhaust split in two and I had to get new pipes and catalytic convertor. I'm just sick of this... I don't mind driving an old car but there's gotta be something that can fix the stalling when I'm idle.

-Louis

Damn, that's a real pickle... sorry to hear that... I've gone through that sort of thing myself, and it sucks.

Could it be a vacuum leak? Fuel pump?

Bump for more insight/help/experience...

I read the manual and it said that there may be too much gas in the engine and to press in the pedal for 5 - 10 seconds when starting it to clear it because too much gas will cause the power to possibly go out.

I did it, and it's seemed to make it sound better when idle. Keeping the steering wheel straight helps too. But why would turning the steering wheel when idle or parked cause the car to turn off with the lights and everything still on? Am I satisfied? Absolutely not. I just hate that feeling when I'm driving back far from work, not wanting to stop because I'm afraid the car will stall and I'll be stuck in the middle of the street having to call AAA again.

I just wish I could find someone to look at it and get it fixed. $80 for an hour. $40 for parts. $50 for labor? And all you replace is my spark plug wires? What kind of service is that? Alternator, starter? I don't care. Just fix it and I will pay you. At this rate I'm going to lose my job and my mind.

Lou, There are many things that could be causing this. Ignition switch, wire broke/corroded, coil shorting out. If you will give me the city you live in in PA I will try to find a reputable shop for you to take it to.

Well I started my car this morning and let it warm up for about 5 minutes before I was going to head to work. I looked outside and it was fine. When I grabbed my briefcase and went out the door, the car was off again. Check engine and gauge light was on... I tried restarting but the car would not start but it did make a noise, just would not start. About 30 - 45 minutes later the car started on the first try.

I was trying to think what to do... I was just approved for $15,000 in financing for a car but needed to get some paperwork faxed. I don't have a fax machine so I wanted to go by Staples to do it. However, I'm still pissed about this car and want to find out what is wrong and fix it from stalling when idle. That's the only thing wrong with the car in my mind. Yeah, it's a piece of junk, 89 Sunbird with 124,000 miles but I still like it. So I drove it carefully back to the first auto place that changed the distributor (cap only they said), spark plugs and spark plug wires, as well as giving me an oild change and flushed out everything. Obviously the problem is something else. He said the new items could have caused a short circuit somewhere in the distributor or whatever.

So as my last ditch attempt to get the car running well and then buy a new used car, I took it to the shop. Then I walked about 4 miles in the cold to fax my paperwork for the "RoadLoans" loan. Now all I have to do is find the car I want and write the check for the total price. It's a ripoff financing (higher rate) but I don't have great credit and need a car. Hopefully tomorrow my Sunbird is fixed AND I get a new car.

Thanks for the update, keep us posted on what happens with it and what the shop finds out. Good luck

Vaccum leak I think... the fuel pressure regulator on that car works on a Vaccum signal and if there is a leak it will lean itself out. Best bet would to be find a good vaccum gague and see if you are pulling about 20 inches of vaccum or so at an idle when the car starts.

I got the car back from the auto shop. They replaced the distributor itself and not just the cap this time. It got me home for xmas, and has seemed okay so far. I guess we'll see in the next few days.