2002 Monte, random stalling
 

I'm gonna start with my most distressing problem. 2002 Monte Carlo, 3400, I've had her for 11 months and I feel like I've changed most everything on it. Randomly dies, no rhyme or reason to it, sometimes when I start going, sometimes when I stop, sometime while I'm driving down the highway. Doesn't matter if it's hot, cold, full of gas or on E. I have to keep on the gas to keep it running, then after 5-10 minutes it straightens up like nothing is wrong. It'll go 3 days without doing it, then it'll do it 5 times in one day, then it's fine for a day or so.
My first thought was idle control valve, so I got one of those and a fuel filter and an oil change (cause it needed one really bad). I thought for sure the idle control valve would fix it, but it died again before I got it home. I'm at my wits end with this car.
The electrical is really screwed up, but so far that has only effected my lights and stuff. Could that also be the problem with the idling?

Outright dying is likely related to a cam or crank sensor, could be MAF sensor related too

When it acts up I can't let off the gas or it will die, but then 5 minutes later it's like nothing is wrong with it, it took me 3 weeks for it to do it for my husband, I think he thought I was crazy cause it runs perfect when it wants to. I think my next thing to try is gonna be cleaning the MAF, I can't afford to buy one right now, and I just read that you can clean them. How would I go about cleaning it? Just spray it with parts cleaner? Is there anything I need to be careful of?

That is a very large statement. What exactly have you changed (and was it in efforts to diagnose this problem)? And have you had the car scanned for any current or pending codes?

The only code I've gotten from it was "MAF flow insufficient", but it has given that code every time the light came on since I got the car 11 months ago. I found out a little while ago that the hubby has cleaned the MAF about 3 weeks ago, the check engine light hasn't came on again since then.
The stalling started about 2 months ago but has been happening on an almost daily basis the past 2 weeks, multiple times on some days.
I gave it a tune up (plugs, wires, oil change, air filter, fuel filter) in December and did the plugs and wires again in February because I had got the cheap stuff at first and wasn't happy with the performance. Since then I have done the oil and fuel filter twice at least. Put an air filter on it shortly after it started stalling.
In the past month we have done a visual check of the plugs and wires, they look very good still. Also looked all over for vacume lines and such, replaced the battery cables which were in horrible shape. Got a different battery.
Today I did an oil change, replaced the idle control valve and the fuel filter.
That's all I can think of, besides all the stuff I had to do to make the radio work.

Lee lee:
Heres my 2 cents...
Cleaning a MAF doesn't always do the trick..sometimes you need to purchase a new AC Delco to fix the problem...

However, there is a test you can do before buying a new MAF...(There expensive) Unplug the MAF.. start the car and then drive it... If it runs normal then the MAF is the problem...

2nd...
I would be inclinded to believe its a fuel delivery issue... when did you last change the fuel filter?... It maybe clogging up. hence the intermitten idleing issues...

also..
I would check the fuel pressure at the fuel rail... If theres insufficient pressure..that could also be the cause.... and could be indicating a failing fuel pump.

But since you did get a MAF code..I would start by unplugging the MAF and see if it performs/runs Normally.

Please keep us posted of your progress and or resolve!:thumbsup:

If you're getting a MAF code, that's your problem. You can get them for fairly cheap on ebay, or from a junkyard.

Just got back to this thread. Next time it throws a code, get the actual code number (starts with a P and then four digits).

You said it had thrown that code since you got the car and now since your husband cleaned the MAF, no more codes? The MAF can be tricky, since you mention the stalling is roughly a daily situation, with the car off, disconnect the MAF and drive for a little while, see if the car stalls anymore. If it doesn't stall anymore, odds are high the MAF is the issue.

Other question, what brand plugs do you have? If they are BOSCH plugs, dump them. Go with AC Delco or NGK. I've seen too many weird issues with BOSCH plugs.

I unplugged the MAF, which hubby says I have to refer to as the "mass air flow" because he just likes to annoy me sometimes, it still stalled, seemed like it might have been worse. Really don't know what to so with this thing, I really can't afford to do what needs to be done for it

Update
 

After I posted last we cut the catalytic converter off the car and found a hole in the exhaust near the manifold, it still stalled after the converter was removed, but when we replaced the whole pipe, thus fixing the hole, it stopped stalling altogether. Thought that fixed it, ran fine for about 6 weeks. Now it is doing it again, not as often as it was but I'm sure it will get bad again. It idles really low when it is acting up, before it starts to stall and after it straightens up. I've been playing with the spiffy little computer they have at the garage hubby works for, but aside from the codes I'm used to I don't know much about all the data I have collected. I plan to borrow the computer and get some driving data on Sunday. I hope it will stall for me so I can record exactly what's going on. My question would be what is the most pertinent data, since the computer will let me make a custom list. And perhaps somebody will volunteer to help analyze this data and help me come up with a solution. We have found that the intake gasket is leaking a little but I doubt that is what's making it stall and I don't think I'm gonna bother fixing it if I'm gonna get rid of the car. I have picture of what the computer said but I don't know how to put them on here from my phone.