'95 Trooper LS stalled while driving...
#1
10-27-2018, 02:00 AM
'95 Trooper LS stalled while driving...
Hi all. First off, I'm new, and I apologize if something like this has been posted already. I did a fairly exhaustive thread search before posting and didn't find anything matching my situation exactly. I realize I'll probably have to take it to a shop, but before I drop more $$ into it than the brakes and tires ive already had to put on it since I bought it, I wanted to see if anyone else has has this issue.
I realize this trooper is old. Ive had my fair share of beaters in my day and that's what I bought it for. Not a daily driver, so not a huge issue at the moment. But I bought it in May for 1900 bucks with less than 120k original miles (great for a 23 year old vehicle!) I've since spent over 1k just on brakes and tires, which I knew it needed when I bought it. The previous owners also informed me that it also hesitates/is a little sluggish whe going into 2nd gear (it an automatic). Which I attributed to being old, figuring it might be a vacuum leak or air intake valve being dirty or getting stuck from time to time. Like I said, I bought it to be a beater to haul my fishing stuff and drive in the winter for the 4x4. I've noticed it from time to time, but its never caused any issues, so I let it be.
Cut to tonight. I pull out of my driveway onto the main drag and accelerate, luckily no one coming down the road, and when it goes to shift to second, it hesitated like it does sometimes, but this time it died. Pulled off to the side of the road, put it in park. Fired right back up, idled fine, at the normal 1000-1200 RPM range where it normally idles, but the check engine light (but NOT the auto transmission light) was on and then died suddenly again. No sputtering or drop off of RPM before it died. Just idle idle idle and then shut off. Fired it up again , and it ran/shifted fine for the whopping 200 yards I had to drive it home. I've started it and driven it several blocks twice tonight since that happened, and its ran and shifted fine, no more stalls.
It also should be pointed out that its been relatively cold here, and the car was not excessivley "hot" when it died. Before I left and it stalled, I let it run for about a minute before I took off. Both times I've driven it since, it got hotter (closer to normal operating temp) than it did when it died, and it ran fine. I also tested the battery when I got home and its in normal range, even for cold crank amps.
Given all that, I'm wondering if its in the beginning stages of developing an intermittent electrical issue? I see several threads about troopers stalling when hot & coming to a stop or when you first put it in gear, but this isn't that, this was after it was already in gear, driving down the road but not yet up to normal operating temp.
With holidays coming and this being a 2nd vehicle, I don't really have a ton of $ to sink into it, but being I've only had it for 6 months and have already put good brakes/tires on it, I don't really want to sell it either. I have an OBD II reader but the plugs in the trooper don't fit it, and the CEL went out as soon as I fired it up and drove it home so I doubt I could pull a code from it even if it would have fit. Any input would be greatly appreciated !
I realize this trooper is old. Ive had my fair share of beaters in my day and that's what I bought it for. Not a daily driver, so not a huge issue at the moment. But I bought it in May for 1900 bucks with less than 120k original miles (great for a 23 year old vehicle!) I've since spent over 1k just on brakes and tires, which I knew it needed when I bought it. The previous owners also informed me that it also hesitates/is a little sluggish whe going into 2nd gear (it an automatic). Which I attributed to being old, figuring it might be a vacuum leak or air intake valve being dirty or getting stuck from time to time. Like I said, I bought it to be a beater to haul my fishing stuff and drive in the winter for the 4x4. I've noticed it from time to time, but its never caused any issues, so I let it be.
Cut to tonight. I pull out of my driveway onto the main drag and accelerate, luckily no one coming down the road, and when it goes to shift to second, it hesitated like it does sometimes, but this time it died. Pulled off to the side of the road, put it in park. Fired right back up, idled fine, at the normal 1000-1200 RPM range where it normally idles, but the check engine light (but NOT the auto transmission light) was on and then died suddenly again. No sputtering or drop off of RPM before it died. Just idle idle idle and then shut off. Fired it up again , and it ran/shifted fine for the whopping 200 yards I had to drive it home. I've started it and driven it several blocks twice tonight since that happened, and its ran and shifted fine, no more stalls.
It also should be pointed out that its been relatively cold here, and the car was not excessivley "hot" when it died. Before I left and it stalled, I let it run for about a minute before I took off. Both times I've driven it since, it got hotter (closer to normal operating temp) than it did when it died, and it ran fine. I also tested the battery when I got home and its in normal range, even for cold crank amps.
Given all that, I'm wondering if its in the beginning stages of developing an intermittent electrical issue? I see several threads about troopers stalling when hot & coming to a stop or when you first put it in gear, but this isn't that, this was after it was already in gear, driving down the road but not yet up to normal operating temp.
With holidays coming and this being a 2nd vehicle, I don't really have a ton of $ to sink into it, but being I've only had it for 6 months and have already put good brakes/tires on it, I don't really want to sell it either. I have an OBD II reader but the plugs in the trooper don't fit it, and the CEL went out as soon as I fired it up and drove it home so I doubt I could pull a code from it even if it would have fit. Any input would be greatly appreciated !
Last edited by Leeland Waller; 10-27-2018 at 02:05 AM.
#2
02-25-2019, 07:49 AM
Do you have the 1995 workshop manual that contains diagnostics? Stalling and hesitation can occur because of a dirty EGR valve.
Before you spend a lot of money -- an EGR valve costing about $130 to $150 (and check IsuzuPartsCenter.com because it could be over $200) -- run something like Lucas Fuel Injector cleaner through the engine -- one small $5 bottle per tank of gas. You may want to go through a few tanks of gas. See if this at least attenuates your stalling or hesitation problem.
You could also get the aerosol can of Seafoam Top Engine treatment, with the special "U"-shaped plastic straw. Pull the air-intake hose from the common chamber (intake manifold), warm up the engine, spray the aerosol into the chamber in a one-second burst while revving the engine to about 3,000 rpm, and repeat several times. Also follow the aerosol instructions per spraying aerosol into the chamber, revving it a bit, then turning off the engine and letting it sit for a half hour.
Both Seafoam and Bardahl EGR cleaner follow a similar procedure to clean the EGR valve without removing it from the Trooper. The bolts for the EGR valve are between the common chamber and the firewall -- possible to remove with tedium and care. If you remove the EGR valve and can successfully re-thread the two bolts, you should use a new EGR valve gasket to reinstall -- available at some place like Rock Auto.
Repair shops may be more inclined to simply sell you a new EGR valve, but from what I've read, they can simply be cleaned -- on or off the car as explained above.
Before you spend a lot of money -- an EGR valve costing about $130 to $150 (and check IsuzuPartsCenter.com because it could be over $200) -- run something like Lucas Fuel Injector cleaner through the engine -- one small $5 bottle per tank of gas. You may want to go through a few tanks of gas. See if this at least attenuates your stalling or hesitation problem.
You could also get the aerosol can of Seafoam Top Engine treatment, with the special "U"-shaped plastic straw. Pull the air-intake hose from the common chamber (intake manifold), warm up the engine, spray the aerosol into the chamber in a one-second burst while revving the engine to about 3,000 rpm, and repeat several times. Also follow the aerosol instructions per spraying aerosol into the chamber, revving it a bit, then turning off the engine and letting it sit for a half hour.
Both Seafoam and Bardahl EGR cleaner follow a similar procedure to clean the EGR valve without removing it from the Trooper. The bolts for the EGR valve are between the common chamber and the firewall -- possible to remove with tedium and care. If you remove the EGR valve and can successfully re-thread the two bolts, you should use a new EGR valve gasket to reinstall -- available at some place like Rock Auto.
Repair shops may be more inclined to simply sell you a new EGR valve, but from what I've read, they can simply be cleaned -- on or off the car as explained above.
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