'90 Tempo issue with stalling.

I have a 1990 Tempo with a 2.3 litre 4 cyl engine. Vin has an X for those who can diferrentiate the type. It has developed an issue with stalling. It has no problem starting and running. The stalling happens when the car comes to a signal light or stop sign. When I try to accelerate, it sometimes stalls and dies. When I press the gas for, lets say, a fast start, it hesitates and dies. If on the other hand I'm easy on the gas and gently press the accelerator to go, it hesitates and (sometimes) picks up speed and the car runs fine. It runs good once it get's going. No sputtering or jerking exists. I've taken it to the Ford Dealership twice and they've changed this sensor and checked all the vacuum hoses to no avail. This all started after the Oxygen sensor in the exhaust manifold was replaced with a new one during the exhaust manifold replacement job. Does the computer have to be reset for the new sensor? Could the new sensor be a dud?

\puzzled as ever

Reply to
Kyandalf
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Have your paperwork from the repairs?

What sensor was replaced?

Reply to
Backyard Mechanic

Reply to
Kyandalf

Backyard Mechanic opined in news:Xns95A95B3FD159EBkMch6d@207.115.63.158:

I mean you imply there was a sensor OTHER than the O2 sensor replaced.

Reply to
Backyard Mechanic

Kyandalf opined in news:E4Aod.9315$ snipped-for-privacy@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net:

Sorry I Thought that the dealer replaced a sensor... if not, then the first suspect is the Throttle Position sensor. These are freq fail-ers at this vehicle age.

But before you do anything, find a parts store that will read out the stored codes from the ECM

Reply to
Backyard Mechanic

Went to Advance Auto (they're close) and did the computer readout. Came up with a code 20 but said No Definition Available. It being Saturday, there's no chance of geting a dealer on the phone to telll me what this means. The guy said he thought your assesment was correct on the Throttle Position Sensor. Do you know what a KOEO Code 20 means?

Reply to
Kyandalf

Kyandalf opined in news:7E6qd.7655$ snipped-for-privacy@newsread3.news.atl.earthlink.net:

I'm pretty sure that's wrong

Was it on a readout?

Reply to
Backyard Mechanic

Reply to
Kyandalf

"Kyandalf" wrote

Code 20 isn't listed anywhere. Code 11 is "System ok". Maybe their computer misinterpreted the 2 blips as a 2, and the long space as 0?

You can always try checking the codes yourself...

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Just use the jumper wire (method 3), turn the key to "on" (don't start it), and count the flashes.

There will be a second of really fast flashing at first; ignore it. The codes are sent next; first the "what's wrong NOW" codes, repeated twice, a long separator blip, then the "what WAS wrong" codes (if any), repeated twice.

Code 23 "now", plus code 47 "was" will show as:

**...***........**...***...................*...................****...*******.......****...******* 2 3 2 3 S 4 7 4 7

You'll probably get some "now" codes (that don't matter) if your engine isn't warmed up all the way when you do the test.

Reply to
MasterBlaster

Kyandalf opined in news:Uvbqd.2219$ snipped-for-privacy@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net:

well, i wouold find an autozone or another store that will do a readout.

AND ask to look at the TPS for your car, if the mounting holes are just that, not curved slots, then replacing it is easy.

Otherwise you will need a dvm to adjust it as you replace it.

There'd be a good chance the TPS could be bad, anyway, even if it's not the primary problem

Reply to
Backyard Mechanic

Replaced the TPS. Woohoo, runs much better. It has stalled once but I think I was shifting too quickly from reverse to drive. I'm going to take it back to Autozone and have another ECM readout done to see if any more problems can be detected when I have more time. With finals coming soon, it's crunch time. Thanks for your insight. I'm very grateful.

Reply to
Kyandalf

The guys at Advance Auto asked where I was getting gas. I told them it was at the New Food City Gas station. They said many people had been coming to them with "water in tank" symptoms such as myself. They told me to change gas stations 'cause the new fuel containers have chemicals that coat the inside that take more than a year before they don't interact with the gasoline. Went to BP, put full tank of 93 and a bottle of gas treatment. It's running even better now. Thank you Backyard for your assistance. The TPS was old and needed to be replaced. I just needed someone to steer me in the right direction.

Reply to
Kyandalf

Kyandalf opined in news:ZpTrd.1952$ snipped-for-privacy@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net:

Guess what OTHER advice....... That is the first I've heard of THAT "NEW TANK SYNDROME" though.

Tell you the truth, I dont believe it.

Generally: Buy the highest volume cheap BRAND (#stations) in your area from a high volume station (#cars).

Once again, all gas is NOT the same

Now do YOUR bit... complain to FOod City Regional, complain to State.

Reply to
Backyard Mechanic

I read your problem about your stalling problem. The last post you believe to have rectified the problem by changing the TPS. Since then has this still held true and cured the problem? I have just received a '90 tempo from my daughter's grandmother and am having the exact same problem with stalling. I also picked up a '91 Tempo for parts.......that does not stall. I have exhanged the TPS from one car to the other and it still stalls. I also cleaned out the IACV (was pretty clean anyways). My next step is to switch out the distributer to see if its the TFI. I have checked the recent postings and haven't seen any mention about the TFI. So is the TFI or the TPS or is it something else that is the problem? TIA

Reply to
bodee

Things corrected: TPS and changed gas stations. Results: some stalling still occurs, but at much more infrequent rate. Like today for instance. I was driving on the highway (55mph) for a few miles and when I exited I came to a signal (red). When I went to accelerate, it stalled and died. It happens, but again, not as often as before. I believe the tps was only part of the prob. I took it to advance auto and hooked it up to a diagnostic comp and came back with a code that said I should replace the Oxygen Sensor. This is strange because the oxygen sensor was changed this past spring during a job to replace the exhaust manifold due to a large crack. Since the OS was on the manifold I thought it time to repace it. But things haven't been as smooth as before. My suggestion to you bodee is take it to an auto parts shop and have them do a readout on the stored codes on the ECM (thanks backyard) and asses the situation with more knowlege.

----- Original Message ----- From: "bodee" Newsgroups: alt.autos.ford Sent: Monday, December 13, 2004 10:25 PM Subject: Re: '90 Tempo issue with stalling.

Hehe, I meant to put this hear earlier.

Reply to
Kyandalf

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