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[luvit]

hi.
i;m looking to buy a 91,000 mile 1992 n/a auto transmission with one small problem.

seller description:
it has sputtered or stalled on a few occasions -- few seconds later you start it and keep going for a long time.

the problem is not reproducible or predictable, it's rare. (he has owned it for 4 months).
he has driven it many times 45min to work and 45min back without the symptom.

seller says a mechanic said it may need a new spator in the distributor.

i don't know what a spator is or what he's trying to describe, but can you give your best guess on the rare occasion of a stalled engine?

[Rocketman]

Do you mean "stator"? Maybe he's thinking the ignitor?

My vote is for a clogged fuel filter

[rcdraco]

If it's most common when the car is under load I'd say the filter.

The stator is a hard metal piece which is part of the distributor.  It IS replaceable, and there is a part number around somewhere, but if it was bad, I'd think you'd have a bad spot in the ignition, and the car might even have a constant miss.

Then again, make sure your check engine light comes on.  That sounds very similar to a vacuum problem and possibly the Map sensor being faulted.  On my 1990 lumina when the map sensor went bad it started giving odd problems like that, but there was an engine code for it.

[luvit]

Just checked with owner.
Check engine light does come on and off.
If it's a Map sensor, is that easily accessible and affordable?
thnx.

[Rocketman]

The capri does not use a MAP sensor

If it's throwing a light, check for any CEL codes, it's easy to do, can be done if you take it out for a test drive

[luvit]

you talking about this?
http://teamcapri.com/howtos/cartroublecodes.html

[Rocketman]

Yes, you only need to jumper/ground a terminal in the engine bay to do it. The CEL will flash the codes to you

[luvit]

when i posted op, i was purchasing a capri with this symptom for $750.

i replaced the idle air control from another AT n/a.
and it appears to have resolved the problem where the car would stutter/stall under load after it would warm-up.

in addition i replaced the distro cap, distro rotor, plugs wires (those were a terrible mess), thermostat, FIXED LOOSE POSITIVE CONNECTION ON THE BATTERY, and that's about it.

next is to change fluids.


tomorrow i have hours of driving, so i'll drive this to see if i get another CEL or other problems.

[luvit]

my CEL codes pointed to the ECT sensor.
enjoy accessing it.. not too bad, you just need someone with a little hand to reinsert it.