Hey guys, my 02 Ecotec stalls at lights and stopsigns for no good reason and fires right back up again no problems. No clue whats causing this. A quick search led me to an ECU flash, but ive read good and bad things about this fix. Any new fixes for this problem?

ive had the same problem. but mine wont stall. it just stutters. but. it hasnt done it in a couple months. when i first got the car it did it ALL the time. but. latley i havent noticed it. it seems to only happen in the standard transmision cars. which leads me to believe its a clutch problem. but i dont know. someday if it bugs me i will figure it out

The 03 I swapped into my 98Z has this 'stumble' when I stop at a light. It's just started doing it though...

...j

Mine's done it since the week I got it back in '05, almost seems like it's running right out of fuel. It also, on occasion, will rev and stay there when I stop with the clutch in. No idea what's going on there.



Brian

Wow, so I'm not alone here, thats no good. Well my cav is automatic so its possible my problem is different than you getrag guys? This is what I found for you 5-spd guys on these forums:

"Idle Flare or Decel Stall
This condition may affect 2002-04 vehicles with 4 cylinder 2.2L engine
(VIN F - RPO L61) (Chevrolet Malibu, Cavalier, and Classic, Oldsmobile Alero, Pontiac Grand Am and Sunfire).
Some owners may comment about an engine idle flare when the clutch is depressed. Also, some owners may comment about a low speed engine decel stall when coming to a stop.
The flare is caused by the vehicle entering stall-saver mode when the clutch is depressed. The low speed engine decel stall is produced by an interaction between the engine control software and the IAC motor.
Reprogram the PCM with the latest calibration available. The new calibration was released beginning with TIS satellite data update version 6.0 for 2004 available June 2004. As always make sure your Tech 2 is updated with the latest software version."http://www.j-body.org/forums/read.php?f=11&i=99416&t=99225#99416

But what would cause the auto car to stall then? I was thinking a bad fuel pump but it starts right back up no problems. Maybe its my aftermarket deck + speakers doing it? Here are some other guys with the same problem:

http://www.carcomplaints.com/Chevrolet/Cavalier/2003/engine/stalls_at_idle.shtml
http://www.carcomplaints.com/Chevrolet/Cavalier/2003/engine/idle_speed_is_erratic_almost_stalls_then_revs.shtml
http://www.carcomplaints.com/Chevrolet/Cavalier/2003/engine/stalls_occasionally.shtml
http://www.carcomplaints.com/Chevrolet/Cavalier/2004/engine/cuts_off_while_driving.shtml

One of the guys mentions a short in the Idle Air Control. Is that something worth replacing? Could I go buy an ECU from a junkyard for another Ecotec j-body and hope the stalling goes away?

Lets figure this sh*t out

I had a car that did that back in the day. Try some dry gas. Maybe you have a bit of water in the tank? Also test your fuel pressure. When was the last time you had a tune up? Fuel filter, air filter, plugs, oil change. Maybe you are due. Especially if this has just started to happen.

wow, I have those SAME exact problems... it irritates the @!#$ out of me, stalls and flares



LE61T PTE6262 Powered

Clean out the throttle body to start.

theres got to be some way through hp tuners to fix that



1989 Turbo Trans Am #82, 2007 Cobalt SS G85

dunno. but if its a tech 2 that fixes it. i have one at work. but have NO clue how the hell to update the software. hmmmm

Air filter, plugs, and oil are all clean. Fuel Filter, as far as I know, hasn't been changed ever. I thought it could be a fuel pressure issue too, but the car starts up perfectly right after it stalls. Wouldnt' it have a hard time starting if it had low pressure? The other thing I saw was cleaning the TB, would that really help? Seems easy enough to do, I'll go ahead and clean it out with an old rag and some Seafoam, should be alright after that. Maybe I'll clean the IAT sensor a bit while I'm at it. But if the issue here is in the ECU none of these are going to help, i think

check your IACV theres a good chance that may be your problem esp since its doing this when you slow down or stop
i highly doubt it has anything to do with your ECU

Alright, so I unplugged the sensor nearest the throtthe body, I'm 99% sure its the Idle Air Control but I guess I could have been wrong. It idled fine, and even returned to idle perfectly after I gave it a bit of throttle, even with the sensor unplugged. I went inside for a bit, came back out, and the thing was off again. Stalled. I'm not sure how else to check the IAC, can I clean it out somehow?

I have been having the same problem with my 02 sunfire. it has the 2.2 eco. started long time ago, i would stop and after a bit it would die or the rpms would drop drastically and it would recover. Mine is an automatic tho so im not to sure if it has to do with manual or auto tranny issues. I cleaned out the tb, new filter on the CAI, new spark plugs, changed oil and filter, Im going to try fuel next if any of you can point me on how to do that, im not sure where it is located, looks like behind the fuel tank in the middle towards the rear of the car. It seems to idling about 2 ticks hotter then usuall when it does this. but like every one says, starts up no problem.

Idle air control motor/valve. I had these same issues. changed in, and nothing ever since...and clean out yoru TB as well

ok i know im going to sound stupid, but where is it located and how much does it cost.

Its right in between the engine and the bumper, hidden underneath your black intake piping, and the part is around $100. Can anybody else think of anything before I go out and start spending money? I was thinking maybe a vacuum leak? Or maybe that gray heat-sink looking ignition chip on top of the valve cover? its the only thing i didnt replace when i did a tune up last year

I have had this on other cars after doing bolt-ons.
A computer reset was always the cure.




My wife's 2003 Ecotec 2.2 liter Sunfire:
* 2 1/4 inch in and dual 2 inch out muffler Trans Am muffler
* 2 1/4 piping to a very long 2 1/4 inch resonator
* 2 1/4 inch catalytic converter
* an AEM true cold air intake NOPI edition
* 8 gauge ground wire kit
* Toyz front strut brace
* Russell stainless steel brake lines all around.

My car started doing this recently and actually stalled on me on my way to work. clean TB and change IAC?
or try just cleaning the TB?