Stalling/Skipping problem on an automatic

[jlevie]

If the relays are in the factory configuration, the one closest to the front of the car is the main relay. The middle one is the fuel pump relay, and the last is the O2 sensor heater relay. The relay sockets clip into the holder, so they may have been moved around in the past.

[BrooklynMW]

OK, Close the book on this one. Picked up the relay, popped it into Chewbacca. She started beautifully and ran just fine without any hiccups or stalls.

I think she even drives a little better now. And that may have been the issue with getting her started as well, but we'll test out that theory tomorrow morning after a 12 hour sit.

Ok, so what are the other 2 relays? the orange ones? I think I'll change those as well, just to be safe.

[BrooklynMW]

Ordered the OEM part. Should be here in a few hours. I didn't want to risk it. Only cost me $25.

Sooo, all I have to do is just stick it in, right? No special coding involved or anything?

[steinbachphoto]

Just picked up a relay from my mechanic. Has matching pins and numbers but is not the same white oem part. Would it be bad to try to install it? Should I wait to get the same white relay?

use it for now, but it's always a good idea to get the OEM part and I'd recommend doing that. There not expensive.

[BrooklynMW]

Just picked up a relay from my mechanic. Has matching pins and numbers but is not the same white oem part. Would it be bad to try to install it? Should I wait to get the same white relay?

[BrooklynMW]

i just fixed this in a friends car yesterday. car is driving along, rpms drop to 0 for a few seconds, and then the rpms go back up and car drives fine. it was a problem with the main relay.

pop the hood, and there is a black relay box in front of the fuse box. it only holds 3 relays so its not that big. the relay to the front is the main relay. (white.) with the car running, tap it with the handle of a screwdriver or your hand for a few minutes. tap it with some gusto, but you're not trying to smash it. if you can get the car to stumble or turn off, its bad.

im with jlevie, i dont think its a transmission problem.

but, whenever you buy a used car you are supposed to replace all filters and fluids. so i'd change your ATF anyway.

Sure enough. Tapped the relay and the car shut off. So is all I have to do is pop a new relay in? Expensive?

[BrooklynMW]

No no. I was wrong. It happened a few times while driving home. But always in the first 15 minutes of driving. So I will check the main relay tomorrow. Would the main relay also have something to do with why I often have trouble starting the car?

Sometimes it won't crank at all. I wait 5 minutes and it'll crank slowly and eventually start.

Is replacing the main relay a costly fix?

I will also check for a leak in the ATF

[BrooklynMW]

Well, I filled the ATF this morning. Turns out it was just low. And I did not have the problem driving to work today. So hopefully, that will close the book on this little issue. But we'll see. If the problem persists, then I'll check the DME and the Main Relay.

So even though that problem was gone this morning, sometimes, the car still has a little problem getting up and going.

[Kershaw]

A feeling of the engine cutting out and seeing the tach take a large drop is most likely the result of a loss of timing data to the DME (CPS problems) or a loss of power to the DME (main relay, fusible link, wiring fault). Rarely it will be a failing DME.

i just fixed this in a friends car yesterday. car is driving along, rpms drop to 0 for a few seconds, and then the rpms go back up and car drives fine. it was a problem with the main relay.

pop the hood, and there is a black relay box in front of the fuse box. it only holds 3 relays so its not that big. the relay to the front is the main relay. (white.) with the car running, tap it with the handle of a screwdriver or your hand for a few minutes. tap it with some gusto, but you're not trying to smash it. if you can get the car to stumble or turn off, its bad.

im with jlevie, i dont think its a transmission problem.

but, whenever you buy a used car you are supposed to replace all filters and fluids. so i'd change your ATF anyway.

[dude8383]

Actually, never. But I only bought the car 2 weeks ago. Do I have to replace it completely? Or can I just top it off?

How would one go about flushing out the old ATF?

The same way you'd flush out oil, there's a drain plug on the bottom somewhere. I think you fill it up by adding fluid through the "dipstick"

[jlevie]

A feeling of the engine cutting out and seeing the tach take a large drop is mostlikely the result of a loss of timing data to the DME (CPS problems) or a loss of power to the DME (main relay, fusible link, wiring fault). Rarely it will be a failing DME.

[bmwstephen]

It's as if the engine shuts of completely for a split second. But the needle doesn't have enough time to get all the way down to 0 before the engine revs back up

with that amount of slippage it sounds like the transmission is going out =/.

[BrooklynMW]

when was the last time you replaced your ATF?

Actually, never. But I only bought the car 2 weeks ago. Do I have to replace it completely? Or can I just top it off?

How would one go about flushing out the old ATF?

[steinbachphoto]

when was the last time you replaced your ATF?

[BrooklynMW]

when the rpms drop, how much is it dropping by before reving back up?

It's as if the engine shuts of completely for a split second. But the needle doesn't have enough time to get all the way down to 0 before the engine revs back up