I know a fuel injected engine doesn't "flood", but the symptom is the same. First happened when SO nearly stalled while in stop'n go traffic up a small incline on-ramp. The engine faltered and then lost all power. It would idle but had no power and any noticeable increase in the throttle (via the pedal or by hand under the hood) resulted in the engine choking out and nearly stopping. I had my SO pull to the side where we let the car sit for about 15 minutes. I then started it normally and it revved without issue. SO was freaked out and so it went to Saturn Dealer -- where after a $119 diagnostic check it was determined nothing was wrong, but they did find a vacuum hose that had come loose. Fast forward three weeks. SO is trying to pull out into traffic up a ramp. Calls me on cell phone to say the engine is acting the same as before and car is barely making it to the corner gas station. This time I have a car only minutes away, so I drive over and immediately start the engine and rev it normally. I also keep the parking brake on and deliberately try to load up the engine. Keeps running fine. I know SO is going to push for it to go back for another check; aside from informing the person they just can't drive a manual transmision very well (and then ducking) what options are there? Any honest and reasonable thoughts and suggestions appreciated.
I think I am having the same problem with my 2001 Saturn L100 (manual 5 speed with 2.2). It happens when I come up to a stop sign. Its running fine when I pull up to the stop sign but when I try to take off it losses all power and I end up limping through the intersection. I shut the car off and then start it up and it runs fine again. It happens on hot days. I've own the car for 4 years. It would usually happen a couple times a summer except this last summer it probably has happen about five or six times. I also notice my fan on the radiator running really hard every times this has happened even though the temp gauge is not running that hot. I don't want to bring it to a mechanic because it doesn't happen that often and probably be a waste of money. If anybody could give me an idea what's wrong I would appreciate it.
Get the codes read out... Will tell you much more than we can speculate. My understanding is that the fans will run full on as a precaution if a limp home mode is entered due to any fault. * SO = Significant other???
Does the Check Engine Light come on at all? If it did, have it checked at the local parts store. Auto Zone will check it for free. I have had very similar conditions on my Astro. The issue there was carbon buildup breaking free and getting stuck in the Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) valve. This prevented it from closing which causes the engine to choke at idle. I had to rev the engine and hold the brake with my left foot to keep it from dieing at stop lights. Keep us posted. Mike
The EGR was one of the first items I checked when I had an intermittent starting problem and stall at idle earlier this summer (2001 lw300). Pulled the EGR valve and found it remarkably clean and passages all clear. This with 105K miles on it. In my case, turned out to be an intermittent crank angle sensor. Changed it and never had a problem since. Dictionary police say that the word is 'dying' (not dieing which has a different meaning - dictionary.com) <grin> Oppie
I guess I will use the phrase "in the process of becoming dead" from now on. You just have to love the English language. I always think of dying as something my parents would have done to their t-shirts. If they were hippies. Mike
LOL! The English language can be a challenge. Dieing is related to a cutting device. Dying is to cease living and Dyeing is to change the color (as in your parent's Tee-Shirts). Don't take it too seriously, we all get the idea anyway. Now that you got me in the mood, think I'll light some incense and tie-dye some Tees (having come of age in the 60's). ------------------------------- die /da?/ Pronunciation Key - Pronunciation[dahy] noun, plural dies for 1, 2, 4, dice for 3; verb, died, die·ing. -noun 1.Machinery. a.any of various devices for cutting or forming material in a press or a stamping or forging machine. b.a hollow device of steel, often composed of several pieces to be fitted into a stock, for cutting the threads of bolts or the like. c.one of the separate pieces of such a device. d.a steel block or plate with small conical holes through which wire, plastic rods, etc., are drawn. 2.an engraved stamp for impressing a design upon some softer material, as in coining money. 3.sing. of dice. 4.Architecture. dado (def. 1). -verb (used with object) 5.to impress, shape, or cut with a die. -Idiom 6.the die is cast, the irrevocable decision has been made; fate has taken charge: The die is cast-I can't turn back. [Origin: 1300-50; ME de (in early modern E taking the vowel of the pl. form dice) < OF de(i), presumbly < L datum given (neut. ptp. of dare to give), perh. in the deriv. sense "put, placed," hence "played, cast"] Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006. ------------------------------- die /da?/ [dahy] -verb (used without object), died, dy·ing. 1.to cease to live; undergo the complete and permanent cessation of all vital functions; become dead. 2.(of something inanimate) to cease to exist: The laughter died on his lips. 3.to lose force, strength, or active qualities: Superstitions die slowly. 4.to cease to function; stop: The motor died. 5.to be no longer subject; become indifferent: to die to worldly matters. 6.to pass gradually; fade or subside gradually (usually fol. by away, out, or down): The storm slowly died down. 7.Theology. to lose spiritual life. 8.to faint or languish. 9.to suffer as if fatally: I'm dying of boredom! 10.to pine with desire, love, longing, etc.: I'm dying to see my home again. 11.to desire or want keenly or greatly: I'm dying for a cup of coffee. -Verb phrases 12.die away, (of a sound) to become weaker or fainter and then cease: The hoofbeats gradually died away. 13.die down, to become calm or quiet; subside. 14.die off, to die one after another until the number is greatly reduced: Her friends are dying off. 15.die out, a.to cease to exist; become extinct: Both lines of the family died out before the turn of the century. b.to die away; fade; subside: The roar of the engines died out as the rocket vanished into the clouds. -Idioms 16.die hard, a.to die only after a bitter struggle. b.to give way or surrender slowly or with difficulty: Childhood beliefs die hard. 17.die standing up, Theater. (of a performance) to be received with silence rather than applause. 18.never say die, never give up hope; never abandon one's efforts. 19.to die for, stunning; remarkable: That dress is to die for. [Origin: 1150-1200; ME dien, deien < ON deyja. Cf. dead, death] -Synonyms 1. expire, depart. Die, pass away (pass on), perish mean to relinquish life. To die is to become dead from any cause and in any circumstances. It is the simplest, plainest, and most direct word for this idea, and is used figuratively of anything that has once displayed activity: An echo, flame, storm, rumor dies. Pass away (or pass on) is a commonly used euphemism implying a con-tinuation of life after death: Grandfather passed away (passed on). Perish, a more literary term, implies death under harsh circumstances such as hunger, cold, neglect, etc.; figuratively, perish connotes utter extinction: Hardship caused many pioneers to perish. Ancient Egyptian civilization has perished. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006 ---------------------------- dye /da?/[dahy] noun, verb, dyed, dye·ing. -noun 1.a coloring material or matter. 2.a liquid containing coloring matter, for imparting a particular hue to cloth, paper, etc. 3.color or hue, esp. as produced by dyeing. -verb (used with object) 4.to color or stain; treat with a dye; color (cloth, hair, etc.) with a substance containing coloring matter: to dye a dress green. 5.to impart (color) by means of a dye: The coloring matter dyed green. -verb (used without object) 6.to impart color, as a dye: This brand dyes well. 7.to become colored or absorb color when treated with a dye: This cloth dyes easily. -Idiom 8.of the deepest or blackest dye, of the most extreme or the worst sort: a prevaricator of the blackest dye. [Origin: bef. 1000; ME dien, OE déagian, deriv. of déag a dye] -Related forms dy·a·ble, dye·a·ble, adjective dyer, noun Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Wow, this was so old and suddenly a thread. Yes, SO = Significant Other. I had it read for codes at the dealer, maxmimum of 2 restarts between the occurrance and being scanned. No codes (applicable). There was a code of driving with e-brake on <g>. Is the Lw200 with manual the same engine? Curious, but did you have any trouble with the clutch assembly? We fought with Saturn for almost 2 years to have the internal slave cyclinder replaced. When warm the pedal would not disengage the clutch. Very weird and the service advisors kept swearing it was a pure mechanical link. Anyway, no recurrances of the "flooding" lately. <knock on wood>
