hey guys and gals i have an 89 rs with the 305 in it and needs some insight on trouble shooting stall on reverse and drive application ive tried checking the air sensors vacuums and other things also will rough idle when turning headlights on or pressing brake.
cleaned the throttle position sensor and going to check the egr im replacing the fuel filter and oil filters/oil change soon but any tips would be appreciated it has 247000kms on it previous owner says it had a rebuild not entirely sure if it was or not looks pretty original other than new starter and some other parts thanks for your time!


PS will also sometimes stall from idle when turning on lights

 

Sounds to me like the TCC is malfunctioning. Although your alternator bearings may be bad and putting excessive drag on the engine...

 

whats a tcc sorry noob here

 

Torque converter lock-up solenoid. I edited my first post. You replied FAST...

 

nvm its torque converter related is what you are saying and i am beginning to wonder if its the solenoid

 

ugh hope its not the solenoid but it is a almost 30 year old car XD

 

If it's the solenoid (may not be), it's an inconvenience but not a major thing. Solenoid is around 25 bucks and all the trans fluid (and pan gasket) will need replaced. Might as well change the filter too. First; remove the belt (or belts) and make sure the pullies are all spinning freely. I had alternator bearings come apart on a Ford Escort many years ago and it would stall the engine at idle. Wasn't even making noise...

 

Unplug the 4 pin connector at the Trans and see if it fixes it

 

Problem is probably NOT the torque converter or anything related to it.

Problem is probably NOT the alternator or anything related to it.

See my signature for help with troubleshooting. As you read it, place particular emphasis on the word "ALL".

While of course it's possible that the OP has BOTH a bad alt AND a TCC problem, the likelihood of BOTH problems simultaneously appearing in the SAME car at the SAME time is somewhat … quantum-mechanical.

I'd recommend looking at classic "driveability" type issues. Things like, fuel injectors that need cleaned. It would be helpful to tell whether this car is TBI or TPI. If TBI, it takes about a half-hour, a $10 kit, and a quart of lacquer thinner to "rebuild" the injectors. Given that this will make the car run about 1000% better EVEN IF they're not The Problem, it's the VERY FIRST THING I would do. Even before replacing spark plugs. If it's TPI, one can buy a set of cleaned, flow-matched, fully tested ones from any number of places, including acoupla the sponsors of this forum, with whom I've done business myself and had good results; a FULL SET (qty 8) of them like this, costs less than ONE "new" replacement. Next thing I'd look at would be the distributor itself; not "have it tested", not "how can it be bad if it starts and runs", not "looks OK to me", NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT. Those things are NOTORIOUS for failing in weird, cryptic, bizarre modes, mostly related to the pickup coil sintered-iron magnetic pole pieces crumbling to dust. Which of course, one can always replace the ICM, pickup coil, etc. etc. etc.; but one would STILL be left with an old wore-out sloppy-loose POS with about a million miles on it. If there is ANY suspicion that it's bad, just REPLACE IT, the whole thing. Don't try to "repair" it.