long problem i have been trying to fix here guys. okay, back in the fall i power washed my engine. after that (possibly before dont remember) my car began to stall out at highway speeds and the check engine light would come on. i would pull over and shut the car off and try to restart it. sometimes the car would start right back up and i wouldnt have the problem for weeks, other times it would take a while to get it restarted. nevertheless the check engine light would only come on when it stalled out- it wouldnt stay on. so i continued to drive the car until one day it stalled out like 15 times on a trip. i parked the car and began researching possible fuel problems. bought a new fuel filter but did not put it in. i can hear the fuel pump so i know that is working. the fuel filter on my car is about 3- 4 years old and i didnt feel like getting gas all over myself so i avoided changing it. then i let the car sit for 2 monthes and tried to drive it again. This time it began to stall /sputter at slow speeds and even idle sometimes only when i pres the gas. It wil idle fine but if i press the gas it will sputter again. I let it sit fora few more monthes and here i am now trying to fix it once again. Ive read a few posts about similar problems - but they never finish with the diagnosis! now i took my distributor cap off and the inside terminals are all cororred i dont know if its from sitting or what and the rotor is also black . i am going to change them this week but i doubt that is the problem. i did the paperclip trick and found 2 codes come up CODE 46 Fault at vehicle anti-theft sytem OR
Fault at power steering switch and code 53 High voltage at battery OR
High voltage at exhaust gas recirculation valve OR
Voltage reference error OR
Problem at vehicle anti-theft system
seeing these codes pop up make me think puttinga new cap and rotor on isnt going to solve any problems for me please respond with any relevant info other wise ill update with results of the cap/rotor change

 

Go for the cap and rotor, and clean and thoroughly dry the pickup coil before you start the engine. The pressure washing may have indeed introduced moisture into the distributor. As the moisture heated from engine heat (and vaporized) it would coat the inner surfaces of the distributor and start conducting the spark away from the intended terminal.

Let us know how it runs with the new ignition parts. You may also want to closely inspect the HEI switching module for moisture on and under it.

 

I had problems like this as well. My car would sputter at idle as well though and stall. I replaced the TPS and the car runs perfect.

 

i was having that same problem here last week....it was the 02 sensor...so u might wanna check that out...its also could be

1. fuel filter
2.fuel pump
3.fuel injectos
4.maf sensor
5.coil pack
6. ur timing skipped a notch

let me know how it goes............

 

okay guys i have installed a new distributor cap and rotor car ran for 15 minutes no problems with a spin around the block power seemed low but maybe it wasnt warmed up i dont have time to mess around with it until thursday but thanks for the info...also...mydistributor cap points u nderneath were heavily corroded and the rotor was black with soot is this a sign of anything or maybe from when i power washed, moisture got under there. il have to take it on a long trip to see if the stalling problem is fixed but i cant do that till thursday nght.....getting wasted at the st patricks day parade hahahaha okay thanks

 

okay i thought the problem was fixed but a few days later it re arose. driving back home from school and car started misfiring on the highway like crazy for a mile then it went back to normal but when i got home the idle was at like 2 thousand rpms i guess its a sensor problem i was thinking about changing the idle sensor and the TPS but i dont know where they are can someone help me