Car stalls and won't start HELP

**redorange** · May 31st, 2007 09:39 AM

What could be the proble with my sister-in-law's 97 Corolla?
The car keep won't start and when they get it running it stalls gasping for air. The mechanic first said it was electrical so they changed the following so far:
Battery, ignition coil, alternator, battery wire connection, spark plug wires.

The car clicks when you turn the keys but it won't start now and she had to get pushed when it stalled on the road.

Could this be MAF sensor or a vacumm problem because it starts to gasp for air according to her before it dies? They have to step on the gas pedal to try and keep it from stalling.

Please help guys, I'm here in the US and they are asking for my assistance but I can't really do anything if I can't see what is going happening to the car. We also really need the car now since my father-in-law is in the hospital.

TIA

The car is in Sucat now any good shops around there? The only one I know of is Autotechnika near ATC if I recall correctly.

**artpogi** · May 31st, 2007 10:02 AM

hmmm.... can only guess

fuel pump? clogged fuel filter?

Kung may malapit na Servitek sa kanila, pwede nila dalahin dun.

PS

I don't know kung malapit sila dito

Goodyear Servitek
#8229 Dr. A. Santos Avenue, Sucat Rd., Sucat, Parañaque City

Telephone 829-4726 to 28

**Gasoline Boy** · May 31st, 2007 10:05 AM

If your Corolla is a GLi, please have the Idle Air Control Valve checked. This gets dirty over time.

**cablespy** · May 31st, 2007 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by redorange

The car keep won't start and when they get it running it stalls gasping for air.

have it tuned up first. change oil, sparkplugs, oil filter. clean or replace the air filter. check the timing.

**dennis powell** · May 31st, 2007 12:01 PM

Originally Posted by redorange

What could be the proble with my sister-in-law's 97 Corolla?
The car keep won't start and when they get it running it stalls gasping for air. The mechanic first said it was electrical so they changed the following so far:
Battery, ignition coil, alternator, battery wire connection, spark plug wires.

The car clicks when you turn the keys but it won't start now and she had to get pushed when it stalled on the road.

Could this be MAF sensor or a vacumm problem because it starts to gasp for air according to her before it dies? They have to step on the gas pedal to try and keep it from stalling.

Please help guys, I'm here in the US and they are asking for my assistance but I can't really do anything if I can't see what is going happening to the car. We also really need the car now since my father-in-law is in the hospital.

TIA

The car is in Sucat now any good shops around there? The only one I know of is Autotechnika near ATC if I recall correctly.

im sorry to hear about your father-in-law,anyway according to them ( your family) they have to step on the gas pedal to let the engine still running,usually maf sensor does this kind of problem,have them check its connection or clean the sensor itself with dry air spray.there are aother things that need to be checked, such as incorrect ignition wiring or faulty coil and also have them check the idle mixture (too lean or too rich),vacuum leak or low idle speed. i hope it will help them out.

**heightdeprived** · May 31st, 2007 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by redorange

What could be the proble with my sister-in-law's 97 Corolla?
The car keep won't start and when they get it running it stalls gasping for air. The mechanic first said it was electrical so they changed the following so far:
Battery, ignition coil, alternator, battery wire connection, spark plug wires.

The car clicks when you turn the keys but it won't start now and she had to get pushed when it stalled on the road.

Could this be MAF sensor or a vacumm problem because it starts to gasp for air according to her before it dies? They have to step on the gas pedal to try and keep it from stalling.

Please help guys, I'm here in the US and they are asking for my assistance but I can't really do anything if I can't see what is going happening to the car. We also really need the car now since my father-in-law is in the hospital.

TIA

The car is in Sucat now any good shops around there? The only one I know of is Autotechnika near ATC if I recall correctly.

What Corolla is it? GLi? XE? XL?
I've experienced the same problem before, both in the 4K and the 2E I think your sister's corolla is powered by 2E which is having a carburetor, I think the idle jet is clogged, a simple choking job at the carb will do the trick, aside from that, the fuel filter will also have to be checked if it is still clean. In case it's already dirty, replacing the fuel filter may prevent the recurrence of the same problem...

**redorange** · May 31st, 2007 01:26 PM

Thanks for the replies and the help everyone. The car is a GLI Corolla and I think it was EFI but I could be wrong. It has had alot replaced already including the coils. I initially thought it was the fuel filter but they have managed to get it to start and it just stalls at some point during the drive. Which made me discount the fuel filter since from experience with my BMW the car wouldn't start at all after the filter was clogged. As far as the timing it hasn't had anything done to it to cause the timing to be wrong, it just started acting up and they were told it was electrical but everything has been replaced connected to the electrical. Thanks for the shop address I will have them take it there to check fuel filter, MAF, idle control valve, and the vacuum