Wagon Issues

[Pietenpol]

94 Wagon that I inherited from my Mother. It started having issues last summer. Would start and drive strong but steadily had issues starting after it had sat. Flooring the pedal got it to start and then it would drive fine. Car sat for a few months and next time I tried to drive it I got it started but it would die at stops. I nursed it home goosing it at stops. Plugs looked shot so I replaced them. Checked codes and nothing shows but the 12 default. After I put the plugs in the car ran great down the road....turned around in the neighborhood and first stop I came to it died. Nursed it home again. Plugs are sooty. Checking ects and plug wires now...any other thing I should be looking at?

[Col.FUBAR]

Clean out the throttle body + butterfly valve and the EGR valve passageways, they will be all carboned up from having a bad ECTS.

[TomM96]

>it helps to list salient parameters like :mileage; location driven ; garaged; amount body rust; model types....

>given a 'MATURE' vehicle , unused for some time ...

-drain/refill with fresh fuel , the fuel tank? OR , AFTER other pressing maintenance issues , after draining the tank ,add about 3 gallons gasoline , and enough fuel injection cleaner for a full tank of gas ... to clean up the 15year-old injectors.
-renew the fuel filter
-check/measure/assess: (a) fuel pressure (b) EGR function {as with vacuum gage to see if stuck open} (c) compression test
-remove ignition power pack, clean mating/mounting surfaces , etc.
-after you operate the engine for an hour or few , drain and refill the crancase with fresh oil while renewing oil-filter.
-renew 'PCV' valve
-do the OBDI code-reading gig , or have a pro scan it.

[SaturnSL2Guy]

Definitely check the ECTS. I was having all kinds of idle issues and engine problems before I replaced it. Clean all the sensors, and take a look at the ECTS. The tip had cracked. This may not be your only problem, but it might solve the stalling at stops, which is what my car did. If you replace the ECTS, let the ecu reset. I didn't do that and drove around on a new sensor but the computer was still sending info and compensating for a bad sensor, so it ran worse until I reset everything. Good Luck!

[madpogue]

Unlikely a "wet" TB like this one is carboned up. ECTS is prime suspect.