93 grand am wont stay running

[racefan1020]

my 93 grand am w/ 4 cyl 2.3l quad 4 dohc, aoutomatic starts and idles fine but when i take it out of park it stalls. the car has a new battery and the alternator works fine. i have no idea what it could be please help!

[rixGAphx]

Could easily be a dirty air filter or a clogged catalytic converter.

But before you throw money at those or any other things, please answer some questions:
1. Does this happen at cold start (morning), warm starts (like while running errands), or both?
2. How is the car once you warm-up and are driving?
a) Does it behave well around town/on highway?
b) Does it stall when you come to a stoplight?
c) Does it have the same power for passing, hill climbing, etc. as it used to have?
3. How many miles?
4. Are you getting decent milage (around 25 mpg city/highway)?
5. Are there any idiot lights showing?
6. Please scan the codes using the 'paper clip' jumper method, and report back to us. There's a thread with the procedure and codes somewhere on this site.

Standing by,
-Rick

[Brad97GS]

Code scanning procedure is in my sig. :) (that seems to be the easiest way to link to that thread...)

[racefan1020]

here are some answers.
1) it happened when the car was cold and after we let it warm up
2) we can't get it out of the drivway
3) n/a
4) 150,000
5) no
6) will do tonight and let you know.

I talk to the lady i bought it from and she said that while she was driving home one day it just died at a stop light. Her son-in-law got it started and drove it over to his house and that is where it has been since. about 1 year. she has had the following items put in alternator, timing chain, heater core, and has had a tune up but that was 1.5 years ago.
the air filter is brand new but who knows about the cataletic converter.

[Brad97GS]

When it stalls, does it just quit, or does it sputter and finally die?

[4kQuad]

Here's my take.

You have spark and are getting fuel. At least enough to idle, if the air filter is clean...Fuel filter.

When the car is idling the motor draws less gas and air into it to run, than when you put it in gear. So it sits and idles fine.

Now drop it in gear, the whole RPM's of the car changes, the motor wants more gas becuase it is in gear and you have your foot on the brake. The motor also want more air for the same reason, its now working harder to continue to run. If the running is labored sounding, then it Wants to Run, but it's not getting enough gas, maybe air, but you say you have checked that.

By the way when you take the air filter out and hold it up to a light, you should be able to see through it. If little light is making it or you can't see through it....the filter is dirty.

Now put it in park and it starts right back up. Again it's in park no draw on the motor so it runs.

:penny:

[93GASE3300]

sounds like a tcc solenoid problem to me. do you have an autozone near by that can check for codes?