I have a 93 Bonneville SE with 112,000 miles on it. Lately, when I go to start the engine after the car has been sitting for a while, the engine will quickly rev up like normal immediately after it is started, but then the rpm'* will drop to 1,000 and the engine will shake and sputter for a second or two as if it is stalling out (at the same time the lights in the car dim). The engine then revs up to 1,500 rpms and will idle there for a while. If left to idle for a while, the rpm'* slowly drop. after the car has been driven for a while, it will idle at 1,000 rpms. It is not cold here now (I live in Pennsylvania) so I do not think it is an issue with starting in the cold. If I drive the car around for a while, shut it off, and then start it again, it starts normally. Does anyone have any idea why it would seem like it wants to stall out immediately after starting? I appreciate any info. The car still has a lot of power and the engine runs smoothly when it is running so I do not think that I have a miss or anything in it.


Also...

I have another question. I was wondering if anyone had any oppinions on putting STP ultra concentrated fuel injector cleaner into the fuel. I had bought the bottle and was just about to put it in the next tiem I fill up my tank. Any oppnions on the use of this stuff?

Thanks for any help.

Thats crazy, I was having the EXACT same problem with my '93 ssei. I can't really say how I plan on fixing it, you'll have to read my signature for info on why.

I think that may be normal... That'* what mine does.

The car starts out with the rpms around 1000-1500 because the lower rpms will stall the car out when it'* cold. But then the computer starts dropping the rpms down and... whoops the car will stall out again, so it raises it back up a little higher until the car is sufficiently warm and will run at 750.

I guess its possible that something would cause the car to stall out when cold at lower rpms, other than age, but brand new cars increase the idle speed upon cold startup too.

A good tuneup will sometimes fix or make the symptoms a bit less severe. You may also have a dirty throttle body.

Thanks for all of the good info. I will have to check that out. I currently have the fuel injector cleaner in my gas. I am not liking the way the car is running now. I hope that it will run better when I am done with this tank and am running regular gas again. Thanks again for the info.

Jim

Thats all good but what he was talking about was the Throttle body...where you intake hose attaches. The fuel injector cleaner won't touch that. He'* saying you should go get a can of TB cleaner and spray it in there to clean it out. I tried that on mine and funny enough it wasen't soon AFTER that I had the problem. Matter a fact it was immediately following an oil change...makes you really wonder what it was on mine huh?

Jim is having a similar problem. His TB was cleaned recently, and I think some leftover carbon has worked loose. A second cleaning may be in order if this happens.

Hey will it seems like your watching this post. Get on yahoo man! I got a few q'* for you and can't stand the delay. Delete this joker

Today I filled up with Ultra 94 gas, so time to see if it was a load of bad gas. However the fuel line cleaner that I used last week may have contributed to the start up problems that I am dealing with now. May have loosened something...as Will mentioned.

Time to get the TB cleaned anyway

Does anyone know where I can find a good set of instructions on how to clean my throttle body? I am not used to doing a lot of my own work on my car and can use all of the help I can get. Also, is cleaning the throttle body an easy job for a beginner?

It'* a little more difficult on a non-supercharged car, but only because it'* a little tighter on space when removing it. It'* a great place to start for you.

I can almost talk you through it by memory. I've done them on my SSEi and the neighbor'* SSE.

If you're up to it, go get a new Throttle Body Gasket from the dealer (cheap) and a couple cans of INTAKE cleaner.......it must say on the label that it'* safe for intakes. Carburetor cleaner won't do. From that point, if you have a decent set of metric wrenches and sockets, we can take you right through it.

Oh, you'll need an old toothbrush, too! There'* a dozen of us here that can get you through it any time you're ready.

Welcome to the Bonneville Club!