Dodge: Dodge Shadow Engine Quits

Hi,

I have a problem with my 94 3L Dodge Shadow, 98k miles.
Sometimes the engine just quits, i.e. it just goes out. It always
happens when I have been driving for a while, usually on a freeway,
and then exit and have to stop at a light or a stop sign. However, now
it seems that the problem occurs more frequently. When it happens, the
rpm just just drops dramatically until the engine dies. When I start
it again the rpm drops immediately again and the engine turns off
again. So what I have to do to keep it running is to accelerate (stay
on the gas) to keep the rpm at a higher level and then suddenly shift
into D or better L to get moving.
I noticed that when I manually shift fist into 3 and then into L every
time I have to stop while driving the problem does not occur, however
this is not really a good solution.

One other thing, I think that the rpm in idle is very low. It is at or
below 500rpm. Does anyone know what is normal for an autom
transmission?

A mechanic I asked about this, said that they would have to run engine
diagnostics and that they cannot solely adjust the idle rpm. However,
I’m worried that I’ll spend 100 bucks and the problem doesn’t occur.

It would be great if anyone had some kinda help for me with this
problem.

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On 7 Jan 2005 13:35:37 -0500, BeeJay <com>
wrote:
 

Not much help, but my '92 3L had exactly the same problem, I think it
contributed to the early demise of 2 transmissions.

Sometimes the problem would happen every day for a week, sometimes it
would be a week or two between ocurrances.

Replaced O2 sensor, exhaust sensor, fuel filter, checked/replaced fuel
line routing, plugs, wires, hoses, all the usual stuff. Over the
course of 9 years I took it to 4 different mechanics and a dealer, no
one ever found the cause. Searched the TSBs with no luck.

Then suddenly after the last transmission rebuild about a year ago,
I've not had the problem again, knock on wood. At least I -think-
that's when it stopped. That's the last work I had done before I
noticed I hadn't had the problem for a while. I do recall that there
was a wiring issue on/in/near the trans and they said they replaced
some wiring, and I've wondered if that was the problem all along.

Your paragraph about shifting into 3 then L makes me wonder... I never
tried that.

good luck
Mike
Mike Patterson
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"I always wanted to be somebody...I should have been more specific..." - Lily Tomlin