And here we are, back in HAF again after years of fun in the V6...
Quick story line up to this point. Previous owner like to tinker. bad bad bad. Bad idle as reason for sale...

Cabin Parts Replaced:
A/C dash control panel - used - used part sometimes goes dark
Shift **** - used - missing a spring? couldn't find a place to put it.
Mirror control unit - used - used part doesn't control passenger mirror, controls driver mirror in left and center switch positions, stole one out of EX haven't installed yet.
both power window units - new - destroyed from oversized speaker install
started to install door speakers, found the baskets were removed so passenger door isn't fully put back together.

Engine Work Performed
IAC - new (original diagnosis for bad idle)
replace front motor mount (original diagnosis for poor shifting)
mostly radiator flush and bleed after IAC replacement, had no idea that much would leak out overnight...
O2 sensors (code previous owner stated)
new battery, oil change, spark plugs, air filter. check other fluids.

Other INFO:
2 Keys - ignition was changed at some point
No Remote - Security seems to blink when it is supposed to and goes off, same as the 98EX
Stereo harness was cut sad sad sad (put covered ends to accept stereo from EX if I get this running)
CEL is on. Maint Req is on. SRS light is on.

So After all that, (Started on Saturday, parts came in on Wednesday, button it up on Friday), YAY Friday! ...commute home over weekend, while driving home CEL goes off, YAY. get home reset maintenance req light, found paperclip hack to reset SRS but have not tried it.
Crank up Monday morning, cold front came in Sunday (for us that's only in the 30°F) Hard start, but runs fine after warming up... commute to work, no idle issues, but noticed tranny slip when coming to stop. worked all day, didn't notice any leaks etc, feeling pretty good about it. Get in car to drive home, make it about 5-10 minutes (stop at *** drop off packages, leave car running) pull back into traffic and while coming to stop at 2nd red light about another mile down the road, it dies before I've stopped. turn off - crank - starts - dies, repeat repeat panic throw in gear to get off road, again again throw in gear to get to parking lot, again, again throw in gear to coast to parking spot. Car now sits there taunting me. Starts, runs for 3-4 seconds dies... showed a little more than 1/8 tank of gas, dumped 5 gallons in needle moves to almost half tank. Starts, runs for 3-4 seconds dies... Check all plugs hoses anything i may have bumped nudged pulled during repairs. can't find anything. Get second opinion, Brother looks it over doesn't see anything. Starts runs for 3-4 seconds dies... Try battery voodoo hack (pull terminals connect jumper, let sit for a few hours) Reconnect battery, cross fingers, Starts runs for 3-4 seconds dies... Starts runs for 3-4 seconds dies... help.....

I think that's everything... What do you think?

Towing by dolly back to shop this morning and looking into fuel pump today, but since it runs fine for the few seconds it does start, I'm not inclined to believe I'll find anything out of order there. Seems to me like its loosing spark not fuel.

 

Check for spark... if no spark, then check ignition coil.
Maybe even check battery/alternator.

If spark is OK, then check if fuel is getting to the engine.
Maybe even check battery/alternator.

Otherwise, check vacuum lines?

 

All obvious stuff Rob, but thanks. It runs. Went to pick it up today with a dolly. cranked it, started, ran 3-4 seconds died. twice, three times. push it to dolly, heavier than it looks on incline. crank throw into gear inch forward, dies. repeat until wheels are in cups... engine continues running... a little high @1500rpm's, but the girl is running. We are confused now. Shut off, strap in. Tow to shop 4-5 miles away, crank up, back it off dolly, pull up to shop door... leave running for almost 20 minutes pulling wires off sensors etc trying to get her to fail. nothing. turn it off cause i need to return dolly, turn back on idle drops to 1k, hey cool "come check it out the idle dropped" stop restart, idle drops again to 800 settles, sputters and dies. start runs 3-4 seconds dies. repeat as before. back to square one... notice in the corner it has thrown a CEL. Time to find a reader. will check back...

 

Hopefully the CEL code will give you some direction. Determining lack of spark or lack of fuel when the engine only runs for a few seconds is a good starting point.

A stuck open EGR valve could cause these symptoms. I wouldn't go straight to the EGR valve without some testing first.

 

bough one of those Zurich readers, came back to car, no cel light anymore, of course. and, it says can't connect. bahumbug. pulled EGR, cleanest i've ever seen. pulled main relay, also looking brand new. gonna just start dice throwing sub $100 parts till something changes. anybody wanna throw the first pair? heading to the trunk for the fuel pump, but since it runs well when it does, doubting i'll find a problem there. was also thinking maybe the knock sensor? any guesses?

 

Does your EGR valve have a vacuum hose, or just an electrical connector?

 

PA, just the electrical, forgot my multimeter, so can't check signal, but if its failing, its age, as the passage is clear. i should be able to just 12v the two bottom pins to see if it plunges eh?

 

I think throwing parts at the car is the wrong approach and can cause you more headaches. I've seen too often where a new aftermarket part fails and makes troubleshooting harder.

A clean EGR valve likely means a previous owner replaced it. Try unplugging the EGR valve electrical connector and see if the car starts?

If the car is still stalling out after a few seconds, get a can of starting fluid. Remove the snorkel to the throttle body. Have an assistant try to start the car while spraying starting fluid into the throttle body. If the car still runs, then you should troubleshoot the fuel system.

Pull the spark plugs to see if some plugs look much different than others or have some strange wear.

Since you have a scanner, start looking at live sensor data to see if something looks way off, like coolant temperature reads 200F when you just start the car. Long and short term fuel trims could be helpful.

 

Too ALL. I appreciate your gift of time. Know that I have 1-2 brothers with me or near also scratching their heads while trying to figure this one out. ( one is competent, one is certified, and one is certifiable)
I get excited when I type, and may not always get my intended point across. Ask if I seem vague about something.

Engine Work Performed
IAC - new (original diagnosis for bad idle) to re-iterate (car ran fine for two days after changing this part, no idle issues and CEL went off) ( the old IAC was pretty clean but the actual moving part inside was gummy and would stick pretty much anywhere you moved it. not spring loaded?)
replace front motor mount (original diagnosis for poor shifting)
mostly radiator flush and bleed after IAC replacement, had no idea that much would leak out overnight... (will bleed again after putting the throttle body back on)
O2 sensors (code previous owner stated) (BOTH have been changed)(car ran better after this service but was still poor idling)
new battery, oil changed, new spark plugs, checked air filter. checked other fluids.

The throttle body and EGR are currently off the car, been waiting since last week to get a new gasket in. I hope to get that back on today, maybe then I can attempt "While the car is running"suggestions. The EGR is rusted and looks 'original', what I meant was the passage was clear, without buildup, like wiping it with a rag would not have removed any debris, same for most of the manifold. Butterfly was only beginning to retain buildup around the edges, wiped clean. While it feels like it is sticking, i noticed the spring is still just very tight. The gas pedal almost feels as if its being 'released' when pushing it down from dead stop.

I'll look, but if someone wants to point me toward a "how to" for posting pictures here, Ill shoot a few of whatever you ask for if visuals would help explain anything.

Honestly i'm curious to just put the car on an incline again to see if putting it on the dolly gravitated something tight or loose that caused it to run the day we towed it back to the shop. that really boggled the mind.

Thanks for the suggestions, whether they work or not, it still makes my brain work harder to try more things...

 

still haven't put it back together, but opened the trunk in passing and pulled cover to pump
will the fuel pump NOT get signal while the EGR, map sensor, IAC, etc are not connected under the hood? not hearing a prime when turning ignition, opened cover, unplugged pump replugged pump, nothing. what would be intermittent for fuel pump?

will check again after i put it back together later.