Check the basics. Start with checking the plugs for wear. You also check wires distributor cap, and rotor. One easy way to check for arcing is to spray water on all ignition parts to see if you can see any arcing. You can also do a power balence test which you use insulated plyers or any non conductive tool to remove a spark plug wire from each cylinder one at a time while the engine is running to see if the idle gets worse. The cylinder that has no effect when the wire is pulled is the problem cyl.
Check the Mass Airflow Meter and the idle speed control motor.
A bad Coolant Temperature Sensor (CTS) or a bad Oxygen Sensor (O2) can cause such problem. You can test CTS with a scan tool and comparing actual ambient air temperature and the reading the CTS is giving. They should be within 2 or 3 degrees of each other.
Or put a thermometer in the radiator while the engine is running and compare the CTS reading and actual coolant temperature.
2.You have spark ?
3,Do you have compression.
You have two of three parts you need to start an engine .
You need to check the compression of the engine ,need to know if you have good compression or a few bad cylinders .As I'm thinking you may have a bad timing belt (may of slipped).
If the compression is checked faulty/bad.
Then this could be due to the belt being off a few teeth
worth checking, if the belt is correct, not worth repairing as this is a sign of bad rings and valves and will need a full O/H (overhaul).
Engine stalls when gas is given?
http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/01/engine-stalls-when-gas-is-given.html
Car stalls when MAF sensor is connected?
http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/01/car-stalls-when-maf-sensor-is-connected.html
Car Engine Stalls While Driving?
http://schematicsdiagram.blogspot.com/2011/12/car-engine-stalls-while-driving.html
Car stalls and throws white smoke from exhaust?
http://repairhelpcenter.blogspot.com/2012/01/car-stalls-and-throws-white-smoke-from.html
It can be the Vacuum booster problem.
Basically for this types of problems when noticed,try this procedure:----
Press the gas pedal to the floor or, when it gets really stubborn, unplug the fuel injector fuse and then crank the engine few times to burn the extra fuel in the engine. This usually works.Also few more possibilities can cause this :----
A bad Coolant Temperature Sensor (CTS) or a bad Oxygen Sensor (O2) can cause such problem. You can test CTS with a scan tool and comparing actual ambient air temperature and the reading the CTS is giving. They should be within 2 or 3 degrees of each other.
Or put a thermometer in the radiator while the engine is running and compare the CTS reading and actual coolant temperature.
As you mentioned,that it stalls and dies.Then it again starts after few minutes.
This clears that there is fuel and spark,what about compression.
1.You have fuel ?2.You have spark ?
3,Do you have compression.
You have two of three parts you need to start an engine .
You need to check the compression of the engine ,need to know if you have good compression or a few bad cylinders .As I'm thinking you may have a bad timing belt (may of slipped).
Then this could be due to the belt being off a few teeth
worth checking, if the belt is correct, not worth repairing as this is a sign of bad rings and valves and will need a full O/H (overhaul).
This all possibilities mentioned are to be checked.
This will help.
Thanks.
Also see the latest solved car problems :-----
