Engine stalls when put into gear
I had my automatic transmission rebuilt a 46RE in a 2002 dodge Dakota 5.9 L…. I put it back in and went through the process of filling the tranny up….put 6 quarts in,went through all gears just fine….put it in neutral,put 2 more quarts in and went to go through the gears again…..dropped it in 1st and it jumped,bogged down and died….started it back up and put it in reverse…same thing happens bogged down and dies….. every time I put it in any gear it dies…..seems lik the torque converter is locked up but it spun freely when I was tightening the flex plate bolts to the converter..
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hello. Engine stalling can be caused by a wide variety of issues. Anything from transmission issues, fuel problems, to wiring problems can all cause an engine to stall when put into gear. If you recently rebuilt the transmission it may be possible that the issue is related to the service. As you stated, it may be possible that the torque converter is locking up for some reason, perhaps due to a mechanical issue or a fluid pressure issue. It may also be possible that the stalling is being caused by issues with the engine management system. Perhaps an issue with one of the components, such as the fuel pump or idle air control valve is causing the vehicle to stall out when put under load. I would start by trying to determine if the stalling is transmission or engine management related and go from there. If the check engine light is illuminated, scanning for trouble codes will likely reveal some insight into what the problem may be. As these sorts of engine management issues can sometimes be difficult to diagnose, I would recommend having a professional technician, such as one from YourMechanic, come to your location to diagnose what may be causing your stalling.
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The internal transmission seals are leaking pressure to reverse and forward gears at the same time and lock up transmission then stalls the engine. You will need to have a pressure test on the transmission to see if the leak is caused by a leaking seal or a leaking reverse or forward solenoid.
The most common reasons a Dodge Dakota engine stalling are the fuel system, the air intake system, or the ignition system. Search our network of RepairPal Certified shops near you to speak with a technician about your issue.
Low fuel pressure, dirty or defective fuel injectors, or broken fuel pump: The fuel pump is responsible for transferring fuel from the tank to the engine. A malfunctioning fuel pump can result in low fuel pressure, which means that there is an inconsistent stream of fuel to the engine.
Stalling when the vehicle is put in gear simply occurs if the engine cannot accommodate the load. Among the potential causes of that are faults in engine controls. A mechanic can test the throttle position sensor and idle control valve as well as the manifold absolute pressure (MAP) sensor.
There are three major causes for a stalled engine: A lack of fuel, a lack of air flow and improper ignition. Running out of fuel is one of the most common causes of engine stalling, but dirty fuel injectors or a plugged fuel filter can also be the culprit. Your engine needs air to run properly as well.
Once the transmission fluid is checked most common faults are the torque converter, Idle air control valve, vacuum leaks, or a wiring harness fault. A qualified Technician such as one from YourMechanic will be able to diagnose your engine shuts off when put in drive and make any repairs required.
A faulty crankshaft position sensor will be unable to identify the exact piston position, triggering an engine misfire. This causes your car to shut off while driving. A drop in performance, fuel efficiency, rough engine, etc., are some important symptoms of a damaged crankshaft position sensor.
When your engine shuts off when you slow the car down its often as a result of a: Malfunctioning transmission. Low fuel pressure, dirty or defective fuel injectors, or broken fuel pump. Bad oxygen sensor or mass flow sensor.
Here are some of the most common: You don`t have enough gas in the vehicle. Even if you`re not showing an empty tank, accelerating from a stop while you`re on an incline may not allow gas to reach the fuel pump that goes to the engine. You have a faulty fuel pump.
If the torque converter is broken, or if there is a low fluid level in the transmission, the converter will not do its job, and the car will be unable to maintain power at low speeds, which causes the engine to shut off.
When the transmission has actually gone out, basically your vehicle will not move. This is because the gears can no longer get power from the engine. As a result, the engine will idle, stall, or surge when shifting gears.
The most common culprits include clogged fuel injectors, clogged transmission fluid lines, bad fuel pump, bad fuel filter, failing idle control valve, failing sensors, and poor earthling connections.
If your car`s transmission has an internal pressure problem, it can cause the torque converter to lock up, causing your car to stall. Though not as often the culprit of engine stalling than others, the transmission shouldn`t be overlooked when searching for the root cause.
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the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
Engine stalls when put into gear
ANSWER : Hello. Engine stalling can be caused by a wide variety of issues. Anything from transmission issues, fuel problems, to wiring problems can all cause an engine to stall when put into gear. If you recently rebuilt the transmission it may be possible that the issue is related to the service. As you stated, it may be possible that the torque converter is locking up for some reason, perhaps due to a mechanical issue or a fluid pressure issue. It may also be possible that the stalling is being caused by issues with the engine management system. Perhaps an issue with one of the components, such as the fuel pump or idle air control valve is causing the vehicle to stall out when put under load. I would start by trying to determine if the stalling is transmission or engine management related and go from there. If the check engine light is illuminated, scanning for trouble codes will likely reveal some insight into what the problem may be. As these sorts of engine management issues can sometimes be difficult to diagnose, I would recommend having a professional technician, such as one from YourMechanic, come to your location to diagnose what may be causing your stalling.
Read Full Q/A … : Engine stalls when put into gear
The car cannot be put in gear when the engine runs
ANSWER : Hello. It sounds like the clutch slave cylinder may not be working properly or has completely failed. The slave cylinder is what makes it easy for you to manually shift through the gears of the car. When the slave cylinder isn’t working properly, or fails completely, it may be difficult to go into gear and difficult to shift through gears. Have a certified technician, like one from YourMechanic, come out to inspect your car’s shifting issues and potentially replace the clutch slave cylinder.
Read Full Q/A … : Engine stalls when put into gear
Hi. Ok my sisters vechicle just started to stall when put into any gear . When its in park it idles pretty good.
ANSWER : The stalling may be due to the intake manifold has a vacuum leak or the idle air control valve is defective and cannot compensate for the transmission load. Have the throttle body cleaned and idle air valve cleaned or replaced if it sticks. Have the computer tested to see if the system is clear of any codes. If idle is normal and transmission is binding then it would of stalled with wheels up. The problem is most likely in the idle control or variable intake control valves. Have the systems checked by a mechanic like one from YourMechanic.
Read Full Q/A … : Engine stalls when put into gear
My truck won’t allow me to change gears even when pressing the clutch. No gears go in at all. Makes it impossible to drive.
ANSWER : Hello, this concern is possibly the slave or clutch master cylinder failure. These two components use brake fluid to apply pressure for movement of the clutch system. This fluid breaks down in time and causes the seals to fail (leak). A low fluid level would cause this concern as well as internal leakage. Replacement of components would be necessary. This type of concern would need to be inspected. If you’d like, a certified technician from YourMechanic can come to your location to diagnose your vehicle, and possibly replace your clutch master cylinder if need be.
Read Full Q/A … : Engine stalls when put into gear
My manual car won’t go into gear, it turns on and the clutch goes down perfectly fine. It happened after my gears grinded, the car
ANSWER : If the clutch mechanism is releasing properly, and the shift linkage is not malfunctioning, your transmission will have to be removed from the vehicle and inspected. Once a transmission has been removed from a vehicle, if the problem is a broken or worn part or parts, and the transmission has 100,000 miles or more, the most cost effective approach is to just simply rebuild the whole transmission. There are transmission rebuild kits that are sold just for this purpose. Rebuilding a transmission is no big deal and is indeed easier in many respects than rebuilding an engine. You can rebuild your transmission right in your own garage. You can NOT rebuild an engine in your own garage due to the highly specialized, and extremely costly, machine shop equipment required. Occasionally, mobile mechanics will take on a transmission rebuild job especially as once the mechanic removes the transmission from the vehicle, it is just simply a modular unit that can be easily transported to a mechanic’s shop and rebuilt right there and then returned to your vehicle. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
Read Full Q/A … : Engine stalls when put into gear
I just got my 99 BMW 528i back had a transmission put in was running fine but out of nowhere when I put it in gear it’s stallin
ANSWER : Stalling can be caused by a number of issues. A vacuum leak can be a cause. If during the repairs, a vacuum line was left loose or the air intake tube was cracked/damaged. Too much air can effect the air / fuel mixture and when the idle drops when shifting out of park, the engine can stall. Other components such as the idle air control valve and throttle position sensor can cause the same issue. Even if a fault code is not present for either, they can be slow or lag in their response. If they lag enough, the engine can stall before they can compensate for the idle drop when shifting out of Park. With the proper scan tools, a certified technician can look into the stalling to determine if fault codes are present or if any of the sensors are not responding correctly. A simple code reader does not give you actual sensor values.
Read Full Q/A … : Engine stalls when put into gear
car runs great when engine is cold but dies when engine is warm
ANSWER : This sounds like there is a problem with the MAF (mass airflow) sensor. When your vehicle is cold, the PCM (Powertrain Control Module) is in what is known as open loop. Open loop is a preprogrammed program put in place for warm up. Closed loop is when the PCM begins using the sensors to adjust fuel ratio. The primary sensor the PCM uses to make decisions is the MAF. I’m leaning toward three possible problems here. The MAF may have been damaged during cleaning, the connector may have a bent pin from disconnecting and reconnecting its connector or the boot that connects the MAF to the throttle body has developed an air leak.
Before condemning the MAF, make sure there isn’t any unmetered air entering the motor after the MAF. This will confuse the PCM and things just won’t work correctly. Unmetered air is what we call it when there is a leak between the MAF and the throttle body.
Of course, make sure the MAF has been plugged in. If it is, disconnect the connector and inspect the pins. It is fairly common for the small electrical pins in all sensors to get bent over when reconnecting their connector.
It is very easy to damage sensors in the area of the throttle body when cleaning it. Carburetor cleaner can damage sensors. The one I am particularly worried about is the IAC valve. These can stick and cause many different idle control issues.
If this isn’t of any help to you, I recommend having a certified technician, such as one from YourMechanic, diagnose your stalling condition for an accurate repair.
Good luck!
Read Full Q/A … : Engine stalls when put into gear
Loose gearbox that won’t find 2nd or 5th gear, sometimes hard to differentiate between 1st and 3rd.
ANSWER : There are a couple of possibilities. The first thing that comes to mind is of course the shifter itself. There is a nylon ball and socket joint at the base of the gearshift lever that sometimes falls apart, making the feel of the shifter very vague. Additionally, there are links to the transmission shift linkage that involve nylon bushings and joints that can fall apart. Both problems are very common on your car. The other less common possibility is that you have a bad motor mount that is allowing the transmission to move around too much when you try to shift gears. either way, it’s not a big deal to fix, and probably won’t require expensive transmission work. If you contact Your Mechanic, they can send a technician to your home or office to check out you shifting issue and let you know what repairs it will take to correct it.
Read Full Q/A … : Engine stalls when put into gear
