Check engine light and car stall fault code 13?

[92vpcom]

Hi there,

Car info: V6 VP commodore 3.8l

Recently my check engine light came on for a while and nothing else happened. A few days later it came back on and the car stalled whilst driving @ 50km (engine just cut out, didn't sputter or anything). Checked for fault code and came back as nothing (12) Replaced fuel filer, oil filter, oil, coolant, thermostat, oil pressure sender.

Sounded much better, Drove for 30 mins and check engine light came on again, car didn't stall but struggled for a second or two (couldn't excelerate) and then kept going, on the way home the light came back on and the engine cut out. waited a min or two and car started but stalled. waited another min and car started and kept going. Checked code when I got home and code 13.

Other info: I think I have air in the fuel line/a hole in the fuel tank, When i turn the ignition on I can hear a light electronic sound coming from the fuel pump.

A few q's - is the fuel pump suppose to make this noise? Could the air in the fuel line cause this type of stalling? could a hole (in top of fuel tank) cause air to enter the fuel line? with the code 13, is the o2 sensor faulty or is the 02 sensor detecting too much air and cutting out the engine?

Your help would be appreciated!!!

[Dum*P*ster]

The fuel pump sound is normal.


When you 1st start your car.. Do You let the fuel make this sound before it stops? - Then start the car?

When driving..Does your car lose Power..Shudder..Rattle..etc etc?
When sitting at Red Lights..What does the car do? (It should idle nicely..with the odd miss..)

Have you Cleaned / Replaced your Pod / Pannel Filter?
Have you cleaned out the IAC (Idle Air Control) and the Throttle Body?


[EDIT] - Just checked.. Code 13 is "Code 13 - Oxygen Sensor (O2) " Might need replacing.. It sits in your Exhaust Manifold.. On the Right hand side of the engine

[92vpcom]

The fuel pump sound is normal.


When you 1st start your car.. Do You let the fuel make this sound before it stops? - Then start the car?

When driving..Does your car lose Power..Shudder..Rattle..etc etc?
When sitting at Red Lights..What does the car do? (It should idle nicely..with the odd miss..)

Have you Cleaned / Replaced your Pod / Pannel Filter?
Have you cleaned out the IAC (Idle Air Control) and the Throttle Body?


[EDIT] - Just checked.. Code 13 is "Code 13 - Oxygen Sensor (O2) " Might need replacing.. It sits in your Exhaust Manifold.. On the Right hand side of the engine

The fuel pump sound continues - I don't think that sound goes away at all, if you mean the sound of the fuel going through the pipes because of the air then that happens every so often whilst driving, not just at start up.

Nope car doesn't shudder or rattle, first the engine light comes on, then the excellerator is kinda "sticky" and then the engine just cuts out and all the dash lights come on (battery light, park break light, check engine.. e.t.c) It normally only happens once every time I take the car out.

At lights it's a little rough but nothing noticibly different before the problem started occuring

Have you Cleaned / Replaced your Pod / Pannel Filter? - No
Have you cleaned out the IAC (Idle Air Control) and the Throttle Body? - No

Guess thats my next step?

[92vpcom]

The fuel pump sound is normal.


When you 1st start your car.. Do You let the fuel make this sound before it stops? - Then start the car?

When driving..Does your car lose Power..Shudder..Rattle..etc etc?
When sitting at Red Lights..What does the car do? (It should idle nicely..with the odd miss..)

Have you Cleaned / Replaced your Pod / Pannel Filter?
Have you cleaned out the IAC (Idle Air Control) and the Throttle Body?


[EDIT] - Just checked.. Code 13 is "Code 13 - Oxygen Sensor (O2) " Might need replacing.. It sits in your Exhaust Manifold.. On the Right hand side of the engine

Sorry, didn't see the edit lol, Yeah I thought about replacing it but if it's faulty would that cause the car to stall? or is it sencing too much air and cutting the engine? or does the ECU detect it's not working and cut the enigne?

I guess what I wanna know is would a faulty oxygen sensor have the abilty to cause these problems with the stalling.

Thanks so much for your help.

[Dum*P*ster]

DEFIANTLY sounds like your TB and IAC are clogged..Or close to it.. Get some Carburetor Cleaner.. * I wil find the How-To for you in a sec*
..

As for Fuel Pump, when you turn the key and just about to Fire the engine up.. the pump should go.. "buzz..for 2-3 seconds" then will stop, This when its best for you to start the Car up..
However, when the car is running..this buzzing sound is still noticeable.. Should be relatively quiet tho.. If its noticeably loud..then either you have LOW fuel..or the pump is about to shit itself

[EDIT] - ok. here is the Guide.. its done in a VR.. but.. vn-vp-vr use the same engine so its all good

CleaningThrottle Body VR V6

[Dum*P*ster]

Sorry, didn't see the edit lol, Yeah I thought about replacing it but if it's faulty would that cause the car to stall? or is it sencing too much air and cutting the engine? or does the ECU detect it's not working and cut the enigne?

I guess what I wanna know is would a faulty oxygen sensor have the abilty to cause these problems with the stalling.

Thanks so much for your help.

It can.. But, normally.. In my experience with a shitty sensor like this.. it would make my car Idle rough..and choke... but never stalled.

[sik_dose]

broken O2 sensor wont make your car stall, all it will do is drive your fuel bill through the roof, Cleaning the TB and IAC is a good idea if you have never done it, if problem persists check you DFI, coils and crank angle sensor.

EDIT: or use WINALDL and a diagnostic cable and find the problem straight away. (i have one for sale ;-)

[Cheap6]

The O2 sensor code will likely be a symptom rather than a cause. A faulty O2 sensor won't stop the car on its own.

I would agree with the suggestion of a dying fuel pump cutting out intermittently. If it is, the car will crank longer than usual before starting as the pump has to repressurise the lines. Maybe something similar like water in the fuel too - not so much without driveability symptoms as well though.

Another possibility is the (very common) crank angle sensor failure. That will sometimes die when heat soaked and restart, if it is going to, when cooled. Sometimes that will set a code 41.

The ECM's have been known to fail sometimes also. Often indicated by a code 42. You can try tapping the ECM case with your fingers with the car running to see if that triggers the stall.

Random intermittent electrical connection - wiggle the various connectors around the engine and ECM to see if you can get the stall to occur.

Possibly a faulty DFI module but they are pretty reliable unless fried by something else failing.

[92vpcom]

Ok so I've taken it all off and cleaned it put most of it back together, and for good messure I bought a new o2 sensor and installed it.

Problem is, when taking out the TB I took off the whole throttle plate (including large springs) I've put everything back to gether but can't seem to get the throttle plate/spings back in the right position... it doesn't spring back.

Anyone think they can explain/have pics for how to put it back on right?