5KCS - The saga continues

[Steve Sherman <steves@cyrix.com>]

Well it seems that my celebration in fixing my low power/idle stalling
problem was a bit premature.  After a week or so of great performance,
the/a problem has returned.

(BTW - I would still recommend the air mass sensor cleaning.  It has
made a great improvement in performance, at least when the car is not
stalling out that is ;-)

Now the problem seems not only be hard starting and low rpm idle,
leading to a stall; but also an occassional low power situation at high
rpm as well. (My wife's happy that I've seen this, as she had reported
it to me, but I had never seen it until now). When it occurs it is all
one I can do to keep the engine from stalling.  A floored pedal will
keep things running at 4k rpm, but at very reduced power...

This happened on the way home last nite.  Right from cold start the car
was in this low power mode, low rpm almost stalling and very low power.
I drove/nursed home this way, anxiously awaiting getting home to tap
sensors and wiggle wires, when as I turned onto a dirt road the car
suddenly went normal.  For several 100' up this washboard road,
everything was fine, then it went back into low power mode...

At home the car stalled as soon as I took my foot off the gas.  Diag
codes were 4444, eg no problem.

Again I am soliciting advice from the list.  Several listers have
suggested that this could be an O2 sensor problem, causing rich
mixture.  That sounds possible, but the way it fell into and out the
problem mode when going over bumps makes me wonder a bit.  Do O2
sensors fail in a way that switches on/off with mechanical bumping?
Also the
hard starting is not likely an O2 thing, as that sensor is not turned on

yet...  I thought that a leaking cold start valve might be causing a
similar rich running situation.  Same for a ECU temp sensor.

Any BTDT's out there?

(I've got an appt Fri at a shop, butit would be personally statisfying
to find this before then)

TIA

Steve