# 91 Cutlass Won't stay running while in gear

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/91-cutlass-wont-stay-running-while-in-gear/64272>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** cutlass, oldsmobile\
**Created:** [April 30, 2011, 10:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/91-cutlass-wont-stay-running-while-in-gear/64272 "2011-04-30T22:43:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![rainbow\_dmj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecb155/32.png) [@rainbow\_dmj](https://community.cartalk.com/u/rainbow_dmj)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 10:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/91-cutlass-wont-stay-running-while-in-gear/64272/1 "2011-04-30T22:43:51Z")

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My car won’t stay running. We’ve replaced the spark plugs, the air and fuel filter, the idle air control and beat on the catalytic converter (lol I know it’s bad but it did make a difference). Honestly I got the car for free, and I don’t love it but it is a necessity. I don’t want to through a bunch of money at it if it isn’t an easy fix. Any ideas?

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**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\
**Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 12:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/91-cutlass-wont-stay-running-while-in-gear/64272/2 "2011-05-01T00:03:01Z")

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“Won’t stay running while its in gear” doesn’t say nearly enough. There are lots of ways that a car stalls.

Please describe exactly what happens - at idle, when you put it in gear, when cold, when hot (if that makes a difference). If you have a tachometer, knowing the rpms while at idle & out of gear would be helpful.

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**Author:** ![rainbow\_dmj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecb155/32.png) [@rainbow\_dmj](https://community.cartalk.com/u/rainbow_dmj)\
**Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 12:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/91-cutlass-wont-stay-running-while-in-gear/64272/3 "2011-05-01T00:50:46Z")

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At idle and cold it runs ok. I don’t have a tach unfortunately. It seems like when it warms up is when the problem happens. It ran ok for a little bit and then the problem started again. I have thought that it might be a vacuum leak but I have no idea where to start looking or how to go about that process.

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**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\
**Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 2:20am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/91-cutlass-wont-stay-running-while-in-gear/64272/4 "2011-05-01T02:20:43Z")

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“Please describe exactly what happens - at idle, when you put it in gear”

In other words: “I start the car and it…[fill in the blank]. Then I put it in gear and it…[fill in the blank]…I come to a stop sign and …etc.”

Either your engine is just running like crap & can’t handle the load when you put it in gear. Or your torque converter clutch could be stuck on & stalling the engine. These are two very different things and the first thing is for you to say enough for people to guess which it is.

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 3:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/91-cutlass-wont-stay-running-while-in-gear/64272/5 "2011-05-01T03:22:00Z")

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Usually when an engine stalls when the vehicle is put into gear, there’s a problem with the fuel pressure.

Tester