3.9 V6 2WD. This started out when I noticed a slight hesitation when I hit the accelerator. Then it would die periodically but only at idle while in gear. Slowly it seemed to get a little worse. So recently I replaced throttle positioning sensor as my mechanic was confident that was the problem. Didn't help. Then two weeks ago the check engine light came on and I started getting a pulsating throttle and dying really quickly unless I kept my foot on the accelerator. I had a hard time just getting the thing in gear without it dying. It also became much harder to start.

The check engine code indicated torque converter clutch solenoid. So I bought the TCC solenoid and started it this morning to drive to my mechanics. The check engine light was off and now its back to how it was before the check engine light came on....just dying periodically at idle in gear with a slight hesitation when I accelerate but without the bad pulsating throttle and the really hard starting.

Now I'm not sure if I should spend the $150 to replace to tcc solenoid or not. My mechanic thinks it might be an intermittent electrical issue like poor grounding. A friend mentioned that the tcc could be an intermittent problem. I'm really not sure where to go from here. Any insight is greatly appreciated.

 

Update: I unplugged the TCC solenoid and there is no change, so apparently that has nothing to do with it.

 

Sounds to me like you have a dirty idle air control. Pull it off, clean it out really good with carb cleaner and bolt it back up. I bet your problem goes away.

 

Thanks. Cleaned it but that didn't fix the problem. The IAC looks brand new so someone obviously replaced it before.