I just bought a used 2004 Dodge Stratus with about 46,000 miles on it. It sat for a year without being driven. (I bought it off of a nursing home, selling it for a dementia patient). They replaced the battery before I bought it. It will start right up, but will not stay started unless I give it gas. It used to die in idle, but, I put a liquid tune up and a fuel injector cleaner in my gas tank and that has helped. However, it will die almost immediately after I start it. So, it has a new battery, I replaced the air filter and given it two treatments (liquid tune up and fuel injector cleaner). I priced a fuel filter at Auto Zone with hopes that my Dad could replace the fuel pump, but, Auto Zone said they didn't sell them because it is a pump/filter combo and the part is unlikely to be bad at 46K miles. Any ideas?

 

In the throttle body there is an air chamber/passageway where air can get through to mix with the fuel when the throttle plate is closed. At the same time, the throttle plate is also letting a predetermined amount of air in past itself.

In that chamber, there is a motor called an Idle Air Control that regulates how much air gets through the passage beyond that minimal predetermined amount.

That passageway and the throttle body plate tend to get gummed up over time from deposits and dirt. Under daily or frequent driving, those deposits usually don't cause an issue for a long time, BUT when a car sits up for a while those deposits get quite a bit more hardened rather than gummy.

When this happens, even IF the IAC motor is still working, the engine may be a little starved for air at idle. If this happens, it will die out repeatedly on you when you let off the gas pedal. The PCM sees the motor working and is actuating it, but it has no way of knowing there is an obstruction unless there is severe feedback. Most times it will not even know that. Computers are stupid. They only know what they are told.

Also take note that whenever you disconnect the battery for more than a few minutes, the PCM will lose the memory of what position (how many steps) the IAC motor is at idle. To relearn that lost memory, you will have to start it and hold the RPMs up to around 1200 and slowly tease it down until your foot is off the gas. It takes a couple tries sometimes. If you can't relearn it, then the throttle body will need to be cleaned along with the IAC motor OR...even the IAC may need to be replaced. Also, put some spark plugs in it and change the oil. Take it out on the interstate and blow the cobwebs out.

 

I think your on the right track! Sounds like a good buy! Sence the car has been sitting so long you need to run all that old fuel out of it, if the car is drivable. Fill the tank and add fuel injection cleaner agains, a can of HEET would'nt hurt either in case any water is in the fuel.

I would do just a normal tune up! Check plugs (clean and gap) Clean throttel body, inspect plug wire's, Clean mass air flow!

Is there a check engine Light ON????

Sence the battery has been disconnected the codes (if any) have been erased! Drive the car for awhile and see if the check eng light will pop on! If the light comes on have the code read by a Auto zone and write the number down! This will give you some direction of where to look for a problem!

Keep us informed!!

Listen for vacume leaks with the eng running, you can also visually check all of the vac lines for cracks and soft spots.

 

Thanks guys. I appreciate the help. I did have an oil change and the check engine light isn't on. I am having a mechanic look at it tomorrow since anything besides putting stuff in my gas tank and putting oil in it is beyond my skill set.

Is there anything specific I should have them look for? I will mention the air control.