Dear Doctor: I have a 2000 Chevy Camaro convertible with a 3.8-liter V-6 engine with over 140,000 miles on it. I’ve been diligent about maintenance and never encountered anything unexpected in terms of repair. Now however, the car stalls at red lights and nothing I’ve done seems to help. I’ve replaced the wires and plugs, the catalytic converter, the sensors that monitor oxygen intake — anything that’s come up with computer diagnosis I’ve done. Recently, it stalled when I took my foot off the gas at 30 mph approaching a red light, so I think it’s getting worse. Is raising the idle an option? Dean
Dear Dean: The most common problem you are having is the idle control motor is not maintaining the idle speed. I see this problem often on various makes and models without setting a computer fault code. A technician can hook up a professional scan tool and actually watch the idle motor in real time to verify the operation. Another possibility is the EGR valve not sealing. This would allow unmetered air to enter the engine and cause a lean condition. Also, a dirty throttle body is also common cause for engine stalling.