This is strange, since Jan the car has run very good for a car its age, but today when I started it (after using it prior today) it ran for 5 seconds, then when I tapped the gas (while in park) it died (acted like if u stall in a standard). It did the same thing 2 more times. Now it seems fine after I added gas, but the gage said more then 1/2 full. WTF

Fuel pump? Filter? maybe the sock on the fuel pump?

More then likely if i was to take a stab in the dark here, whcih i am, i would say the sock got clogged up, but when you threw in some gas it washed some of the stuff off of it.... which means it might happen again once it sucks it back up.

If you don't know what i am talking about, your fuel pumps in the tank, on the inlet side of the pump is a little 'sock'. basicly its kinda a filter, it doesn't filter it to be burned in the engine, but filters it from big particles/debris from getting into the pump and messing it up.

I had a problem with my 83 delta 88 where the sock on my sending unit *since my fuel pump is mechanicly drivin on engine and not in tank like yours, but still has a sock* got clogged. would NOT run over 35 mph, hit 40 it dies. replaced EVERYTHING *also when i decided to put edelbrock carburator on it too*, fuel pump, new lines, everything... until i dropped the gas tank and foud this clay-like formation was caked on it which prevented flow.

As far as what you can do, just drive it as it is now since it is working fine, if it does it again, and it is relieved if you dump gas into it, that would be my suggestion to go after.

Well it still didnt seem right so after giving it a better look I found that the airfilter cover was loose! That seems to help but it still seemes to idle too low after you give it a little gas in park/at a stop I guess I got to keep an eye on it.

That shouldn't make a noticable difference in how it runs..... you want to keep it snug anyway though to be sure that all the air actually passes throught the filter.

This is the only thing I can think of that would afect how your engine runs, having the top of the air cleaner loose: having the style air cleaner you do, I'm assuming that you have the valve that directs intake air to come from above the exhaust manifold (warm air) or from the normal intake spot (cooler air). if the top of the air cleaner was loose it may have been sucking cooler air from there, instead of from the exhaust manifold.

This should only have made a very small difference in how the car runs though... and the difference should only be untill the engine has reached a normal operating temp.

Even with the air cleaner completely off, the engine should run fine, possibly a little rougher when cold, but that's it.

long story short.... the loose air cleaner probably wasn't your problem.

Maybe it was just in a bad mood that day?

how long after you had driven it earlier that day, did you start it up? was it a 5 min-grab some chow-start it back up or did it sit for a while?
after startup when it continued too run-did it run differently before you filled the tank up the rest of the way? has it happened since, with your tank at 1/2 or lower?

I had driven it about 10 miles then it sat for a little over 2 hrs or so, and when I went to start it it was idleng real high so i tapped the gas and it just died (it was like then u stall in a car with a stick shift) It did the same thing again 2 more times. I waited 45 min went and filled it with gas and it seemed to get better. Then it tightened the air cleaner cover and it was ok.

your engine has a carb right? maybe you have a sticky choke, or choke linkage. I'm just throwin out ideas here.

No its fuel injected (EFI) the older 2.5's were carberated, mine isnt.

check for a vacum leak in the MAP sensor line? otherwise the IAC motor might be getting old and possibly sticking-or the TPS is having issues. If it happens again. . . . . was it a Full Moon? LOL

Schlim

Well I got the answer from my autoshop teacher, his mother in law had a Cutlass Ciera so he has done quite a bit of work on these cars. My engine has Trottle body Injection (TBI) fuel injection. This injector has a choke plate under it. He said that if the engine isnt all the way up to temp this plate will try to choke the engine and that makes it stall when you give it a quick shot of gas when it hasnt been running. The solution is to simply let the car warm up for a few min even on a warm day and it will be ok.

Hi 85cieraholiday, hello all
Thanks for posting, its helpfull to know the solutions to these types of problems.
Regards, Norm

That does sound like a logical answer, for an older car. But I still wonder, would it be designed to run so poorly when it was new. Could you imagine that happening in 1985 on a showroom floor? Embarrassing, I think you may need a fuel system cleaning or that choke plate may be sticking or as was stated earlier, a sensor may be operating poorly. Doesn't your car have OBD (original version)? You might be able to pull up a code. Also your fuel filler cap may be bad, I understand they have an integral part to play in fuel system pressure and delivery on the newer cars with electric fuel pumps (newer as in pre 70's). Anyway, good luck in finding a solution.

The autoshop teacher said that it may be a bad heat sensor.