Well, maybe you have, so good for me when you give the answer:>..

Anyway, this happens after I'm around 4000 revs in 3rd and 4th gear and I let go of the throttle w clutch pressed of course. The needle sinks fast like always but now it's been going into the 500 rpm region, and even down to 100 until it dies. In other words, I can kill it at will. The weird thing is that if I shift fast, and am at throttle, or w/the clutch engaged, the car won't die. In order for it to die, I have to press the clutch (as when shifting), and let go of the throttle longer than usual (in other words, no load).

I didn't notice until now because I shift kinda fast, and am either pressing the throttle, or too high on the rpm's for it to die.

so I'm thinking it's an ignition thing....distributor, battery, alternator, cables, plugs or something. Any guidance where to start?

Check all of your vacuum lines and your Idle Air Control Valve.

i will....

thanks.

something like that happened to me and it was the distributor

Well know that you know how to cause the car to die, don't do it. Just shift fast.

Problem solved...

HAHAHA, I just had to say that, sorry. Good luck fixing it.

So this doesn't happen at any other gear in a hi rev? or if you just get it to rev up to 4000 on idle and let go really fast?

Does it idle normally otherwise? Does the AC happen to be on when it occurs?

It sounds like you have an idle problem in general. Check for vacuum leaks. I have seen EGR valves get stuck open and stall cars like you are describing. Not to mention plugs, wires, cap, rotor, O2 sensors. How is your fuel economy?

well, egr is long gone. Odd thing is that AC keeps it from stalling. Also, idle is irregular @ 800-950 (normal is 750 I think)...

ya, the AC has an extra little mechanism to keep the idle turned up for the compressor. What is your normal idle speed when just sitting? Like said above, sounds like idle control or vacuum problem, but could be a few things.

i think you need to clean the IACV, that normal causes it to idle strange, sometimes stall.(tho if it stalls after some mins of idling then the AAC is just dead..)

odd bump
anyone solve this ?

If idle control is getting off can do it, it can be normal for engines to die like that anyway, I've seen brand new ones do it under those conditions. You rev it hard then the decompression at decel drags it down to die if the positive idle flow is not enough to stop it at that last low rpm point. If there is any dashpot or other rpm dtop control look at that too.

I do not know about this specific car or engine but if IAC equipped then open the TB butterfly a bit more and the IAC will drop off to compensate back to same speed but then the butterfly being a bit more open will help the dying issue. Active running IAC response on older engines sometimes needs a bit of help when they respond a little slow to dynamic conditions like that rpm drop and having the butterfly open a bit more can help that. All older engines need it cranked open a bit more anyway as they tend to idle lower with age, it's a pumping loss thing.

Just a wee bit, too much butterfly and you will quickly be in idle hanging territory. You don't want so much you lose IAC full control both ways.