my 1993 ford escort lx, automatic, has just started stalling at stoplights...

when i pull up to a stop light, the RPM's fluctuate between just over 1000 all the way under 500... when they go under 500, the car stalls, and when they are fluctuating, the car shudders...

can anyone give me an indication what they think the problem might be and what I can do to fix it?

I just had a new ignition lock put in and a new timing belt... i know nothing about cars, so i dont know if this may or may not have had an effect on it...

thanks for any help you can give...

Kyle

My '93 was doing the same thing. I replaced the oxygen sensor and PCV valve and that fixed it. I don't know which actually fixed it because I changed them both at the same time.

It might be many things but try cleaning off your battery terminals first. (I say this because the battery might have been disconnected for the work that was done and now there might be a pour connection.)

If it is the problem corse sand paper might help or even get a special cleaning tool.
There is a battery cleaner that you can pick up for the auto parts store to get rid of crosion if there is any.

i had the same problem on my 94 lx. it would run fine till i came to a stop then the idle would go to shit and stall. for a while i just gave it a bit of gas at red lights. turned out it was a leaky vacuum hose. went to junkyard and got 1 for about 10 bucks. hope that helps.

Used to happen with mine at a stop or idling, was a bad manifold gasket, but my old car before that did the same and there was a hole in a PCV boot (think that's what it's called) Anyway, good luck.