i have a 93 bird with a 3.8L V6 and when its cold i go to take off and it stalls. i have to hold the gas pedal to the floor to get it started again. when its warm it goes fine. also my temp gauge moves a lot and the gas mileage is horrible. does anyone have any ideas what might be going on with this??

 

Try a new converter -it could be clogged solid and basically plugging up the exhaust.

 

i just put a new performance converter along with a true dual exhaust

 

(3.8's aren't too great with oil pumps - oil pressure is the normal issue).Converters can clog with carbon the same day you put them on. They're a real pain sometimes. Honestly though from what you're describing it could be a million things wrong. Maybe a speed sensor too. Maybe you cracked an antifreeze jacket in the block or head gasket across into an intake port - Do you add a little antifreeze every now and again? If you lay on the gas up a good hill does it have good pickup? How many miles is on the engine? The more details the better. If you don't have an oil pressure guage - does the light ever come on? If a guage does reading slowly rise on startup or is it stuck in place? Oil pressure will also affect engine temp. and make it run weird and get bad mileage.

 

the motor has 138k..the oil pressure gauge works fine and i have never had to add any coolant...it still has get up and go to get up a hill if i lay on the gas..anyone think it mite be the coolant temp sensor and possibly the thermostat?

 

Normally I'd doubt the coolant sensor. Throttle position or speed sensor maybe. But I noticed you said the temp reading varies. Maybe you should start with the temp sensor anyhow so you get the idea concluded. It could affect the cold or hot starting problem and maybe the guage. But as for the gas mileage?????????? You know this is beginning to sound like a bad set of spark plugs - when have you last changed them?

 

i just got the car less than a month ago and i have changed the plugs, wires, distributor cap and rotor..i changed the thermostat today and my gauge doesnt vary like it was...i think im still gonna change the temp sensor just in case..its not that much.