Dear Tom and Ray:

I'm a 78 year old senior citizen with a four cylinder '89 Chevy Cavalier that has 59,000 good miles on it. Just lately, when I turn off the ignition switch, the engine seems to want to run for a few seconds more, and then dies. My local mechanic can't seem to come up with an answer for the extra chugs. Could you solve this mystery? Robert

Ray: Ah yes. The mystery of the extra chugs. I suppose it's possible that your mechanic couldn't figure it out because he was out having a few extra chugs himself that day.

Tom: This car has throttle body fuel injection, Robert. And my guess is that the injector is leaking after you shut off the ignition. That means a little extra gas is dribbling in, and since the cylinders are still hot, the engine continues to run for a second or two.

Ray: It's nothing to be overly concerned about. My brother started to dribble when he got about 60,000 miles on him, too.

Tom: If your mechanic hasn't checked the timing, tell him to start by making sure it's set correctly. Incorrect timing could make the idle speed too high, which could contribute to this condition we call "run-on." But my guess is that it's a leaking injector, which should cost you around $100 bucks to rebuild. Good luck.

Tom and Ray share secrets mechanics don't want you to know in their pamphlet Ten Ways You May Be Ruining Your Car Without Even Knowing It! To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.

© 1992 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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