Find your distributor cap. (spark plug wires attach to it.) Follow the one in the center of the cap back. If you have the 302 (5.0) it's on top of the valve cover on the passenger side of the engine. As for stalling, how long is it running for? Is the engine overheating or even getting up to temp?
Check the fuses.
Torque converter lock-up solenoid is bad. Common problem with 1988 Beretta.
Try changing the oils the relate to the spudder and idle. Then try and time it.
A faulty crank sensor can do that.
try replacing the alternator
dirty trans fluid might be the cause. have it changed, but not flushd
exhaust?
check you idle control valve it can cause those symptoms also your throttle positioning sensor
change the pickup coil in distr
make sure to have your altenaor checked. had this happen to me. truck would run for a few minutes and then would die. had a bad altenator. put in a new one and the truck runs great
What would make a 1899 oldsmobile cutlass ciera start and then die right away?
Not necessarily (although it is possible).I had the same problem with my Volvo in which the car would start then stall (and I had a full tank of gas!!!).