1998 saturn sl stalling after being stopped at light and trying to accelerate

Sounds like about the right distance for the system to go into close loop.Use a good scan tool to check parameters of the system to locate the failing sensor/item when it stalls.

you may have a bad idle control sensor. is your check engine light on? if so,then you can have it coderead at autozone or advance auto for free. but the check engine light has to be on in order to diagnose it,for free.thank you for choosing fixya.com.

check ur fuel pump and the plugs

This may be the result of bad plugs and or wires. It sounds like a simple tune up would do this car good.

Sounds like you have a plug that's not firing like it should when accel. Change all 4 plugs and see if that helps. Don't let them try to sell you the expensive ones. The basic or a step to basic platinum is fine.

does the vehicle idle normal or erratic does it blow black smoke it might need a oxygen sensor

there will be a fault code in the PCM
need a code to help you

sounds like the idle speed control valve may be defective.

First, if the SES light is on or comes on a little after it is running it has a code set in the computer. Itis easy to read the code on an OBD1 system by jumping the A-B terminals on the DLC Data Link, block under the drivers side see the following link for better explanination of reading the codes, http://www.troublecodes.net/GM/
Also review the following on the O2 Sensor and coolent temp sensor http://www.saturnfans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37884 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQ9vtD_ssjg, good luck you can fix this vehicle easily.