Ok so Im not quite sure what is going on... but I will tell the story to see what you guys think.
I want to think its the alternator, when i come to a stop it wants to die/stall but its fine if you give it a little gas and let go(like a tap). Has been idling irratically with turn signals on at a stop but ok when you turn them off.
The car has been intermitantly dying while driving mainly after getting on it for the past 4 days or so... but not always sometimes just under normal conditions. It will be running then just cut out and then catch itself if you start to coast and kind of restart. The engine kind of just dies out and the tach will bounce and it will start going if it restarts.
Other times have to pull over and it will start right away but not tonight. Died once tried to start it cranked sputtered died... repeat, nothing. Let it sit for half an hour and starts right upafter a few sputters. Tried to drive it home died again... nothing even after an hour. Call a tow truck get it home... try to start it for the fun or it and sputtered sputtered started. Let it run for a min, idled fine reved up normal... turned it off... Tried to start it again, nothing.
When you try to start it will crank want to idle for 1-2 seconds, then die. Or it will run really rough then die.
Car sat for almost a year and a half while replacing the tranny, powermaster, xover etc. Was running poorly so just did a tune up on it. Seafoamed the engine and ran pretty good then put it new battery, plugs, wires, o2 sensor. Was running like a champ. Only mod is Topgun 160 chip/themostat/airfilter. Only run Shell v-power 93, getting good gas mileage. Can hear fuel pump running everytime.
Sorry for the long post, just trying to be very descriptive... Im so close to getting this thing running perfectly and something else always goes wrong.
It could be an alternator, based on what you said about your gauges bouncing. Have you replaced the crank position sensor or the ICM?
Does the car do this when hot, when cold, or at all times?
negative on replacing either... and it seems to be just whenever, can be when i first start or after driving a bit. now its pretty much a no start...
but the battery doesnt die, can it still be the alt? i think i have an icm & coils, is the crank position sensor easy to change?
maybe you should ohm out your fuel injectors to make sure one of them didn't short out. that will also cause random kills
Yes, the crank position sensor is easy to change. Just be careful pulling it out, people have been known to snap them off in the block.
so went and purchased a cps. went and tried the car to move it to the garage started up perfect drove it in the garage let it run and it runs just like it should. turned it off started up again... and so on.
ill put in the crank sensor in a bit and update you guys.
Ok changed it out and ran like a champ! seemed to have better response time, more power, and no more dying. ran let it sit started it drove it, let it sit, drove it, filled up with gas parked in the garage for half an hour... went to leave and crank crank crank sputter sputter.
hmmmm? i will recheck it tommorow to make sure its plugged in and everything still... seems weird that it start up run a few times then just go to not starting again....
So this morning crank crank sputter, then it just went to cranking with no sputter. Then it started right up after a few mins and continues to run. I dont dare drive it anywhere.
i wonder if it a fuel issue. have you ever hooked up a fuel pressure tester to the fuel rail when it has these problems?
i dont have one, i will look into getting one next time it does it. do you think its the fuel pump? Isnt it weird that it would work then not work? i will replace the fuel filter next time i have a chance and see if that changes anything.
When i drove it after replacing the crank sensor it had so much more power it seemed like. Would spin the tires, something it hasnt done in quite a while.
Edit: was just out playing with it and ran fine... did notice a little message that said check fuel on the display screen, I know i have half a tank as a filled it last night and there is no gas light on, is it trying to give me a clue?
And it did die again tonight, it doesnt stumble, just completely cuts out, i pulled the fuse to the fuel pump and it came with a differant result... dont know if that means anything. but it ran till it got hot i turned it off and it wouldnt start again.
You need to check to see if you have fuel pressure AND spark when it's not starting to see which one you do not have. If you feel like wrenching...you could remove the ignition module and have it tested for free at an auto part store. Advance auto, autozone, o'reilly, etc. will test it for free. If you do this, request that they run the test a few times to really heat the module up.
Will do that as well. Tried it again since last time it died and it will chug at like 500-750 rpms and die if you press the gas. I have a spare ICM and set of coils i picked up a while ago. Maybe Ill just have that one tested and put it in since it runs so much better with fresh parts.
Is there a trick to getting the bottom bolts off the icm? I got the tops off fine, the bottom left i got the socket stuck on the bolt and cant get an extention in there cause of the bolt on the starter. I took the dog bones off and the fan out to get room but still not enough.,... and I havent looked for the last bolt yet.... Changed the fuel filter last night, looked old but no change.
Edit: Nevermind I guess theres only 3 bolts... and i just gotta wiggle in there till it comes out. Im not putting that bolt back in, its part of the weight reduction.
this does kinda sound like mine when i first bought it......but here is an idea cuz it does sound like what mine was doing....it would spit and sputter and not want to start after awhile...well i found 2 fuses on the left had side of the car and you should have 2 fuses for the injectors...pull one of them out and try to start it....it will run like shit if it does start just for the mirr fact that your running only on 3 cylinders...if that doesnt help put it back in and pull the other one....and it may do the same...if it does start when you do this....have someone plug the fuse back in while its running and if it dies...then more an likly you have bad injectors...because when mine would run off of three and i plug it in it would kill it right away...so try that....and if you think its your fuel pump...ive been told by lots of people when it doesnt start get out and hit the gas tank a couple times then try to start it....idk its work for me
Will be checking more tom. I will try the fuse thing and hitting the tank, thanks.
I replaced the ICM and tested for spark which I do have on all cylinders. I pressed the schrader valve after it primed and not much fuel came out... Im going to get a pressure gauge tommorow and check it.
Ive also checked all the vaccum tubes i could find and they are all fine.
No parts stores around here carry fuel pressure gauges so bought a new fuel pump... plenty of pressure... shoots to the hood lol... but no start...
help?
should i try my old crank sensor to see if the new one is bad?
Have you verified that you are getting spark?
yes
maybe a partial break in one of the wires causing intermittent ignition problems. do a resistance ( ohm) check on the 2 wires and the copper shield wire from the CS plug to ICM plug. your gonna have to peel the stuff back to get to the copper wire on the CS end.
Quote from: killinprixs on May 05, 2009, 02:11:13 PM
maybe a partial break in one of the wires causing intermittent ignition problems. do a resistance ( ohm) check on the 2 wires and the copper shield wire from the CS plug to ICM plug. your gonna have to peel the stuff back to get to the copper wire on the CS end.
i was reading through the service manual in the no start section and I have a question. Am i supposed to see RPM's when I'm cranking the engine? Cause Im not, I followed the chart through my problems and it said bad ECM/faulty wire in circuit 430(i think). also the green wire on the (bottom left/passenger side) on the ICM looks damaged. Is this circuit 430? Sorry I guess I could go look it up.
My volt meter was acting up so I havent been able to those wires... are they the same ones you were telling me to test?
You need to unplug the connection to the crank position sensor and check continuity to where the wires run into the left (passenger side) of the ICM.
Tried to check wires today... dont think i was doing it right... everything read 0. I probed all the connectors to the CPS connector. Im not good at the electrical part of automotive.
But I was reading another thread and decided to change the CPS again... and after a few cranks it started right up... and runs fine. Could something be making the sensor go bad, or could it just be a bad sensor. That seems to be the whole problem.
If you are getting 0 (or close to 0) ohms of resistance through that wire, that is good. That means there are no breaks in that wire.
Its possible that you had a bad sensor, hopefully it works well for you now :thumb:
ya same issue again. anyone want a car? :gr_mad: :cussing: :bawling1::gr_guns:
:Raises hand: :laugh:
Seriously, why would they die? could there be a voltage problem going to them or something? As I understand theres little wires would up in there. I got the sensors at differant places but theyre made by the same company.... I dunno very frustrating.
So they have some pretty inexpesive fuel pressure checkers on ebay so Im probably going to buy one just to check cause when it wants to start its sprays lots out of the checker place but right now while its now starting its not spraying so much out. Could the fuel pressure regulator do this? It seems like a fuel issue now cause it wants to start but then wont kinda like its running out of gas. I really need to actually diagnose this tho. Payday friday.
When you pull the vacuum line off of the fuel pressure regulator, does any fuel come out of the vacuum line? It should be dry in there.
Ok through my ghetto diagnosis its not keeping its fuel pressure after the regulator. Took the return line off let it prime and fuel squirted out the whole time. pressed the valve test the pressure at and got the same result as if the line was still hooked up. plugged the line and it squirts like it would when it starts. The regulator isnt leaking into the vaccuum lines but it doesnt seem to hold pressure? unless there is something that holds pressure after that line.