82sc sputtered on highway would not restart

KevinB · 03-11-2006, 01:29 PM

I took it out for a nice drive today. Weather was great here in NJ. I was on the highway it started to sputter and within 5 seconds it was dead. Could not restart. Engine was turning over but nothing else. The engine has new plugs, magencore wires, bosch distibutor cap and rotor. I callled AAA towed it home. Took 2 tows and about 3 hours but got it home. I tried many times to restart waiting for the tow truck and nothing. Engine would turn over but it wouldnt not catch and run at all. I get it home pushed it almost into the garage. Used the starter to help it get the final 4 feet and the engine started. So my dilemma is what caused the problem. Is it fuel or ignition? Now that is is running I am wiggling wires around thre CDI box harness the distibutor coax wire. I even tried heating up the CDI box and coil with a heat gun trying to imitate a hot engine compartment. still keeps on running. Is there anything else in the ignition systen that could cause this?

What about fuel delivery. It has a new fuel filter. I dont have a CIS fuel pressure tester. but it now runs perfectly fine.

Any recommendations? Am I heading in thr right direction?

Kevin B

RANDY P · RANDY P's Garage

You'll have to check for spark next time it drops dead...

What type of CDI is it? Permatune or Bosch? mine did that with a brand new Permatune - ran flawlessley for about 3k miles (and I hate to say it, with more torque and better throttle response). Then, it got bad after an hour of driving and got progressively worse and worse.

Bosch = no more problems.

Might also check the harness to the CDI to see if the wiring is failing. Pop a test light on the main Red feed wire from the keyswitch (key in run position) and move the harness around - see if the light flickers or shuts off - you may need a replacement piece.

rjp

KevinB · 03-11-2006, 01:56 PM

its a Bosch. I cant get the engine to stop running now. It runs great. Now I am at the point do I risk taking the car out. I jiggled the harness and connector to the Bosch CDI unit and it idles great.

If I thought it was the CDI unit I would convert to MSD. I am just not sure if it is the CDI Unit being intermittent.

Any other ideas. I would appreciate the help.

Kevin B

RANDY P · RANDY P's Garage

Without a pressure tester? - Drive it till it busts, about the only thing to do - then check everything. Get it hot, but stay in the neighborhood..

good luck.

rjp

edgemar · 03-11-2006, 03:29 PM

Replace the Red Fuel Pump Relay. I did the whole cdi/permatune cdi box thing and the car still died. As long as you hear a whine from the bosch cdi box it is cool. When the relay was on its way out it worked 98% of the time and then it would start again after a few hours. I finally figured it out when the car died on me and wouldn't start. I swapped out the relay and the car started right up. Also, you could also test this by pushing down the air flapper in the intake and hear the fuel pump spraying gas into the intake. I would change the relay especially since it is only a $35 part. Also check the harness and make sure the contacts meet the pins in the harness correctly.

Good Luck!

KevinB · 03-11-2006, 03:46 PM

I did have that relay out.looking at it. I was thinking of carrying a spare.

Thank you for your help. I will get another one of those. Anyone else have any ideas what I should check.

I was looking at the CIS fuel injection pressure gauge from JC Whitney. Does it work?

Kevin B

Oh Haha · 03-11-2006, 03:49 PM

Just for the heck of it, try a different relay. Try your headlight one. At least you'll know if it is the cause. I went throught this same problem when I first got my 911. Turns out my red fuel pump relay just jiggled out a bit.

acapella8 · acapella8's Garage

HAd the same thing happen to me once. Was red relay that popped.

KevinB · 03-11-2006, 04:48 PM

the red relay wasnt popped out. when i got the car home i pulled it out of its socket. it was in their nice and tight.

I will get another one though in case.

Any other ideas?

Kevin B

edgemar · 03-11-2006, 04:58 PM

My bad relay would work in my carrera cooler sockect next to the FP one. When I plugged it back into the FP socket the fuel pump would not work....don't know why. With the new red relay it worked in both sockets. I guess when relays start going bad they behave in weird ways. I bought a new one and a spare...and haven't had a problem since.

fred cook · fred cook's Garage

In addition to the red fuel pump relay, check the fuel pump relay fuse for corrosion at each end. This circuit pulls a good bit of current and the heat/corrode cycle can cause the current to finally quit flowing! If the fuse is badly corroded, you will probably also see signs of excessive heat, maybe even a distorted fuse holder.
As was mentioned above, you can use any of the black relays to check if the red one has gone bad.

Good luck!

KevinB · 03-11-2006, 05:33 PM

That was the other thing I did which was to check the fuse and if anything was corroded. Everything looks fine. What bothers me is that it started up when it cooled down. I am not sure if heat has anything to do with this or not. I will though get a red relay in case.

Any other ideas. We seem to be staying with the fuel pump relay and circuit. Couldn't this be an ignition problem?

Kevin B

Mookster · Mookster's Garage

I agree with all the advise so far...

1. Did your vehicle stall while driving or did it leave you stranded when you pulled over to the road side?

2. I suggest replacing the fuel filter, rotor and cap. If you don't know when they were changed it is a cheap fix and neglected maintenance anyway.

3. Has your gas tank been flushed? If the fuel filer has rust or debris in it, I would highly recommend a flush and reseal of the tank. Winter storage is not our friend when these car sit.

DO NOT THROW EXPENSIVE PARTS AT YOUR VEHICLE. RULE OUT THE CHEAP FIXES FIRST.

ianc · 03-11-2006, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Couldn't this be an ignition problem

Why don't you test for spark at one of the plugs and find out?

ianc

Kevin Stewart · 03-11-2006, 09:11 PM

I bet one of two things, I would first think about the alarm, the alarm starts going bad and shuts the car down, ask me how I know, also, the wires on the cdi plug are known to go bad, or just corrode, i have seen the connection be bad as far away from the plug as six inches, i would first wiglle the key in the alarm, i have an 82 also, Kevin

KevinB · 03-12-2006, 02:49 AM

Thanks everyone for their advice. I changed the plugs, fuel filter, wires, cap and rotor last October. I have put maybe a 1000 miles since then. The engine is now running, that is what is making it difficult to diagnose. If it wasnt running I could then find the problem. I checked the CDI plug and the connectors were clean. I in fact wiggled that connector when I was broken down. I didnt check for spark. In hindsight I should have when I was broken down but I didnt think it was going to startup once I got home. I still have the old fuel filter and it looked clean. No rust or debris. I use the vehicle at least once a week and it has run great. I just filled it up with new gas last week. This one has me stumped because intermittent problems are so difficult to resolve. I am almost tempted to go to MSD and a new fuel pump as they problems that could occur. By the way the vehicle only has 64K miles.

Kevin B

KevinB · 03-12-2006, 02:49 AM

Thanks everyone for their advice. I changed the plugs, fuel filter, wires, cap and rotor last October. I have put maybe a 1000 miles since then. The engine is now running, that is what is making it difficult to diagnose. If it wasnt running I could then find the problem. I checked the CDI plug and the connectors were clean. I in fact wiggled that connector when I was broken down. I didnt check for spark. In hindsight I should have when I was broken down but I didnt think it was going to startup once I got home. I still have the old fuel filter and it looked clean. No rust or debris. I use the vehicle at least once a week and it has run great. I just filled it up with new gas last week. This one has me stumped because intermittent problems are so difficult to resolve. I am almost tempted to go to MSD and a new fuel pump as they problems that could occur. By the way the vehicle only has 64K miles.

Kevin B

KevinB · 03-12-2006, 02:49 AM

Thanks everyone for their advice. I changed the plugs, fuel filter, wires, cap and rotor last October. I have put maybe a 1000 miles since then. The engine is now running, that is what is making it difficult to diagnose. If it wasnt running I could then find the problem. I checked the CDI plug and the connectors were clean. I in fact wiggled that connector when I was broken down. I didnt check for spark. In hindsight I should have when I was broken down but I didnt think it was going to startup once I got home. I still have the old fuel filter and it looked clean. No rust or debris. I use the vehicle at least once a week and it has run great. I just filled it up with new gas last week. This one has me stumped because intermittent problems are so difficult to resolve. I am almost tempted to go to MSD and a new fuel pump as they problems that could occur. By the way the vehicle only has 64K miles.

Kevin B

72 four door · 03-12-2006, 03:53 AM

Hey Neighbor also check the key switch good luck with her,and hope to see you on the local highways,in motion

Kevin Stewart · 03-12-2006, 06:12 AM

alarm