Engine Cutting Out - Help?

[kfitz911]

My "86 Carrera is cutting out periodically and is getting worse with time. Some days it won't happen at all, some times it happens three or four times a drive. Only used to happen every other tank full, it seemed. When it does happen, it stutters and sputters on an off for a little while under what seems like half the cylinders. Doesn't matter the weather (don't drive when wet anyhow), throttle position, fuel level, engine or air temp, vehicle position, night or day, full moon, etc.... It has quit completely and when that happens it is due to the cutting out happening while accelerating away from a stop, which then means not enough power to let that happen. Then it'll spin over but not start for what seems like forever. It will also spew some white-ish smoke out the exhaust the first few spins while trying to start. I think this is un-burnt fuel still in the cylinders while the ignition was cutting out before it quit, but?

Sorry for the length of this post, but it is something that has been frutrating me ever since it started to happen last fall. Dealer thinks it is the cap and rotor, which does show some cracking on both and could explain the eratic nature of problem. They reason moisture builds under the cap and then it goes haywire until the moisture is burned off. Otherwise everything looks great. Could this be the source of trouble?

What else might it be? Thoughts?

Car has 28K on it and wires/hoses/belts were replaced two years ago. Runs fantastic otherwise and doesn't use any oil.

Thanks for reading this too!

Kevin

[rick-l]

First off with so little information it could be anything.

Did the dealer replace the DME relay? If not it would be good to buy one and have a spare.

edit; what i mean is buy a new one, put it in and keep the old one as a spare if it dosen't fix the problem

[kfitz911]

Thanks Rick - I will have them replace the DME relay when the cap and rotor come in. I thought I described it well enough, but perhaps not. The main thing that seems to affect it is either humidity in the air or temperature changes, if anything can be pinpointed. But even that could have no affect, ultimately.

Appreciate the input!

Kevin