Car died in traffic, now won't start. HELP?

[Downtownandy]

Hello all and thanks for reading. Any advice is appreciated. The other day I posted this thread (Sounds funny while idling?) because my car was making an up and down pulsing noise that sounded like the fan whirring faster and slower. I am still not sure what the noise was but it didn't appear to be getting worse.

Today as I was leaving work to go to a meeting it was doing this more noticeably and the RPM's were going up with the noise (with a distance of about 500 rpms between the high and low points of the revving). I drive forward in first gear and at about 2k RPMS the car ceases to get up and go, just starts kind of choking or bogging down, shift to second and it's good up to 2500/3k ish RPMs and then does the same thing, 3rd same deal up to 2k, same in 4th. I pull up to the next stop light and the car starts revving horribly and then starts to die and dash lights flicker and then dies. I try to start it back up and it almost catches but doesnt. One more try, no go.

An MP and I get it moved out of the road and I try to start it again, it turns over until I stop turning the key, doesn't try to catch. Had it towed to my cousins house.

History of the work I did last weekend: Replaced the double pulley on the crank (which is still running smoothly), replaced the crank seal in the number 8 bearing. So to do those two jobs I removed muffler, bumper, etc and lowered the engine about 4 inches. I did not disconnect any fuel lines or oil lines. I mucked up the seal on the crank and did not have another one on order but it hasn't been leaking TOO terribly so was going to wait until this weekend to replace it. It has been slinging some oil all over the engine bay getting on most surfaces near the rear of the engine and inside the cooling fan (bringing this up in case y'all think this might be a factor). Oil level, temp and pressure have been good the past 5 days that I've driven it.

Car has no O2 sensor as there is a homemade test pipe in place of the cat.

Any thoughts?

[DRACO A5OG]

Oh damn,

Sound like your alternator.

I bet if you jump it, she will start. Drive 15-20 minutes and she will stall.

[Downtownandy]

Previous owner installed a bosch alternator about 5k miles ago. I'll try though. Thanks for the suggestion.

[DRACO A5OG]

Check cap and rotor too but that would not cause you not start.

Alternator really does not oil getting on it.

[Downtownandy]

would the alternator cause it to bog down at 2k rpm's like that?

[Sboxin]

Agree --- Dizzy Cap and Rotor

Or, fuel pump starting to go bad...

We've had these things too....

Regards,

[JJ 911SC]

DME Relay or coil wire...

Check to see if you got a spark.

[darcher]

Pull the air filter and spray starting fluid while somebody cranks it. if it catches, DME or fule pump. If it doesn't , spark. Start w/ the distributor.

[nameisbauer]

Fuel Pump +1, just happened to me too. Draco can vouch for me.

[DRACO A5OG]

Hey Jim , so it was the pump? Good then your coils are good to go, sweet

Hmmm, it could be a fuel starvation symptom at the filter.

As others said try a new dme relay then pull the fuel filter and check for debris at incoming fuel port.

Jim

[Downtownandy]

Tried the starter fluid in the air intake with a new DME relay... no go.

[DRACO A5OG]

Just cranks but doesn't catch?

[JJ 911SC]

Sound like no sparks.

Check for 12 volts at the coil (my first problem within weeks of getting the car).

[Quicksilver]

- Speed limited always sounds like fuel: fuel filter plugged, fuel pump failing, regulator problem, etc.
- Spark is a good candidate as it requires more oomph to create a spark as the pressure rises while the higher vacuum of idle makes spark transmission easier.
- Crank sensor or crank sensor gap can cause this type of RPM limited problem. A little harder to test unless you have an oscilloscope available. (It is a pretty easy and fun "science project" it you have one.)

All of this is controlled by the DME so that can make chasing this something that you need to go step-by-step through in your garage.

Fun with testing:
- The fuel pump is controlled by the DME thru the DME Relay. What this means for testing is the pump doesn't turn on until the DME sees that the engine is turning. It does not start pumping when you just turn the key.
You can test the pump by pulling the fuse and jumping 12v to the load side of the fuse. You can also test it by creating a 3 wire DME relay jumper (search on it).
- The coil can be given a basic test by grabbing a spare plug, opening the gap a little bit and then connecting the plug wires in turn to see if it has a spark.
- The DME can be tested by connecting the questionable DME up to a known good car.

My pet peeve about these sorts of issues is when people start throwing part$ at it when all these systems are testable. If you add a location to your profile there might be someone local that can help you with some of this.

[NOLAsc]

Originally Posted by Quicksilver

- The coil can be given a basic test by grabbing a spare plug, opening the gap a little bit and then connecting the plug wires in turn to see if it has a spark.

Or with a timing light, right? Connecting it to/around each plug wire and seeing if it flashes? Or would that not tell as much as an actual plug?

[Laneco]

I'm a wimp about being electrocuted, so I test with a timing light...

angela

[Downtownandy]

I am in Fayetteville, NC. And believe me, I won't be throwing parts at this thing. I don't have the money for all that. Yeah if anyone local with some knowledge were wanting to help.. I have beers.

[Downtownandy]

UPDATE!!!:

Went to see if I had maybe ran out of gas and that's why it died. Nope, it's got gas. Eh what the heck let's see if it starts....IT DOES!!!! Check the videos and see if you can think of any idea what is going on with my car. It's about 6 min worth of videos but hopefully it will help y'all to recognize the problem.

Part one (just after first couple start ups): 4 days after dying and not starting... it fires up!? - YouTube

Part two (driving around the neighborhood at 25 mph): 4 days after dying and not starting... it fires up!? PART 2 - YouTube

Part three (pulled over at a gas station after having taken it on the HWY): 4 days after dying and not starting... it fires up!? PART 3 - YouTube

Final part (pulled over at the house after the drive, looking at oil in engine bay):
4 days after dying and not starting... it fires up!? PART 4 (final) - YouTube

[kidrock]

Next time it's warmed up and "pulsing", or even if it won't start, try a quick and cheap test by pulling the CHT sensor plug (white) from the harness and install a paper clip as a jumper. Just a WAG, but I had a similar issue and it turned out to be the CHT sensor. When I used the jumper, the car started right up and the idle smoothed out. Only happened when warm.

Good luck.

[Downtownandy]

Lowered the engine again and replaced the crank pulley seal properly and after putting it all back together (minus the exhaust and bumper) it won't start again. Going to troubleshoot tomorrow.