CornFlake340

Well I don't know a whole lot about cars but im pretty intelligent and can usually fix things/solve problems by searching the internet. My car recently started having problems. It would stall on me intermitantly every now and then. Wasn't consistant at all just annoying. I started checking things out. Over time I couldn't figure out/fix the problem, but it started to occur more recently. Now you can count on the car dieing after it "warms up" to optimal opperating temperature. It won't restart immediately at all (turns over though). After letting it sit a bit, it will restart, but then as soon as it gets to that certain temperature it cuts back off.

I read that the main relay was notorious for causing problems. I took it out and re-soldered all the joints. I am almost certain the main relay isn't at fault now. The fuel pump kicks on + the car doesn't have problems immediately (like the first start of a day even when it is really hot out and car windows have been up).

So I guess the main relay is fine. A friend said it sounded like the fuel filter may be clogged and after running a bit, its *choking* or whatever. I changed fuel filter, didn't fix it.

It seems like it's an electrical problem, and last year it was doing something very similar and I had to replace the distributor + cap + rotor button + plug wires + spark plugs. I figured I'd try doing this again (minus the distributor, expensive!). So I changed the cap + button + plugs. Still didn't fix it. Think a distributor would go out in a year? Even so, the car runs perfectly fine/great until it gets *warmed* up. So it sounds like its a sensor/ecm problem.

I read up some more and found the Coolant Temperature Sensor could be causing problems that sounded like what I was experiencing. I changed that out, yet still the same problems.

I shorted the pins for the ECU and checked the CEL for the flashing codes or whatever. It doesn't flash anything back, the CEL just comes on and stays on when I short the pins. Does this mean there simply isn't any codes stored or the ECU is bad? I read that it meant everything was fine on one site, and another site said the ECU was bad if this happened.

When the car dies, the CEL doesn't come on or anything. Just stalls, even if I am giving it gas, you can't save it.

I really don't know what else to try except getting a new/swapping out the ECU. These things are so expensive, any other alternatives I could test/try to confirm the problem? Has anybody experienced this before? If I took it to a place that could do the computer diagnostics or whatever, would they be able to see something I haven't, even though shorting the ECU resulted in no CEL codes?

This has been so frustrating, any help would be appreciated.

BoRiCuA

sounds like the distributor, although it's only a year something can be causing it to go.

CornFlake340

So I cleaned the IAC thinking it couldn't hurt and started the car to see how long it'd go. After about 10-15 mins it started idling pretty rough (this is usually about the time it'd die on me), feeling like it was about to die, I pressed on the gas just a bit, not revving it up but giving it continuous gas. I did this for a good 5 mins and it kept running. I let off and it was really rough/sputtering so I gave it some more gas and held it, kept running... let off again and really rough, I don't give it anymore gas and it dies... Tried restarting and it wouldn't work, no matter if I was giving it gas or not. No CEL or CEL codes.

Any ideas?

Sounds like its getting a bad mixture of fuel/air. Would the oxygen sensor affect this? (and it's not really kicking in untill the ecu starts making changes based on sensor data) Think this is a possible fix? How hard is it to replace the sensor?

Miracle

My only guess other than what has already been said would be the ignition module...

Most domestics that have that same symptom, need a new ignition module. Just a thought though. It should be inside the distributor.

Tad

yep,
I saw this and was about to say the ignitor
which is a little square thingie in your distributor, with some wires attached to it.

doesn't sound like the coil, cuz the car shouldn't start if the coil is bad.

CornFlake340

Okay... sorry for the stupid question but 1. is it difficult to open up the distributor and replace the module and 2. are all of these products the same? http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductL...Control%20Unit Would it hurt to go with the cheapest one?

Tad

not hard at all

just make sure you get the right part,
i'd probably get a cheap one too..
if you can find a used one that'd be a good idea too

just make sure if it dont work u can return it.

gl

CornFlake340

Hey guys, I figure I'd follow up my problem with what I think/hope has fixed it. I decided to go ahead and replace the whole distributor just because I didn't feel like the places ordering the Control Module and I figured it'd be easier to swap out that way + I'd get lifetime limited warranty in my name in case this **** happens again next year...

So I replaced the whole distributor and it's been running a lot longer now! I left it running for about 45 minutes! That's 30 mins longer than it had been running. I drove it around and home and no problems. It seems to be sputtering/missing a little (I guess that is what you call it). It's mainly audible when you have your ear near the muffler and felt like the car was running great so try to figure that out when I get more money.... So I guess I fixed the main problem though.

Thanks everybody for your help!