driving wife's car yesterday and park it for 20 min. went to start it and everything is turning over but not starting. try again and it starts fine. didn't think anything of it. Went home and she told me it happened the day before as well. So this morning went to start it and the same thing except the second time it started for a second and stalled but no problem on the 3rd try. So I come out of work and it starts right up about 30 min into the drive the engine stalls, but I have power to everything else steering, lights, radio etc........ pull over turn the ignition off and it starts right back up. fine the rest of the way..

The car 1991 4dr RS auto
stock except CAI
tune up done recently
wires, plugs, head gasket and belts 1 yr old
weather 9 degrees Celsius

 

i would say start buy checking spark plugs, all filters (air, oil, gas) the ignition wires, distributor, it could be a number of things, just start eliminating options

 

Perhaps the fuel pump relay is starting to fail. Listen carefully for the fuel pump when you turn on the ignition. Just turn the car to the run position (not start) and listen for the pump.

 

start with checking to see if it needs a normal tune up

 

its had a tune up lately. and I do hear the pump prime . If it is the pump what are the chances it will work some times but not others.

 

sounds like the fuel pump when it went on my moms toyota camry. it will slowly get worse and worse. it used to stall when she was driving and would take a few tries to start it up again.

 

the fuel pump relay went out on my old winter beater hatch. i changed the relay and never had another problem with the pump not running.

 

I think its the fuel pump to but not sure . and its a bitchhhh to do so I am curious on what else it might be

 

I had a problem very similar to this just one year ago. The car would shut off out of the blue, and all the electrical features worked. Turns out it was my distributor going on me. Same symptoms as you describe. Good luck with whatever it is ..


PEace.................

 

I'd suggest checking your grounds as well.... sounds like it may be a semi-occuring ground problem.