Car stalled and won't restart

[Irish Pride]

I tried doing a search for this but the search isnt working right. I keep getting a fatal error message.

This is in my 93 atx. Last Friday and Saturday i noticed it was starting to miss. It was only missing at idle and when in overdrive. I never noticed it miss in any other gear or while accelerating. It still had full power in WOT as far as i could tell. It wasnt a constant miss either. It was every now and then when sitting at a red light or just cruising at around 40-45mph. I thought it must be time for plugs so on Monday i did the plugs and wires. Monday and Tuesday it drove pretty good. I dont think it missed one time so i thought problem solved. Well on Wednesday the miss came back. Same as usual, not a constant miss, just every now and then at idle or while cruising in overdrive.

Now its Thursday night. I'm driving the car at a speed of around 40mph. All of a sudden it starts to sputter. I can feel the motor struggling and see the rpms going up and down with every sputter. Then it clears up and i continue driving. I get about a mile or two down the road and am litterally 2 houses away from mine when it just dies. The engine just completely stalled out. I coasted into my driveway and pulled into my usual parking spot and tried to restart it and it has not restarted at all. It will crank and try to start but as soon as the motor tries to turn over it will back fire and die. I did get it to crank for about 5 seconds but as soon as i touched the gas it died. I came close to running out of gas 2 weeks ago so i was thinking that maybe i sucked some sludge up and now its got a clogged filter. Does that sound accurate to what i am describing or does this sound like something else like maybe the pump or maybe something else all together?

 

[projectSHO89]

Measure the fuel pressure at the rail with a gauge.

 

[Irish Pride]

I have no idea how to do that. I know i dont have the tools to do that.

 

[SHORANGERBIRD]

sounds like fuel 2 me.....tach follows engine, no check engine light(that you speak of), and if light goes out while cranking over, fuel issue, not electrical(sensor) related. fuel pump.

 

[rubydist]

1. check for codes.
2. at the fuel rail, there is a schroeder valve (looks like a regular tire valve) - stick something in the center of that for a second and see if there is a good squirt of fuel.
3. make sure you hear the fuel pump run for a second or 2 when you first turn the key to 'on'.
4. pull a plug wire and see if there is spark when you crank it.
5. let us know what you have found.

 

[Irish Pride]

I didnt have much time today so i didnt get around to pulling the filter off. I did check the schroeder valve and pulled the codes. When i checked the schroeder valve at first i got one squirt of fuel, but after that there was no pressure at all. I am starting to think that it is the pump. I cannot tell if the pump is primeing or not when i turn the key to the on position. I have really tried to listen for it and i dont think it is doing anything. I'll pull the filter later today and will know for sure after that.

I did the KOEO and all i got were stored codes. These are the codes that i got - 172, 173, 211, 214, 452, 634, 647

 

[rubydist]

172 = system lean on rh bank
173 = system rich on rh bank
211 = pip circuit failure
214 = cid circuit failure
452 = no signal from vss
634 = mlps out of range
647 = improper ratio in 3rd gear

the reason the car won't run is the crank sensor is bad or the wiring to it is bad. the cam sensor also needs to be changed.

while you are at it, you should change the o2 sensors and the vss.

the mlps could be misadjusted or it might be bad - you can try aligning it first. typically, junkyard parts are good on this one.

the improper ratio in 3rd could be due to the bad vss or it could mean the trans slips in 3rd.

 

[luigisho]

I've never been in a GenI/II SHO where I couldn't hear a working fuel pump prime if i was listening for it.

 

[Irish Pride]

So you think this isnt a fuel related problem at all? Should it have fuel pressure at the rail right now or would it be like it is with a bad crank sensor?

The mlps and vss wouldnt have anything to do with it not starting right? I want to make sure i get it started before i tackle anything else.

I already changed the o2s a few weeks back so those are old codes. Changing the CID wont be a problem.

 

[Irish Pride]

I've never been in a GenI/II SHO where I couldn't hear a working fuel pump prime if i was listening for it.

My problem is my power antenna. Its so loud going up and down i cant really hear anyhthing else. I cant tell if its priming or not.

 

[Ishodu]

Turn the radio OFF or get someone to lay beside the car and listen for the fuel pump.

 

[Irish Pride]

Turn the radio OFF or get someone to lay beside the car and listen for the fuel pump.

My antenna comes up weather the radio is on or off. I'll just have to get somebody to turn the key while i'm down there.

 

[luigisho]

Or disconnect the antenna. The local autoparts store should have a loaner gauge to measure fuel pressure at the valve. That will eliminate (or not) one area from the list. Did you clear the codes?

 

[Irish Pride]

Or disconnect the antenna. The local autoparts store should have a loaner gauge to measure fuel pressure at the valve. That will eliminate (or not) one area from the list. Did you clear the codes?

Will disconnecting the battery clear them or is there anything else i would need to do? I have not attempted to clear them as of yet.

 

[luigisho]

Disconnecting the battery for a bit should clear them.

 

[rubydist]

if the car is off, and you stick something in the schroeder valve, it will spurt if there is pressure there. this will release all the pressure and the next time you stick something in the valve, nothing much will spurt out. many of the fuel pumps do not make much noise, so you may have to be leaning down at the rr of the car to hear it.

your car will not run until you fix the crank and cam sensors, so why not do that and then see what result you get?

 

[Irish Pride]

The code that is coming up for the CID is an old code. Its was there when i got the car and i've never had a problem with it.

I pulled the filter off today and checked the pump. It is working as it should and the filter was good too. I guess i will be doing my first CPS this week. Not looking forward to it.

 

[JRA2000TL]

That sucks man. If I were closer, I'd come over to help you out. I need to learn to do one of those anyway. How did a CPS come up from all those codes though if they were for O2 sensors, CID, VSS, etc.?

 

[SuperHO]

CID is the cam sensor code.

 

[xshoel93x]

pretty sure its ur camshaft sensor that died, i killed a 93 5speed it just cranks an cranks but wont start, sensor is totally screwed, same symptoms cept this one died while going to BK late at night after dropping down to second.