No Start..... again...

[TimboSHO]

So a few weeks ago my 96 would not start one day. I got it towed to work and hooked up the scanner and 'no communication.' Hmmmm..... Open the hood and look at the fuses, and the blown 20amp ECM fuse sticks out like a sore thumb. I buy the proper 30amp fuse and presto! Problem solved. Until a couple of days ago. Car stutters (more like cuts out for a fraction of a second while accelerating----partial throttle) 2 or 3 times one night. Then the next morning while I'm driving to work, it cuts out once again and them cuts out for good and stops running and doesn't restart. Tow it to work and hook up the scanner and it says 'no communication' again. Immediately I open the hood and check the ECM fuse. It's still good.
So what else could cause this? Bad wire to the ECM? Computer problem? Any place to start? Is there a reason a 20amp fuse was put in the ECM slot in the first place? Thanks for any help and suggestions.....

 

[TimboSHO]

Bump..... also the theft light blinks both when I turn the key on and when I crank it. Is this normal? Is it possibly just security related? I know the alarm on this thing is finicky already, but I'm not sure an alarm would cause the car to shut off while you're driving it....

 

[SHOZ123]

All fuses are good?

Do you have 12V between the 4th top pin from the left and the bottom extreme right pin on the OBDII connector?

 

[TimboSHO]

Just an update. Got the car running again. Had power at the OBD connector, and none at the computer itself. Checked that same fuse, and the cheap aftermarket one was blown. I guess I just missed that on my first visual inspection. I can't see how those things can put more that about 5 amps through those skinny paths in there. I replaced it with a stock 30 amper that I got at the junkyard. Hopefully this lasts a bit longer......