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91 RS 3.1L Dying

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Old Aug 26, 2009 | 07:11 PM
  #1  
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Car: 91 RS & 88Camaro, 95 Honda Prelude
91 RS 3.1L Dying

Good fuel pump, replaced coil. Not quite sure whats going on. It dies when driving and starts right up or starts on its own. When it sits for a minute after I shut it off, it wont start until it sits for a few hours. Heres the new one, it dies when it hits 4,000rpm. Any suggestions?
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Old Aug 26, 2009 | 07:32 PM
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Car: 91 RS
Engine: 350 vortec
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Re: 91 RS 3.1L Dying

what? the car will start by all by itself no turn of the key? like the reincarnation of "KIT"

sounds a little like run on caused by massive amounts of carbon deposits in the engine igniting unburnt fuel

might just want to let the 3.1 die...
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Old Aug 26, 2009 | 07:37 PM
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Re: 91 RS 3.1L Dying

Haha yeah when driving it will shut off and start right up and it will do that for a bit then just shut off so i'll pull over and start it and it will keep doing it then ill shut it off let it sit and it wont start again
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Old Aug 26, 2009 | 08:49 PM
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Car: 88 Camaro SC
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Axle/Gears: 9-bolt w/ 3.23's
Re: 91 RS 3.1L Dying

Does it actually start cranking on its own? Or does it just diesel on after you turn off the ign?
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Old Aug 26, 2009 | 11:19 PM
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Re: 91 RS 3.1L Dying

I'm not sure what that means. It dies I loose rmp and all that but ill keep my foot on the petal and it just comes back to life then a bit down the road it will do it again. After a few times it wont and I'll stop and start it, it will keep up.
After it sits it will crank but not start
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Old Aug 27, 2009 | 02:50 AM
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Engine: SFI'd 350
Transmission: TKO 500
Axle/Gears: 9-bolt w/ 3.23's
Re: 91 RS 3.1L Dying

Oh, OK. Basically it cuts out while your driving, but sometimes whatever is causing the problem will 'correct' itself and the motor will catch again. I would think that the ignition might be a good place to look. It could be intermittently loosing spark. Might have a look over the connections at teh distributer and coil, and make sure nothing is loose. Could also be a faulty module as well, assuming the problem actually lies in the ignition.

Next time it does it, have a look at the tach. If the tach abruptly drops to zero or is erratic when the engine looses power, then the problem is most likely in the ignition system, or possibly grounds/power.
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Old Aug 27, 2009 | 03:54 AM
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Car: 1987 IROC Z
Engine: 350 TPI L98 block
Transmission: 700R4
Re: 91 RS 3.1L Dying

Originally Posted by dimented24x7
Does it actually start cranking on its own? Or does it just diesel on after you turn off the ign?
hehe.. I was thinking.. "Okay... someone has to figure out how that happened because this can be looked at in one of 2 ways..

1. The coolest malfunction my car has ever had

2. The worst malfunction my car has ever had... because it started of its own volition and decided to drive away because it got tired of the abuse....
"
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Old Aug 27, 2009 | 04:00 AM
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Car: 1987 IROC Z
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Transmission: 700R4
Re: 91 RS 3.1L Dying

Originally Posted by dimented24x7
Oh, OK. Basically it cuts out while your driving, but sometimes whatever is causing the problem will 'correct' itself and the motor will catch again. I would think that the ignition might be a good place to look. It could be intermittently loosing spark. Might have a look over the connections at teh distributer and coil, and make sure nothing is loose. Could also be a faulty module as well, assuming the problem actually lies in the ignition.

Next time it does it, have a look at the tach. If the tach abruptly drops to zero or is erratic when the engine looses power, then the problem is most likely in the ignition system, or possibly grounds/power.

On a more serious note... go down to your local auto parts store and ask for "Sea Foam" . Its some pretty wicked stuff that you put in your fuel tank and in your vacuum lines (generally I use the vacuum line from the break booster) . Its going to smoke the hell out of your tail pipes for about 15-20 minutes, but in the process it will clean up the carbon deposits in your system.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D11ZVYwj62w

Video explains all it does, and it actually does work. I noticed a smoother idle once I did this. Best part is this stuff is only like $8
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Old Aug 27, 2009 | 08:20 AM
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From: Moorestown, NJ
Car: 88 Camaro SC
Engine: SFI'd 350
Transmission: TKO 500
Axle/Gears: 9-bolt w/ 3.23's
Re: 91 RS 3.1L Dying

Originally Posted by omnipotentgoku
hehe.. I was thinking.. "Okay... someone has to figure out how that happened because this can be looked at in one of 2 ways..

1. The coolest malfunction my car has ever had

2. The worst malfunction my car has ever had... because it started of its own volition and decided to drive away because it got tired of the abuse....
"
The original poster made it sound like the car actually started on its own. Highly improbable, but still possible, although youd have an issue of the starter dragging after the engine fired up.

Ive tested seafoam out on dirty valves, and had less than stellar results. It does a so-so job of breaking up deposits. What works best is simple old water. Disconnect the cat, and introduce enough to cause the motor to complain, but not so much that it stalls or hydrolocks. Does a good job of breaking up all the gunk that builds up.
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Old Aug 27, 2009 | 04:39 PM
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Re: 91 RS 3.1L Dying

Thank you to everyone helping me out. I've been doing some research and I was thinking it was the ignition too. This is the plan. I replaced the coil yesterday. No go. I'm putting it on a trailor and taking it to a shop Saturday morning. I'm done with this V6 haha. It runs great when it does but when something goes bad its horrible. I'm going to see what the shop says and then start rebuilding a 350 =)
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Old Aug 28, 2009 | 01:14 AM
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From: El Paso, Texas
Car: 1987 IROC Z
Engine: 350 TPI L98 block
Transmission: 700R4
Re: 91 RS 3.1L Dying

Originally Posted by CjandAlex
Thank you to everyone helping me out. I've been doing some research and I was thinking it was the ignition too. This is the plan. I replaced the coil yesterday. No go. I'm putting it on a trailor and taking it to a shop Saturday morning. I'm done with this V6 haha. It runs great when it does but when something goes bad its horrible. I'm going to see what the shop says and then start rebuilding a 350 =)
W E L C O M E T O T H E N E X T L E V E L



SEGA!!
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