I have a 91 Formula, mods in sig. Yesterday I started my car, went to work just fine. I was setting in the parking lot at work and my car just shut off. It wouldn't start again. I took the key out, waited about 10 seconds and tried again, the car started right up. Didn't sound like it was running rough or anything. Sometimes in the morning I can start my car in the garage to let it warm up and it dies. I can go back out and it starts right back up, with no problems. Well, last night I was heading to my parents house and on my way there the car just died. Would'nt restart. I let it set overnight, in the freezing cold, went back this morning and it started right up and I drove it home.

Whats the deal here? I just installed a MSD6AL, but it has died like this before, (in the garage), the install so I'm ruling the MSD out. Any suggestions, please. I'm affraid to drive the car now because I don't want to get let stranded somewhere.

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91 Formula WS6
Home Made Ram Air,K&N Air Filter,Air Foil,
Ported Plenum,Underdrive Crank Pulley, Crane AFPR, Edelbrock High Flow TPI Runers, Holley 19lb Fuel Injectors, MSD6AL, SLP Headers, SLP Y Pipe & Complete SLP 3" Exhaust and Muffler, High Flow Cat, Mobil 1 Oil, Hotchkis STB, Spohn LCA's and Panhard Bar and other polyurethane goodies.

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I can't say for sure, of coarse, but I had a similar problem with my car just dying all of the sudden during driving. It turned out that I had a loose ground. The large black ground wire from the battery to the engine block/head was loose and occasionally when I hit a bump the car would die. Real easy to check and it just might have happened to you too. I would also check all other grounds, especially the other ground strap from the right rear (passenger side) head to the chassis (firewall).

[This message has been edited by TunedPort350 (edited December 20, 2000).]

Thanks, I'll check that now. And let you know. I'm home from work the rest of the week, so this couldn't have happened at a better time for me. If there really is a good time for stuff like this to happen.

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91 Formula WS6
Home Made Ram Air,K&N Air Filter,Air Foil,
Ported Plenum,Underdrive Crank Pulley, Crane AFPR, Edelbrock High Flow TPI Runers, Holley 19lb Fuel Injectors, MSD6AL, SLP Headers, SLP Y Pipe & Complete SLP 3" Exhaust and Muffler, High Flow Cat, Mobil 1 Oil, Hotchkis STB, Spohn LCA's and Panhard Bar and other polyurethane goodies.

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Well, the grounds both look good and tight. Anything else?

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91 Formula WS6
Home Made Ram Air,K&N Air Filter,Air Foil,
Ported Plenum,Underdrive Crank Pulley, Crane AFPR, Edelbrock High Flow TPI Runers, Holley 19lb Fuel Injectors, MSD6AL, SLP Headers, SLP Y Pipe & Complete SLP 3" Exhaust and Muffler, High Flow Cat, Mobil 1 Oil, Hotchkis STB, Spohn LCA's and Panhard Bar and other polyurethane goodies.

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When I brought my car home this morning I let is set in the driveway for a few hours while I worked on a friends car. When he left I tried to put my car back in the garage and it wouldn't start again. This is starting to **** me off. I am going to try the fuel filter first.

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91 Formula WS6
Home Made Ram Air,K&N Air Filter,Air Foil,
Ported Plenum,Underdrive Crank Pulley, Crane AFPR, Edelbrock High Flow TPI Runers, Holley 19lb Fuel Injectors, MSD6AL, SLP Headers, SLP Y Pipe & Complete SLP 3" Exhaust and Muffler, High Flow Cat, Mobil 1 Oil, Hotchkis STB, Spohn LCA's and Panhard Bar and other polyurethane goodies.

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I originally thought that maybe it was a bad ECM (computer), but since the car doesn't run bad, I don't think that it's that. Might have it checked out just in case though. That's my opinion. hope this helps

Ron, sounds to me like your problem may be ignition related. If you're sure your cap, rotor, wires are in good shape..then check your ignition control module. Its at the base of the distributor.

Do a FP test also to rule out any problems in that area.

Did you use a harness to install the MSD? This shouldnt explain your stalling out..but disconnect your battery for 30min if you havent already (after the MSD6AL install)

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91 Formula
305 TPI 5speed
1LE/G92/WS6
Custom cold air intake w/K&N, SLP airfoil, ported plenum, TB coolant bypass,Crane AFPR (47psi),94 octane,Crane Extruded Alum. 1.6 full roller rockers, Timing set from 4*BTDC to 10*BTDC,MSD6AL, Holley 9mm Annihilator Laser shot 50 wires, Ac Delco cap,rotor and plugs, Bosch O2sensor, SLP 1 5/8 headers,SLP catback,3:73s,JET 195* fan switch, Macewen white face gauges, Intellitronix Digital Gauges

Street legal with stock throttle body, runners,intake manifold,cam, and heads.

[This message has been edited by theformula (edited December 20, 2000).]

Well, this morning, Friday, I went out and to see if it would start again after setting all day yesterday outside in the frezing cold. It started right up, so I pulled it into the garage and onto the ramps. I left it running and checked the starter wires, they were tight. I started checking the wires from the msd install, tapping on them checking for loose connections, they were all good. I got around the battery and messed with the connections there. I don't know if it was a coincodince or not but the car shut off. The ground was a little loose. I tightend it up and went ahead and re-tightend the positive terminal. The car started right up, so I shut it off and started it several more times and it started everytime. So I don't know if that was the problem or if there is still something wrong somewhere. I'm still affraid to drive anywhere, but I will in short distances to see if it dies again. I'll keep everyone informed and thanks for all the help, its much appreciated.

I think I will go ahead and get a new cap and rotor just to be sure.

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91 Formula WS6
Home Made Ram Air,K&N Air Filter,Air Foil,
Ported Plenum,Underdrive Crank Pulley, Crane AFPR, Edelbrock High Flow TPI Runers, Holley 19lb Fuel Injectors, MSD6AL, SLP Headers, SLP Y Pipe & Complete SLP 3" Exhaust and Muffler, High Flow Cat, Mobil 1 Oil, Hotchkis STB, Spohn LCA's and Panhard Bar and other polyurethane goodies.

Http://www.geocities.com/91formula

Add your 91 F-Body to my 91 F-body's Links page, or be added to my F-Body Links Page.

someone expalin to me what the battery has to do with a car shutting off after it is started???

Ron Rizzotti,
This only happens to cars with computers a.k.a. ECMs. I'll try to not get to in depth but basically it is the electronics. The ECM uses voltages to measure differences between them and then to make timing changes and other stuff to run the engine. It needs a reference voltage to start from, usually ground known as the negative side of the battery. Remove that and the ECM has no reference and all the info coming into it will be referenced to a different voltage other than ground. Hence it, ECM, will not work. It won't even go into limp home mode.
Ron Mullins had a good enough connection to crank it over and start it but the vibrations would cause intermittent connections to ground and when one was long enough, BAAM! No ECM control then the engine won't run.
Like I said this is very basic explanation but I hope I was able to explain it a little to you.

thanks ski89z28, i asked because i have a similar problem with my car, i was thinkng it was ignition related and was goin to change the pickup coil and ignition module, but before i do that i am going to check the connection to the battery,
thanks

The alternator wouldn't keep it running?

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1989 Iroc-Z TPI 350 auto 4-spd Removed MAF screens K & N filters, stock other than that.

This might be the signs of a dying fuel pump. It appears as the engine gets hot, that you suddenly die and then can't restart. Yet when it is ice cold, it fires right up and runs fine. With a fuel pump, as it gets hot it will tend to stop working if its on its last legs. Then when its cold, it pumps fine.

Check your fuel pressure and next time, when it doesn't start, listen for the humming in the back for 2 seconds when you first turn the key on (but do not try to start). If you cannot hear that hum (after letting it stay off for around 15 seconds), when your first turn the key on, then it is definitely the fuel pump.

BTW, how many miles on your car and when was the last time that your fuel pump was changed? Also, do you always keep your tank filled or do you let it run on the low side in normal driving. People that tend to run around with only a little gas in their tank seem to go through more fuel pumps than those that keep their tank generally full.

Thanks Glenn, I haven't replaced the fuel pump, as far as I know it the orignal one. I do remember hearing the fuel pump when it does start, I'll listen for it next time it doesn't start.

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91 Formula WS6
Home Made Ram Air,K&N Air Filter,Air Foil,
Ported Plenum,Underdrive Crank Pulley, Crane AFPR, Edelbrock High Flow TPI Runers, Holley 19lb Fuel Injectors, MSD6AL, SLP Headers, SLP Y Pipe & Complete SLP 3" Exhaust and Muffler, High Flow Cat, Mobil 1 Oil, Hotchkis STB, Spohn LCA's and Panhard Bar and other polyurethane goodies.

Http://www.geocities.com/91formula

Add your 91 F-Body to my 91 F-body's Links page, or be added to my F-Body Links Page.

I was talking with my dad and kindof have to agree with him that there has got to be something else wrong, other than a bad battery connection. If I had enough battery connection to crank the engine then it should of had enough battery to feed the computer and start the car. I do try not to let my gas get down to less than a quarter tank, but it does get below that sometimes.

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91 Formula WS6
Home Made Ram Air,K&N Air Filter,Air Foil,
Ported Plenum,Underdrive Crank Pulley, Crane AFPR, Edelbrock High Flow TPI Runers, Holley 19lb Fuel Injectors, MSD6AL, SLP Headers, SLP Y Pipe & Complete SLP 3" Exhaust and Muffler, High Flow Cat, Mobil 1 Oil, Hotchkis STB, Spohn LCA's and Panhard Bar and other polyurethane goodies.

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ron
i have the same problem, i think it is ignition related becasue i took off my module and it had green stuff on the ends of it and also on the pickup coil part that it plugs in to. check that out and see if it has oxidation on it.. i dont think its the fuel pump.
ron

Sorry, but what module are you talking about Ron?

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91 Formula WS6
Home Made Ram Air,K&N Air Filter,Air Foil,
Ported Plenum,Underdrive Crank Pulley, Crane AFPR, Edelbrock High Flow TPI Runers, Holley 19lb Fuel Injectors, MSD6AL, SLP Headers, SLP Y Pipe & Complete SLP 3" Exhaust and Muffler, High Flow Cat, Mobil 1 Oil, Hotchkis STB, Spohn LCA's and Panhard Bar and other polyurethane goodies.

Http://www.geocities.com/91formula

Add your 91 F-Body to my 91 F-body's Links page, or be added to my F-Body Links Page.

Ron, It sounds like you have a fuel delivery problem. Before replacing the fuel pump. Replace the fuel filter it costs like $10 and takes like 10 minutes to change. I had the same problem and was solved once I changed it. Good Luck!

ron,
the pickup coil is in the distributor,, under the rotor and reluctor.. the ignition module plugs into it. if it gets messed up by heat it will shut down the car until it cools off.

[This message has been edited by ron rizzotti (edited December 26, 2000).]

Well, I replaced the module in the distributor, the cap and rotor. I started the car and it ran for a while, then shut off like it did before. It also started right backup like before. It ran for a while longer, (5-10 minutes) then shut off and won't restart. I can hear the fuel pump everytime I try to restart the car. The fuel pressure is 44psi and stays there. It don't bleed off. Is this bad, not dropping off? I am assuming that the fuel pump relay is good since I hear the fuel pump everytime I try to restart the car. So what do I check next?

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91 Formula WS6
Home Made Ram Air,K&N Air Filter,Air Foil,
Ported Plenum,Underdrive Crank Pulley, Crane AFPR, Edelbrock High Flow TPI Runers, Holley 19lb Fuel Injectors, MSD6AL, SLP Headers, SLP Y Pipe & Complete SLP 3" Exhaust and Muffler, High Flow Cat, Mobil 1 Oil, Hotchkis STB, Spohn LCA's and Panhard Bar and other polyurethane goodies.

Http://www.geocities.com/91formula

Add your 91 F-Body to my 91 F-body's Links page, or be added to my F-Body Links Page.

Well, after this lst time it shut off I disconnected the MSD and hooked up the stock ignition system. Bang, started right up. The MSD must have shut off after warm up. Cause after I restarted the car it ran for a long time heating up to 220 degrees and never shut off. It shut off before around 160. Thats 2 MSD systems that were bad. Unfortunetly, I will never own another MSD ignition again. Thanks to everone the helped and for your suggestions.

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91 Formula WS6
Home Made Ram Air,K&N Air Filter,Air Foil,
Ported Plenum,Underdrive Crank Pulley, Crane AFPR, Edelbrock High Flow TPI Runers, Holley 19lb Fuel Injectors, MSD6AL, SLP Headers, SLP Y Pipe & Complete SLP 3" Exhaust and Muffler, High Flow Cat, Mobil 1 Oil, Hotchkis STB, Spohn LCA's and Panhard Bar and other polyurethane goodies.

Http://www.geocities.com/91formula

Add your 91 F-Body to my 91 F-body's Links page, or be added to my F-Body Links Page.