ssstealth

Hi Gang... I am puzzled over this one. We just picked up an 89 RS with the V6 2.8. It starts and runs good but after a few miles it sputters and dies. I forced open loop to get some of the sensors out of the way and this helped... some. Now it will go about 20 miles, then sputter and die.

Here is where it gets interesting. Once it dies... it is dead. There is no cranking, nothing. It acts as if you are trying to start it while it is in gear (auto trans). Then if you walk off from it and let it cool down, POOF!... It starts up again and runs like nothing was ever wrong.

I have searched the archives here and found nothing close so far. Anybody have a clue?

THANKS!!!

Dale

iTrader: (12)

Have the coil checked, as well the ICM. Both of these items when they overheat they completely quit working.

project89

iTrader: (1)

i dount thats his issue he says it wont even crank,id check that vats system, does the security light come on when the car dies?

ssstealth

I will check that in the morning.... Would the VATS throw any code in the system? Would a VATS error shut off the car after it has been running?

I still like the Coil/ICM theory for shutting off after the car has heated up. I would not be surprised if there are multiple faults either. That is the problem with getting a car without knowing the history.

Thanks for the good ideas so far... Any others?

project89

iTrader: (1)

i dont knwo if a vats system fault would shut down a running car,alls i know is that when my vats went bad the car would not crank.though what i ended up doing to get the car home was turn the key into the run possition and let it sit for 5 mins(vats has a 4 min timer) then i jumped the starter with a screw driver,car fired up and i got it back home.

ive seen fuel filters plug up and stop a car from running,car goes for x amount of time then dies and wont restart until after some time sitting.possible in ur case but still does not explain the no crank.. heres a

test for ya
bring somone along with ya ull need 2 ppl,grab a test light soon as the car dies. try to crank it if it does not crank have u or whoever put the test light on the starter soiliniod and hit the key and see if it lights up,
u could have a bad ignition switch

Derickab

I agree Dale. I had a buick that did the same exact thing and it was the coil. Everything went dead until it cooled down and then it was fine

Dale

iTrader: (12)

89 shouldnt have VATS. And yes, it throws a code. It also only checks at startup, not after the engine is already running. Its also only "dead" for IIRC 3 minutes, maybe 5.

ssstealth

UPDATE: Replaced coil and fuel filter,,, no change. I actually got it to start dying in the driveway today. When it begins, the tach jumps to full scale and becomes very erratic. I get codes 13,22,23,32,33,34. Keep in mind I have the O2 disconnected right now and that actually helps.

project89

iTrader: (1)

not all 89's got vats mine has it,and ive seen others without it,89 was first year of the vats no?
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maybe u have a bad pcm ? the only time ive ever seen an erratic tach on mine is when it was miss firing like crazy. did the car start missing and running ruff when the tach went crazy?

i dont recall if the tach gets its signal fromt he pcm or directly from the coil maybe somone else will know

ssstealth

MORE STILL:

This car does have VATS. The key is probably on its way out and I will get it replaced. When it is dead, I can remove the key and replace it and it will fire.

As for the other, I took off the cap to get to the control modeule and found that the internal connector to the distributer was completely melted. This would explain why the heat would cause the problem to surface. I have high hopes for this solution. Update to follow tomorrow... Thanks for all your advice.

project89

iTrader: (1)

its not the key that goes bad, its the wiring in the colum/ignition key cyl,do a vats bypass replacing the key is a waste of 75$'s, it costs about 3$'s to do a vats bypass. measure the resistance of the key with a volt meeter and get urself the correct resitor and u splice it intot he wires under the dash.if u want to get really slick a hidden mini toggle switch added into the circut alows u to enable the vats system no matter what

Dale

iTrader: (12)

Tach gets its signal from the white wire on the coil. Does not go close to the ecm.(atleast on 91 model)

Melted parts in dizzy=not good. But all that is rebuildable. Pickup coil is about 20 bucks IIRC. ICM I think is like 40?

ssstealth

UPDATE: Ignition Control Module helped, but upon replacing that I discovered that the distributor was complete junk. The magnetic ring at the top was separated and could be pulled from the shaft by hand. I replaced the whole thing and all is well now. Thanks for the help gang.