Problem with the car!

[positron1]

My car has started shutting down. If I get in it and drive here and park or drive there and back and park I'm fine. But if I drive the car for what seems like an extended period ot time, 30 minutes or more or until it hits a certain temp, it shuts off. I flashed the ECU a couple of hours ago and it did not throw any codes. I've got a new starter, alternator and plugs etc. so my ignition system seems to be working just fine. Any ideas on what else I should start looking at? Before the car shuts down I can hear what sounds like a rattle coming from the engine.

[positron1]

I think it may be a fuel problem. Last night when I went to work and stopped the car, I started it back up and the same thing happened, it cranked but wouldn't start until I stomped on the gas and then it maintained an erratic idle. Normally it idles at 1000rpm, always, but it would jump from 1100-1300 and back. I also don't hear the pump noise from the back when I put the key in and turn it to ignition. Could I have a bad pump? I went to the parts store today and got a new filter and some injector cleaner, I may need to get a pump too but I'll definitely test it and see if that's the problem! I also checked the pump fuse and it's fine but still no priming noise.

[dickie]

maf? ecu = bad?

sounds like your ecu or something feeding it info is telling your gas to cut out. if it was the pump i dont think it would be operating up to that cutoff point.

try borrowing someone else's ecu and using it to troubleshoot.

[positron1]

Well, I finally figured out why my car has been dying on me during driving. I put a new fuel pump in today thinking that would fix my problem. I finished installing the pump. I could hear it prime when I turned the ignition, my old pump was not priming. I started the car and ran it for 10 minutes then turned it off and started it again and nothing. I was pissed. Not because I bought a new fuel pump, I really needed a new one anyway. I was mad because I thought I had solved my problem but to no avail. I got under the hood and started checking everything. I went to the ignition coil and checked it...nothing. Then I pulled the distributor cap and started pulling spark plug wires. I got to the middle spark plug wire and found this to my amazementThe wire was pushed back, turned on it's side and it had some blue residue built up around it and so did the distibutor cap where it was plugged. It was obvious that this wire hadn't been plugged into the distro for quite some time. I immediately realized that this was my problem! I cleaned it up, straightened the wire and plugged it in. My car fired up time after time. My problem has been fixed. What a dumb@$$! yes!

[dickie]

damn, its always the cheapest and most obvious solution that you find after spending money on something else.

[positron1]

Ain't it the truth!!!! If I wasn't so happy that I solved this problem...I'd probably be pissed!
Modified by positronone at 2:36 PM 6/14/2007

[ZOOMIGUEL]

Ain't it the truth!!!! If I wasn't so happy that I solved this problem...I'd be probably be pissed!

you aree pretty lucky, i was going to tell you to try the spark test, but you already found it... nice, now i have a problem tooo. lol it sucks, my car shuts off after like 10 minutes, then doesnt turn on til like 1 hour..... deffinetly sucks

now im having problems, any ideas? lol

i wish my car would be easy like urs, but ive checked almost everything.... the only thing is i cant find my ECU. where is it located, and how do i test it?

[positron1]

The ECU is under the passenger side kick panel. Just remove it and you have access.Look closely and you can see the ECU on the bottom right.Read this thread for testing the ECU zerothread?id=253912

[positron1]

you aree pretty lucky, i was going to tell you to try the spark test, but you already found it... nice, now i have a problem tooo. lol it sucks, my car shuts off after like 10 minutes, then doesnt turn on til like 1 hour..... deffinetly sucks

now im having problems, any ideas? lol

That sounds like the same thing that was happening to me! I checked the ECU for codes a throwin' and didn't get any. Keep us posted on what you do.

[ZOOMIGUEL]

alright, i just bought a ecu off ebay, hopefully my car will run correctly after changed, will receive it like in 5-6 days so...yeaill test it today, ill be back with answers