****randomly turns off****

[jza80king]

So i've tried searching and searching but this problem is so broad, i'm hoping someone here is having the same problem as me and can help me out. So my car just randomly turns off out of nowhere while i'm driving...it has done it maybe 1-2 times in the last 2 months or so....also the other day when i got home, i went inside my house to change and then when i got back in my car it cranks and cranks, but just won't start.....its weird cuz i'll let it sit for 20 mins-1hr and then it will start up no problems...so far i've changed the fuel filter, spark plug wires, checked my battery cables but although it does it so few times its very annoying. I've heard other possible things might be distributor cap/rotar, IAA valve, MAF, throttle body cleaning, or maybe the grounding but i don't have a OHM meter.....A mechanic who always looks at my car doesn't think its the MAF he said maybe the ignition module but if it was the ignition module then wouldn't my car never start? I think it might have to do something with the heat cuz its only happening when my car is hot or i've been driving. Anyway, sorry this is so long but hopefully i can get some help from my fellow 240sx owners

[onosqv]

it's broad because you need to be more specific...

such as:

1) Does speed matter when it turns off randomly? If so, what speed, gear, load, etc.

2) Does it turn off randomly regardless of what you are doing, or say, randomly only @ idle? only at cruising? only at acceleration? only at braking? etc.

3) When did you start noticing this happening? Was it after you changed something?

4) Before it turns off, do you notice any weird behavior? example: it usually turns off when you are idling, and you notice that the rpms surge, or it usually turns off when the gas is lower and much less when the gas tank is full, etc.

5) Is your check engine light on?

6) Engine & electronic wise having to do w/ the engine (ecu, safc, etc), is the car stock or modified?

I'm sure someone else will chime in, especially after you give more details.

[jza80king]

i've answered some of your questions, hopefully this will help.

1)speed doesn't seem to matter usually happens under normal cruising.

2) the times its turned off on me is either just cruising, or decelerating/braking.

3)didn't change anything at all other than usual oil changes spark plugs

4)rpms have surged in the past but nothing related to less or more gas in the tank.

5)no engine light isn't on

6)car is completely stock other than a K&N air filter

[nismopu]

try a new coil or ignitor.

[jza80king]

try a new coil or ignitor.

is there anyway to maybe test it out to see if its indeed the coil? with it costing $170 to replace i would like to make sure if this is it....any ideas?

[Chukidori]

How about swapping a coil from one of your friends cars if you can...and drive it to see if it helps. Then you know you have a problem.

[jza80king]

How about swapping a coil from one of your friends cars if you can...and drive it to see if it helps. Then you know you have a problem.

only guy i know who had a 240sx sold it over 2 years ago...i just don't thinks its the coil because it only does it maybe once a month if it were my coil than wouldn't it do it more frequently?

[nismopu]

how long of a drive does it take to replicate the situation? Yes, you can OHM them with a voltmeter to see if they're bad. Just follow the specs per the FSM on your car. peace.

[rsdans240sx]

Hey I have this same kind of problem although mine shuts off if I'm really on it and then when I shift it dies. Any ideas?

[jza80king]

it just does it so randomly, the last time it did it was about 1 week ago....time before that was probably 1 month before that.....i guess i'm back where i started.

[pancho y onions]

Hey theres a good chance it might be your CAS. I had the exact same probleme with my 93 240. It started out the same and it only got worse till where i had to wait like 3hrs till it started and finally it wouldnt start anymore. When it does it again check to see if your getting spark if not then its probably your CAS.

[positron1]

Man I had that exact problem about a year ago. My car would just shut off randomly and would not immediately start back up. I would leave it and come back an hour or so later and it would start back up just fine. I replaced my coolant temp sensor and it ran fan after that. It seemed like it would only shut off after reaching operating temp because I could just get in it and go somewhere, come back and no problems but if I had to run it for some time then the shutoffs would start. Might not be your problem but it's an idea.

[ilivetodrift]

Its one of the coolant sensors...There is two located above the Tps unit at the upper intake manifold. Coolant sending unit.....What this does is shuts the car off when it warms up...I believe this to be the problem it prob. is faulty...check it out replace it and hopefully that fixes it...Hope to help ya man.

[positron1]

[jza80king]

hey guys i really appreciate your guys' input. I think this is it because it does it always after its been running for a while and I had suspected that it would get hot or warmed up then some sensor was faulty. I'm gonna get this replaced and test it out. I found a couple different one's on checker.com, niehoff, beck&arnley and ac delco....I would've liked to go w/oem the ac delco seems to be the most $$ and i've purchased beck&arnley before....

[onosqv]

OEM S13 (Coolant / Engine) Temperature Sensor - you can get it from FRSport or any Nissan dealership if you want oem.

[jza80king]

so i've changed out the coolant temp. sensor...no luck my car died today while i was going out to get something to eat and wouldn't start. I had to leave it parked in a parking lot and when I came back hours later after I was off work, it fired right up. I need to gather some more info and keep trying, any other ideas from you guys are greatly appreciated.

[pancho y onions]

That really sounds like your crank angle sensor. Try to find a distsributer on the classifieds.

[jza80king]

Is there anyway to be sure? new distributors are a lot and I wanna be sure if this is it. Next time it does it again should I remove the cap from the distributor to check for a spark or what?

[pancho y onions]

What ya wana do is once it does it again. What ya wana do is disconect the coil wire from the dist(center wire) and set it close to the valve cover and have someone crank it. If ya see spark then you can rule out not getting spark. If ya dont see it any spark then thats the prob. Dont buy a new one. Buy one on here from somone who is parting out 240. I bought mine for $30 shipped and it solved my problemes.

[jza80king]

close to the valve cover? I'll try to do that hopefully i'm with someone when it happens again.

[grecco28]

ok, when the failure come up check if the problem is a gasoline issue or electrical issue first...

[jza80king]

I know its not gasoline related. Fuel pump was changed out less than 1 year ago, fuel pressure is fine as well.

[jza80king]

problem was diagnosed...code 11, distributor is faulty

[onosqv]

problem was diagnosed...code 11, distributor is faulty

good job... so the CEL came on some time recently then? I ask because your first reply to the CEL was that there was no light on.

[pancho y onions]

problem was diagnosed...code 11, distributor is faulty

Good to hear ya got it going man. I had the exact same probleme a year ago with mine.

[jza80king]

good job... so the CEL came on some time recently then? I ask because your first reply to the CEL was that there was no light on.

check engine light never once came on....which is why it took so long to diagnose the problem. Wouldn't have taken this long if I would've just ran the codes from day 1.