driving for a good hour and a half when the engine just stops

[fallout941]

I got a 99 RS with an MT on the 24th. I had to drive it back, which was a 4 hour drive. I figured that would bring out any problems the car would have, and the car ran fine with one major exception.

I had been driving for a good hour and a half when the engine just stops....at 75 MPH. Both the speedo and tach go to 0. I pull the car off the road, try to see if the car is getting fuel, it is. i check the ignition plugs, they are fine. I try to start the car 3 or 4 times, and it just keeps turning over, not actually starting. I take the key out of the ignition, fiddle with some other stuff, and try to start the car again, starts right up.

I start driving again, decide to stop to get something to eat. I get off the exit, damn thing dies again. Again, both gauges go to 0. i try fiddling with some things, and again, after taking the key out and trying to start the car, it starts right up.

It happens again on the way back, with the same fix (I didnt realize at the time that it was starting right back up after removing the key)

I was told that the fuel pump relay going bad would cause symptoms like this. I do not know if this is true.

The car has no problems whatsoever when starting from a cold start. It doesnt ever have any problems starting period. My thinking is that the heat from the engine makes something in the relay expand, causing the failure. I have no idea, however, and would love some input from anyone, especially from someone who has had the same symptoms.

Thanks in advance for all replies.

 

[poonman]

Here is the way to test the relay also check if the car has an alarm

 

[fallout941]

The problem is not one that happens while the car is cold, so testing the relay, even after driving the car, is useless.

If someone DOES have an idea as to what could be causing the symptoms, please feel free to share.

 

[luv2rallye]

Is your battery tied down so it doesn't short against the hood or strut brace? Plus rubber over + terminal?

 

[got_Dsm_NY]

i would check if all the grounds are good.. and check if the battery is loose

 

[fallout941]

Considering the engine has no problem actually trying to start, i didnt think of checking the battery connection. I did do it, however, and the battery is both tied down and firmly connected, as is all major grounding and hot wires from the battery.

Has no one else ever experienced something similar to this before? What could cause the engine to shut off and not start again, and shut all my gauges off all at the same time? Does anyone have the wiring diagrams for a 99 RS to see what ties all of those together?

 

[fallout941]

Could melted harness wires shorting out on the EGR pipe be causing the problems I am describing? Because I was searching like a madman and came across a pic of melted wires, went to check mine, and they are melted. I will fix this problem, but want to know if this could possibly be the cause of my problems.

 

[poonman]

it sounds like your ECU is going bad, mine did the same ish and chenged the ecu, been fine ever since other then my p0505 code

Do you have any cels, it would probly be pin pointed better if you had some.

 

[fallout941]

it sounds like your ECU is going bad, mine did the same ish and chenged the ecu, been fine ever since other then my p0505 code

Do you have any cels, it would probly be pin pointed better if you had some.

Nope, not tripping CEL. Its running fine until it cuts off. it takes a few minutes and then it starts right back up and runs just fine again.

 

[poonman]

is it just like an electric shut down or like a bog, describe a lil bit like what happends when it dies, does anything shut down or stay on, is it just the engine?

 

[fallout941]

Its quite literally just cutting off. All gauges go to 0, lights stay on, radio stays on. Pretty much everything not ECU controlled stays on. There is no prior indication that the car is going to quit, it just quits and will not start back up. When it DOES start back, it runs fine, no hiccups at all. It runs like nothing at all is wrong.

I heat-shielded the EGR pipe last night and wrapped the exposed wires and went for a drive. Nothing at all happened. I am not calling this one fixed yet, as this problem is one that has popped up at completely random times, but I think I might have found the cause of the issue.

I will keep this updated just in case someone else comes across a similar problem.

 

[fallout941]

drove 300 miles yesterday, no problems. I am fairly confident that the issue was the wires shorting out on the EGR pipe, since now I have the pipe heat shielded and have no problems.

 

[poonman]

theres just one thing bro, your EGR pipe should only get hot for a small time, like when you first start the car, if your pipe is hot all the time then your egr valve is stuck

 

[roadrunner2176]

Poonman makes a good point.

If it does it again, change your asd relay. I went through this awhile back, changed cam position sensor, crank position sensor, asd relay, tested all wires, went through the harness around the egr tubing, 4 mechanics, and nothing. Took the asd relay from my other car and havn't had a problem since. Same symptoms, starts just fine, shut car off, hope it would start back up. When it dies, wait 5-10 minutes and your good to go again. You will get spark and fuel for a few seconds than they shut off, your fuel pump will still prime.

 

[LaserDad91]

I am having a simalar problem with a 91 Laser 2.0, na. Where is the asd relay?

 

[91TurboTalonFWD]

I have the same problem with my 91 FWD TSI... and i cant start it now and i know its because of my alarm... driving down the road the car just dies... turn key back remove it put it back and it starts right up

 

[LaserDad91]

Well I don't have any alarm system. I have tried three different efi relay's, two ecu's. Is the ASD relay something different? Any suggestions?