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Resolved Car dies when warm and won't start. Starts fine when cold.

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ErikTande

ErikTande

Supporting Member
1,508
569
Dec 17, 2012
Centennial, Colorado
I was just trying to leave work and the car started fine. I backed out of my spot, put it in first, started going forward and the car lurched (felt like someone popped the clutch) and died. Now it won't start. It cranks and sounds fine but won't fire. I don't have my laptop on me, but I do have fuel pressure. Nothing obvious disconnected.

Any ideas? Where do I start? I feel like the car lurching is significant. Thanks!
 
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Hrmm.. :hmm:Sounds like those muffler bearings wore out.. well nothing you can do. Time to part it out. I'll take that sweet holset setup you've got.

Seriously though I'm not sure.. You're on e-85 and SD correct? When was the last time you cleaned out the injectors, I remember something about the E-85 getting some sort of gooey buildup that needed to be addressed periodically.. but that's just a shot in the dark.
 
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Sudden failure I am guessing something electrical because it started again. The fact that the car wasn't hot is a problem. Otherwise I might suggest the power transistor. I had a problem where the car just completely shut off on the highway. Once it cooled off it started again until the transistor got hot and again it shut off as if you were using the key. That one was a hard one to diagnose because the car ran fine when cold. To diagnose it I left it idling for about 15 minutes when it shut off I changed the transistor and it started. Changed it back to the old one and it wouldn't start. One of the clues for me was when cranking the tachometer did not twitch.
 
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When the car starts does it drive fine? If it does I would start chasing electrical specifically things that get hot. If the car had been sitting for a short bit and then you tried to go somewhere then I would still look at the transistor. Parking the car after driving and sitting static may heat components up initially before they start to cool down.
 
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Could also be a simple as a loose connection on the cam angle sensor power transistor coils Etc. Although I would doubt cam sensor because without that you wouldn't have fuel pressure either.
 
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19gsx91 said:
I meant when you hit your target temp, or when the car is starting to warm up, not that it is overheating.
Click to expand...

Actually I think this is it. Car starts fine when it's cold, but dies once it it warmed up and won't start again.
 
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Erik, Are do you have a professional tune on the car? I'm asking because I'd like to see a log of initial startup and then all the way until it dies out. If you don't want to share it I don't blame you, or you could PM me and we could try to sort this out. I'm wondering if it's an issue with your IAC or the values associated with it in the DA table.
 
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Had this issue FOREVER in my CRX...turned out to be the Honda equivalent of the MPI relay in our DSM's.

Maybe try and replace the MPI relay.

What happens is that heat (and age) affects the strength of the permanent magnet in the relay. As they get older the strength decrease because science. When its hot outside and you start the car and the relay engages it gets even warmer due to the electicity flowing through the relays coils which further decreases its strength even more until it just lets go and disconnects the relay shutting off the fuel to the car.

Too hot of a day and my CRX had this exact problem. Such a PITA when it did....I would have to wait for several minutes for the relay to cool off and then hope it would just stay engaged.

Not saying this is your issue but its an easy part to change out and rule out.
 
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Ok so im not the best mechanic nor am i the best person to respond but i had a issue with a car in the past and ill give you a brief explanation.

So the fuel pump was going bad, it wouldn't supply enough fuel while it was running but when the car shut off it was able to fill the fuel rail.

So when it started it ran fine but once you felt that the car warmed up the fuel pump didn't supply the proper fuel to keep it running.

TO me personally i would look into the fuel filter the fuel rails once the car warmed up and shut off. check your fuel pressure at the time of shut off. just something to cross check and see if its working properly. hopefully this helps.
 
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Swapped the cam angle sensor today, no change. Car starts, runs for about 3 to 6 minutes, and once it gets warm it shuts off and won't start again. I'm fairly certain it's not a fuel delivery issue.

I'm going to double check the ecu and look for leaking or burns. It's only a couple years old from ECMLink though so I doubt that's it.

I'm going to replace the coil pack as well, if that doesn't do it I'll try the transistor pack. Hopefully one of those 2 does it.
 
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ErikTande said:
Swapped the cam angle sensor today, no change. Car starts, runs for about 3 to 6 minutes, and once it gets warm it shuts off and won't start again. I'm fairly certain it's not a fuel delivery issue.

I'm going to double check the ecu and look for leaking or burns. It's only a couple years old from ECMLink though so I doubt that's it.

I'm going to replace the coil pack as well, if that doesn't do it I'll try the transistor pack. Hopefully one of those 2 does it.
Click to expand...


How did you make out with checking all the ground wires/contacts and battery terminals? Did you check all the voltages? If so what were they reading?
 
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when it does dies is it like shutting off the key ?...or a sputter die ?..and once it dies and won't start check for spark ....and try priming with gas at the the intake after the turbo ...done that to get mine going after the fuel pump failed ....there was a comment here on e85 ..ethanol will rot rubber gas line and seals not compatible with it (turns them to goo) and should never be left in the tank for storage ...
 
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my car will turn off if the sensor on the Intake manifold is plugged in. i forgot the name maybe that could be the culprit. its near the left side of the intake manifold.
 
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Got it fixed! Thanks for the help everyone. It was the Ignition Control Module / power transistor. Got a new one from AutoZone for $110 and it fired right up. The 1990 module is WAY more expensive than the 1991-1994 module. I don't care though, I'm back up and running :D

This thread helped me a lot when it mentioned they might not fail until they get heated up, thanks @luv2rallye!

http://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/how-to-test-the-power-transistors.229419/

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