card died while driving, wont start...FREAKING OUT

[Crushbone]

ok, tonight i was turning a corner in first gear and hit around 4k rpms and it was like the car just shut off. rpms dropped to 0 instantly and i tried restarting it while i was coasting and got nothing, no turn over. i parked it just inside my apt complex (happened less that 100yrd from my apt) and couldnt find anything that looked funny, as far as missing timing belt teeth, broken belts, or blown turbo gaskets (it acted like this once before when i blew a turbo gastket). i got it to start once by pressing on the accelerator and turning it over, and it started but ran really rough, and would go over 10 or 15 mph, and then choked and died again. im seriously praying it wasnt the timing belt. its a newer built 6bolt in my 98 eclipse, less than 25k miles on it. other than timing/fuel/compression what could it be. it ran great before except for a very small exhaust leak just after where my down pipe bolts to my cat. ive also found that it could be a CAS, ecu, some relay/transistor, or a vaccume leak. what do you guys think and where is the least scariest place to start (really really hoping it wasnt the timeing belt...its my daily driver). that guy who had it before me was a little hacky to...

 

[romeen]

Make sure you didn't blow off an IC pipe coupler. Also check that the battery is securely tied down with an insulating cover over the + terminal. If not it could have slid while you were turning and shorted out, especially if you have a strut tower bar. Check fuses too.

It could be a lot of things but just suggesting a few simple, easy to check things first.

 

[Crushbone]

thanks. i didnt hear any nasty noises either, like valves hitting pistons and what not.

 

[dsmornothing]

Sounds kinda like the MAF to me. If it was a vacuum leak it would have to be huge. If neither of them are the issue start looking at your timing.

 

[400hp93talon]

Check the intercooler pipes and make sure nothing came apart.

 

[Crushbone]

is it normal to be able to push down a little on the timing belt between the gears? if my timing is off would it start at all? bc it did start. Piping looks fine, the belt seems to be rotating properly when I try to start the car, so I don't think its timing. I do have a fuse blown. Its the 20a one for cond fan vent cond in the fuse box under the hood, could that cause this? And for the 6 bolt ppl, I know the cas and the cps (I believe is the correct one) are spliced together. Io have the black red and yellow ones and a white one that look broken from the sensor, and where its broke from a blue wire with a red stripe is solder to it. the white one from the harness looks like it may have been crapily soldered to where the the red/blue wire is connected. Ill try to post a pic.

Couldn't figure out how to post it in the thread, but here is my cas prob http://www.dsmtuners.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=117069&catid=member&imageuser=123886

 

[400hp93talon]

Yeah its normal for the timing belt to have roughly about an inch of play in between the gears.... Your best bet will be to make sure the timing of the cams are still spot on turn it over and make sure the two marks on the gears meet in the middle like this ( )-( ) the dash being the middle and these ( ) being the cam gears where the marks will meet each other. If those are spot on then you might want to jack it up and take the drivers side wheel off along with the external belts(water pump+power steering and AC)waterpump pulleys,crank pulley and the timing cover and check that your crank is still timed with the cams.

 

[romeen]

is it normal to be able to push down a little on the timing belt between the gears? if my timing is off would it start at all? bc it did start. Piping looks fine, the belt seems to be rotating properly when I try to start the car, so I don't think its timing. I do have a fuse blown. Its the 20a one for cond fan vent cond in the fuse box under the hood, could that cause this? And for the 6 bolt ppl, I know the cas and the cps (I believe is the correct one) are spliced together. Io have the black red and yellow ones and a white one that look broken from the sensor, and where its broke from a blue wire with a red stripe is solder to it. the white one from the harness looks like it may have been crapily soldered to where the the red/blue wire is connected. Ill try to post a pic.

Couldn't figure out how to post it in the thread, but here is my cas prob Cas Wire - DSMtuners Gallery

You may have found your problem. That needs to be connected as shown in this diagram.

RRE Instructions

 

[Crushbone]

Ok, timing marks on cams line up, im going to replace the ps pump this sat so I will probably just pull the other stuff out and check the crank. Im planning on soldering the wire for the harness tomorrow and see if it changes anything. The RRE diagram doesn't show the white wire from the crank sensor plug, the one that is broke on the right. I have a the black, green, and red ones shown but also the white one. On the left, where the blob of solder is, is the blue cam sensor soldered to the white wire shown in the diagram. I was blowing the power window fuse a few days ago, and took the fuse box apart and wiggled the harness and it quit blowing, so im wondering if the 2g to 1g splice was improperly done prior to me getting the car. Seems like im having electrical issues, and I believe that is problem now. I appreciate all of your help to, electrical problems tend to be over my head.

Idk why I didn't relate it to this, but I've had some bogging down problems previously also. This happens at varying speeds and rpms, but it goes from a hard pull to what feels like 1/3 the power and bogs. I thought it was bc of a small exhaust leak just before my rear o2 sensor. Could a coil pack have been on its way out, causing bogging, and now it has just died? I know fuel problems can also make you bog. My dad is a fairly solid mechanic and he believes spark is my problem.

 

[TazManianDevil]

this happened to me before (2007) but i was in freeway doing 65, and after trying to start the car I got CEL ON (i don't remember what code it was) took the car to a shop and the mechanic told me that the crankshaft blade (i guess it moved) cutting a small belt inside the engine I wish I remember what that belt was called. He showed me the parts that broke inside the engine, the "crankshaft position sensor" broke into couple of pieces and a "small belt" that broke.

 

[50trimgst]

Bs belt?

 

[nek]

It would be very suprising to me if it was the maf or any other electrical problem.
Even unplugged my car still started without a maf and electrical problems usually dont occur under normal driving conditions.

 

[ryanjayx]

Not that it's the same, but the same thing happened in my Honda. Driving around a corner and it died, so I started it again, and it ran like SHIT. I was getting fuel and spark, so I checked my timing, and it was 6 teeth off. No bent valves or anything like that though, luckily. So maybe check your time.

 

[TSiAWD666]

If I were to bet money on anything it would be an electrical connection that has come loose. I have had this happen sadly on multiple occasions with different connectors causing various symptoms like inability to start, inability to idle/drive, or simply idling but not working if I pressed the throttle.

Check your visible electrical connections in the engine bay and just reconnect anything, even if you think it looks like it's on tightly. You may find it worked its way just loose enough to disconnect electrically but appear to be on at a glance.

 

[darknesssfs]

Ok. Today I was hitting some curves in mountaines area( is that a word?) and my car just died out. It was still on but I couldn’t accelerate or anything. I luckily found an area to coast to a stop. Now it won’t start, it won’t even crank. I turn the key and I hear the starter motor turning but now cranking. I had my wife try while I was looking at engine. I see two belts moving but nothing else. Any suggestions? Horrible day! 98 GST Spyder automatic!

 

[Calan]

in mountaines area( is that a word?)

I think you meant "in a mountainous area".

You need to start your own thread (people don't take kindly to thread-jacking). In the mean time,

1. Did you hear any sounds?
2. Is it electrical? (radio, lights, etc. all still work)

We're gonna need more info on EXACTLY what happened. Start a new thread (with a descriptive title) and I'm sure people will jump in to help.

 

[darknesssfs]

will do! My bad!

 

[Crushbone]

Ok, my checks will be:timing, connectors, fixing cps/cas splice, plumping, fuel, and spark (going to check coil packs and the transistor that I believe is under it). I looked down in the valve cover from my oil port and didn't see any chaos. My balance shaft is removed. Calan, would you mind throwing in some thoughts to? I appreciate your guys help. Im gunna start in on it tomorrow. If I cant find anything I guess ill have to take it to the shop. Since its my DD I can't be without it for long. If there is anything else that you all think I should add let me know. Ill keep this updated and I check it every few hours.

 

[Dert]

This exact issue happened to me tonight, I turned right hit the gas, shifted but the car died. It would turn over but not start. I am running SD so thought a sensor was gone, had the gf bring stock maf to me, set it up on link for stock maf but still wouldn't start. I called towtruck, paid $60 to have it towed home, tried it again and nothing. So I took the maf off, plugged my SD cable back in (have ECM link SD cable) set link back up for SD and the damn thing started right up. It sounded rattely at first but idled fine after 10 seconds or so. Went around the block and it sounds like I have an intercooler pipe off (hearing the turbo whistle alot) all pipes are still on tight, I'm baffled and have no idea why it quit in the first place.

 

[linen88]

Did you find out what was wrong with it electrical,ic piping, or motor problems? Definately check intercooler piping closely had same issues and a lower pipe that I couldn't really see was blown off.

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[AlexPro]

Okay I'm NOT going to say you have same issue but this might help...
Same happen to me yesterday driving from work.
At 5000 RPM my car died with no sounds or CEL, I pulled over to the shoulder and start looking for issue... Took spark plug wire out checked for spark, was fine. Did much more to see whats wrong.
At the end I found one plug got loose and that was my issue. Here is the picture , might help your problem...
http://www.dsmtuners.com/gallery/files/1/2/7/1/2/7/plugs.jpg

 

[Dert]

Hey you know something, when I was looking the engine over I unplugged that plug and plugged it back in so who knows, then re-set up my SD on link so maybe that was my issue too because it has been running fine since.


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[kamikazeredneck]

I know this has been said a few times but try looking at your cam angle sensor. I have this problem all the time. My car will have no problems then just die and its that sensor every time. My clip happens to be broken but it a great place to check. When mine happens it doesn't come off or even look like it is loose but if you don't un plug it all the way and plug it back in it wont start. Check to see if you are getting spark and fuel too because that is a indicator if a sensor has popped off.

 

[Dert]

Okay I'm NOT going to say you have same issue but this might help...
Same happen to me yesterday driving from work.
At 5000 RPM my car died with no sounds or CEL, I pulled over to the shoulder and start looking for issue... Took spark plug wire out checked for spark, was fine. Did much more to see whats wrong.
At the end I found one plug got loose and that was my issue. Here is the picture , might help your problem...
http://www.dsmtuners.com/gallery/files/1/2/7/1/2/7/plugs.jpg

This happened to me again. This time I had my gf come pick me and my daughter up, a few hrs later I went back to where I left my car and it still would not start. So I call my dad to bring some tools to me and on the phone I'm explaining what I think is wrong, I tell him, It's like a plug came loose or someth.......if only I would have rembered when it first shut off that damn plug was loose again and I completly forgot about it, oh well at least I didnt pay for a tow again. Thanx for the info as this was my issue both times, the first time I wasnt sure because I unplugged and replugged everything, but now that it happened again and this plug I know for a fact was loose so I am confident that this was the issue the first time as well.

 

[91mits]

you should get your alternator checked out...i just created a thread on my recent build and it happened to me...car died and felt like it lost power...wouldnt turn on until i jumped it...if the alternator is bad..it will die...get the easy things checked out first..or anything related to the accessory drive belt system..