Engine died on the road, got it home and now its fine?!

[suicideking]

So I was driving down a city road, when suddenly I noticed my throttle seemed to stop responding intermittently; the car would have "lulls" of acceleration.

A few moments later, as I'm turning onto another street, it sputters a few times between 3-4k RPM and then stalls out completely.

I try starting it again, and it idles like a hiccuping drunk and stalls.
Repeat.
Repeat.

I let it sit for about 10 seconds, try it again and this time it starts, but the climb and fall of RPMs after it starts is really erratic, jumping 500 at a time. I apply a bit of throttle to see whether it evens out a little, and the jumping increases in its variances until it flat out stalls again.
Repeat.
Repeat.

I get it home after a tow, move it into the garage and go to start it up again to show my brother and brainstorm a bit.

Starts fine. Idles and revs fine.

I don't even know where to begin trying to diagnose this problem, especially now that it doesn't seem to exist. I'm going to see if I can get it to happen again tonight, but I am completely stumped!!

 

[doodie]

Make sure your MAS plug is plugged in tightly. Check if the intake pipe is still attached to the turbo. Mine did the same thing when the intake pipe popped off the turbo.

 

[darkness_fallz]

I had the same problem just recently on my car- check your ECU for any signs of capacitor leak.

It would start up, put for a second or two, and die right? then it would start up and run just fine for a little while? yeah... was doing that on my car every so often and it just got worse..... Finally just died today- a hole got eaten straight through my ECU board.... it sucks.

 

[suicideking]

Capacitor leak. Well doesn't that just sound friendly.

I'll pull it tomorrow and check the ECU, intake, and MAS.

Thanks for the insight, its much appreciated!

 

[logic]

I had the same problem just recently on my car- check your ECU for any signs of capacitor leak.

He has a 2g.

Sounds like a boost leak...look for blown-off hose clamps on the intercooler piping, holes in the piping or intercooler itself, problems with the throttle body, a bad seal on the BOV gasket...anything that's involved in the intake piping of the car.

 

[NyteDSM96]

He has a 2g.

Sounds like a boost leak...look for blown-off hose clamps on the intercooler piping, holes in the piping or intercooler itself, problems with the throttle body, a bad seal on the BOV gasket...anything that's involved in the intake piping of the car.

i agree, its a computer thing. i had mines replaced about 3 weeks ago. apparently it got wet.