2G Starts then shuts off if you catch it quick enough you can turn switch off then back on again and have a few more seconds

[A66gt40]

I’m new to here but desperate for help I’ve tried everything I can think of to fix this issue but no luck.

I turn switch on no fuel pump until I hit the starter (heard this is normal). Anyway it fires right up and a few seconds to a couple minutes. It just dies like it’s getting no fuel, I hear the fuel pump running for a second after it dies. If I’m driving the car which is impossible almost but since it’s a manual I can a little bit. When it shuts off I can turn the switch off and on really quick and it will pick back up for a few more seconds.

I have replaced plugs, wires, coils, injectors, MAF, MAP, camshaft position sensor, crankshaft position sensor, fuel pump, fuel pressure regulator, rebuilt turbo, dropped fuel tank and cleaned it and all lines out, replaced fuel filter, starter, all vacuum lines, intercooler piping and hoses, new boost gauge, boost controller, BOV starter and gas cap.

I have also checked oil pressure and it is very good. Have 150lbs compression on all cylinders (engine was freshly rebuilt). New clutch as well as more things that I can’t think of right now. Now I’m thinking maybe faulty ignition switch but heck I don’t know I’m really getting tired of just throwing parts at it and about ready to set it on fire or sell it for scrap metal.

Please help any advice is welcome. Thanks in advance.

 

[TuskeeTuner]

When I was data logging using hp tuners it was showing something like 15 degrees advanced timing at a red light

Depending on your RPM and engine temp that's not unusual. I'm talking about grounding out the timing connector, hooking up an inductive timing light to your #1 plug and checking that the ignition even occurs at 5*.

 

[TuskeeTuner]

Well it’s a 96 7-bolt engine and I still have the factory crank sensor hooked up.

I’m only using the 1g cam sensor as a cam sensor and not hooked up for both but none of it matters anymore because I changed the oil in it today and no metal or brass shavings in the pan but I took someone’s obviously terrible advice and ran 15w40 Shell Rotella with half a quart of Lucas oil stabilizer and when I started it it started having a bottom end knock so I shut it off immediately and put Mobil one full synthetic 5w30 in it started it and as soon as I lightly revved it up it had same sound and I noticed brass shavings in the bottom of the drain pan so definitely a rod or main bearing has went out. I’m praying that since it was not driven or anything when it done it and I hadn’t reved it over 3,000 rpms gently just to see what was knocking that it’s just the bearings and that it didn’t hurt anything else but I guess I’ll find out when I drop the oil pan.

Did a DSM guy tell you to use that oil combo? If you go by the factory manual (which is available for FREE on this website), 0W40 to 5W40 would be the highest recommended viscosity for your app.
No way to "fix" the engine without pulling and tearing down the block...if there is in fact a problem. I've wrecked a couple of engines and experienced many issues with my 2 DSMs (some caused by me and some from this other car I bought).

Only thing that I can think of that could have caused it was yesterday when I was driving it, it kept blowing the intercooler pipes off and it got a little hot. Now I still have good oil pressure and it only does it if I rev it up a little bit but I’m not going to chance it until I pull the oil pan and drop the bearings just to see how bad the damage is.

Blowing off intercooler pipes will most likely make your car die. You're on a MAS sensor - blowing off a pipe would create too much airflow and cause a rich condition...might even show boost at low RPMs.
What's your definition of "a little HOT?" Anything past 212* should be a "concern."

It did blow out the front seal in the engine because it started leaking so I’m thinking it’s a main bearing. My only question is if it’s possible to fix it just by buying a new set of bearings that is as long as it didn’t hurt the crankshaft and if it did is it possible just to polish it with Emory cloth? Also what kind of bearings would I need to buy? Are ACL race bearings good or?

Your bearing choice will be determined by the repair and how you want to use the engine.

Also I have a really stupid question. What does DSM mean (darn stupid machine) because I’ve never had a vehicle give me so much trouble in my entire life.

Before I turbo swapped my first DSM 1.8L 94 Talon DL, it was a fairly reliable car; boring, good gas mileage, comfortable, and didn't give me any problems. I literally took out the wiring harness, engine, and transmission, and threw it in the trash. Afterwards I always had issues that were caused by me, my ignorance, lack of capability, and no money.

It's an old car - lots of things will go bad all at once and need to be fixed/repaired. If you can't/don't verify each repair you perform, you'll have trouble getting your car back.

 

[A66gt40]

True enough. This is the first DSM that I’ve actually tried to build. It’s an original 99 Spyder GST. It had a spun bearing when I bought it but I had bought a wrecked 96 Spyder GST a few years before. It was an automatic and this car is a 5-speed. All I did was swap the engine out keeping all of the sensors and wiring harness and computer components on the 99, I just installed the 96 engine. It was freshly rebuilt before it was wrecked and I checked it out to make sure everything was good before I installed it.

I have a 1g engine and transmission that I think is good but I don’t have a wiring harness or anything for it. I guess I could just use all the sensors and stuff from the engine in the car? I really don’t know. I’m just tired of working on it.

My last sports car was a 2015 Corvette and before that a '13 as Camaro and before that a '02 SS Camaro so as you can see I’m more used to a completely different style of engine than these. I guess I just need to learn how to do things the right way on this car or give up and go back to what I’m used to.

I know for 100% certainty without even pulling the pan that I have a bearing problem because where I don’t know much about these cars I do know engines and I know what brass shavings in the oil are.

I’ve been working on cars and trucks since I was 10 years old and I’m now 41 so I have a lot of experience but I know where my knowledge is lacking as well and I’ll be the first to say that when it comes to these cars I feel like a complete idiot and failure. I also know that before I even think about putting another engine into the car I’m going to be doing a lot of research and find out the best way to build it correctly so I don’t have to worry about it causing anymore issues.

Thanks for everyone’s time and I have been listening and have been learning quite a bit from you guys and I appreciate it.

 

[A66gt40]

True enough. This is the first dsm that I’ve actually tried to build. It’s an original 99 spyder gst. It had a spun bearing when I bought it but I had bought a wrecked 96 spyder gst a few years before. It was an automatic and this car is a 5-speed all I did was swap the engine out keeping all of the sensors and wiring harness and computer components on the 99 I just installed the 96 engine. It was freshly rebuilt before it was wrecked and I checked it out to make sure everything was good before I installed it. I have a 1g engine and transmission that I think is good but I don’t have a wiring harness or anything for it. I guess I could

 

[A66gt40]

Started it to pull it up on some ramps so I can pull the pan and take a look and it didn’t make a sound. I’m still going to pull the pan and check it out and hopefully the crankshaft is not hurt and I can just put a new set of bearings in it. It’s got great oil pressure and like I said it sounded really healthy but I know what I saw in my oil drain pan so I’m not going to fool myself into thinking it doesn’t need something and end up really tearing it up.

 

[DSMPT]

My only question is if it’s possible to fix it just by buying a new set of bearings that is as long as it didn’t hurt the crankshaft and if it did is it possible just to polish it with Emory cloth?

No, just replacing the bearings wouldn't work if you already heard knocking sound. Most likely too late, would be just bandaid, sooner or later it would happen the same. Because even the journal surface looks clean, the rod big end roundness is probably out of spec already.

I know for 100% certainty without even pulling the pan that I have a bearing problem because where I don’t know much about these cars I do know engines and I know what brass shavings in the oil are.

Balance shaft bearings and turbo journal/thrust bearing cause the metal shavings in oil pan, too. I don't know if you still have the balance shafts but if you have damaged balance shafts bearings, that would also cause knocking sound.