Weltall Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 So I recently purchased the car mentioned in the title, and I have a problem that has me stumped. The car will start and idle great, and runs pretty well considering all the little bugs. The car will run for 3-6 miles on the highway, then die. No warning, nothing. Running one second, nothing the next. It will start again after a few minutes, then die a mile or two later. If I let it sit for an hour or eight, as I did yesterday because I caught a ride to work, it'll start and run fine. It died again as I pulled into my driveway... Any ideas? It's an 82 ZX N/A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Domzs Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 Need to check to see what's missing , fuel or spark , when it happens . Sounds like something got hot then shut down . How did it shut off , ran bad then stopped or like key turned off ? Need better description . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 Ignition module. Fuel supply. Overheating relay. Overheating electrical connection. You need to narrow things down. Watch for symptoms like what the tach needle does when it dies, lights or other electrical affected, etc. Do other thngs still work but the engine won't start or is everything totally dead? Car goes, car dies doesn't offer much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FricFrac Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 Ignition module would be my first guess although a duff coil can do the same thing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weltall Posted April 10, 2013 Author Share Posted April 10, 2013 When it dies the tach goes to zero, the lights and everything are fine. The engine just quits with no warning. I haven't checked for spark when it happens yet. I'll get back here when I do. Like I said, the engine offers no warning. Literally, it's fine one second, then it's dead. No sputtering or power loss, no lead up to the event. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weltall Posted April 12, 2013 Author Share Posted April 12, 2013 How do I go about checking if its got fuel when it dies? Pull an injector? I really have no idea. Of course, this will only come after I check for spark... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Domzs Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 You can use carb spray or starting fluid ( spray into the throttle body ) . If it runs then you have fuel issue . Use press gauge and T it into press. ( feed line ) side of fuel line to see if you have any press. . But from your description , i would check to see if you are getting injector pulse , using a noid light ( or homemade test light - low amp. bulb ) . Plug it to the injector connector to see if it flashes during crank . At connector , one wire should have bat. voltage when key on/start and the other is signal from ECM . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
col10see Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 (edited) Does this just happen to be as it gets warmed up? Id say pick up a ignition control module for 40$ off ebay and give it a go. That same thing happend to me. Also check and clean your grounds on the manifold as the efi harness is grounded there. Edited April 12, 2013 by col10see Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
col10see Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 (edited) Sorry posted twice Edited April 12, 2013 by col10see Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weltall Posted April 12, 2013 Author Share Posted April 12, 2013 Does this just happen to be as it gets warmed up? Id say pick up a ignition control module for 40$ off ebay and give it a go. That same thing happend to me. Also check and clean your grounds on the manifold as the efi harness is grounded there. Yes, only when warm. I'll give your idea a go as well. Thank you guys! I'll let you know how it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
col10see Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 Yes, only when warm. I'll give your idea a go as well. Thank you guys! I'll let you know how it goes. Fyi its the black square thingy on the front of the dizzy connect the red and green wirea in the right spots;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weltall Posted April 13, 2013 Author Share Posted April 13, 2013 Lol. Yeah, it's a P.I.T.A. to get to as well. But, I got the car to die on me, and checked for spark. Got nothing. Played with everything around the dizzy and coil, nothing. Then I pulled the module off, and was surprised at how filthy it was... All the connections were corroded and the back of the module was covered in grease. Car runs fine now! Thanks everyone, really appreciate all the help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluDestiny Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 So it was the module? Did you just clean or replace? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weltall Posted April 14, 2013 Author Share Posted April 14, 2013 (edited) Yep. Module. Cleaned it, no issues with the car dying now. Edited April 14, 2013 by Weltall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 (edited) The grease could have been there for heat transfer. The modules generate heat. You can buy a small tube of heat transfer goop at Radio Shack or an electronics store. Edited April 14, 2013 by NewZed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weltall Posted April 14, 2013 Author Share Posted April 14, 2013 It was more like nasty dirty oil than grease... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
col10see Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 If you can I would still recomend getting a new one and just hold on to the old one if it works for a spare.... though it may not even happen for another 15years.... mine looked like the factory one so maybe less likely than so. But better to be prepared than let murphys law bite you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weltall Posted April 15, 2013 Author Share Posted April 15, 2013 Doesn't matter now... I think I bent the valves in #4 cylinder yesterday. #&?!@* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
col10see Posted April 15, 2013 Share Posted April 15, 2013 Doesn't matter now... I think I bent the valves in #4 cylinder yesterday. #&?!@* Noooooooo!! Hopefully it was just the headgasket good luck... my transmission just took a dump on me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weltall Posted April 15, 2013 Author Share Posted April 15, 2013 I got cut off by some prick on the highway. Tried to drop a gear from 5th to to 4th but caught 2nd instead. The tach needle buried hard at 7k, only for maybe, maybe a second. Then it was running like crap. I feel horrible. I yucked up bad.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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