92 Died on the way to work. Help? (1 Viewer)

[slambson]

Heading to work doing 20mph since it's snowing like a Banshee and the engine suddenly looses power and as soon as I looked down the check engine light came on.

Got it towed home and it will start just briefly and immediately die.


Where do I start?

 

[CharlieS]

Jump the terminals and check the codes to see if that gives you any leads on where to start.

Then take a FSM and start troubleshooting...

Charlie

 

[Gumby]

It can scream like a banshee, it can howl like a banshee, it can not snow like a banshee.

As soon as the engine dies the check engine light will come on. You might not get a code.

Really a whole bunch of stuff could have caused it. I would start with air and fuel since it has spark at least at first.

 

[Beowulf]

I don't know much about the 3FE but that sounds like the classic EFI relay problem.

-B-

 

[FrankTorres]

I don't know much about the 3FE but that sounds like the classic EFI relay problem.

-B-

He would not have a 'check engine light' if it was the relay.


Check all connectors and wire harness.

To me, it sounds like the AirFlowMeter got unpluged...

 

[Beowulf]

As soon as the engine dies the check engine light will come on. You might not get a code.

I was going by this. Maybe I misunderstood.

-B-

 

[slambson]

Went and got another EFI relay, in the hopes it was something simple but no luck. Checked the wiring and mine had not been upgraded so I did that and took some pictures but to no avail. I have not been able to get any codes which is odd as usually you get at least an O2 code but the terminal is really buggered so I'll try again tommorrow evening in the snow.

 

[Beowulf]

Are you getting power to the electrical system? Check the fusible links at the battery?

-B-

 

[slambson]

It can scream like a banshee, it can howl like a banshee, it can not snow like a banshee

I guess I always thought of the banshee as a swirling white creature, much like the snow this morning. Quite a few of the google images show a similar creature.

http://www.irishclans.com/articles/superstitions.html

http://zhurnal.lib.ru/s/shatt_i_a/0006-2.shtml

 

[CJF]

Apparently your 'Cruiser problem isn't taking all your time.

(Just kidding.)

I don't have your solution, but I wanted to make sure you're keeping an open mind; doesn't seem like you should assume only electrical if it will always fire up (as stated in your first post).

Good luck,

Curtis
91FJ80

 

[fj803fe]

Alternator, EFI (which you apparently cahnged), Dizzy, and as Beowulf pointed out-the fusible links-check their wires for cracking/breakage and internal connections. If it were the dizzy, I would think you would definitely recieve an error code.

Check em out, but definitely return the results of code reading.

 

[Pskhaat]

How about fuel flow? Got any pressure?

 

[slambson]

Yah, I came inside last night after being drenched. Garage is full of other broken cars and I pushed it into the driveway under my balcony. Warm wind last night caused a deluge right where I had to work.

I actually got it to start this morning. Had to open it up full throttle and it finally started like it was flooded. It ran fairly decent after it cleared it's throat. Has a constant check engine light.

I'll check the fusable links but it would not run at all if one is blown, correct?

I'm thinking fuel too. Any suggestions on checking the fuel pressure. I've got a guage but the stock FI system does not provide a real tie in spot other than after the fuel pressure regulator or somehow using the banjo fittings. I'd like to put a permanent remote sendor in on the cold start line but have not figured out a clean way of doing so.

I won't assume anything at this point, as I have not been able to put more than a few hours into it. I'm taking off half a day today to work on it this afternoon.

 

[Pskhaat]

Well, when I couldn't get my 3FE started I was going to check the pressure too but she ended up firing up. I'm not sure of where to plug into check other than where you mentioned.

 

[slambson]

Codes 22 and 51. 22 was easy to fix. Probably accidently unplugged the thermostat sensor while I was running the wire for the EFI last night. 51 can be a variety of things and the manual does not include a go to section. I started with the TPS. All the readings were outside the manual specifications. Also as I swept the potentiometer(wiper) across it's range it starts at around 2.7K and goes up to around 6.5 and then begins to jump around a bit but goes down. Odd, never seen one do that. Bugger getting to that bottom screw on the TPS too. I also noticed one of my fuel injectors is leaking so I'll tear it apart tommorrow.

 

[Gumby]

A unplugged ECT sender will cause the engine to flood. It could easily start and drive for a while, then die. Was it the engine coolant temp sender or the guage sender that was unplugged? I assume the ECT as you threw a code.

Does it start OK now?

I have seen TPS with a bad spot. They will do just as you say. They will be OK at WOT and idle, but somewhere in the range it will go nuts. I always run the pedal through the range when checking them.