I was driving home from work tonight, and about 5 minutes of my car running (sitting in drive thru and then up maybe half a mile) it just dies in the middle of the road. I tried to start it back, and it cranks over and fires, but keeps dying right after it starts. I got it pushed into a walgreens parking lot, and while I was waiting on Ashlee to come get me I started troubleshooting a little. I first scanned for codes with TORQUE and didn't get anything. Kept trying to crank it, and it kept starting and dying. Even if I held the gas pedal down, it just kept fighting and dying, almost like it isn't getting fuel.

I double checked, and all the fuel lines that were repaired last time were in perfect shape, no leaks or gas smells any where. The FPR is dry, and again no CEL set.

I tried unplugging the MAF, and that kept it running for a few seconds, but I turned it back off because I didn't want to chance driving it and it dying on the highway.


So when i go back in the morning, what should I be checking for? I know obviously I need to check the rail and see if I'm getting fuel pressure, listen to see if the fuel pump is priming, check for spark, etc. But specifically, what should I try before I get this thing towed to a shop?

Also, couldn't it possibly be the crank position sensor? Being in a parking lot, I can't really spray it with a hose, but i have been having a semi-hard start lately.When the sensor fails will it cause the car to die like mine is doing?

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Joseph

Current: 2013 Infiniti G37 Journey
1999 Infiniti G20T - Sold
1999 Buick Lesabre - Race Couch - gone but not forgotten

Sounds like CPS, or possibly even a bad ICM at a stretch. I'd start with simple things like that, assuming you've checked other, simpler things first.

My 94 LeSabre had this same exact issue. Ended up being both the CPS and ICM in my case, since the bad CPS somehow sent the ICM out the window as well.

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Will
88 Cutlass Ciera Brougham International | 120k mi | White w/ Dk Claret Int. | Roller to be S2 L67/4T65E-HD | 1 of ~5100 3.8 FE3 Int'l series
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Hard to say, maybe fuel filter, especially if it's been a while since you changed it. Gasoline if you just put in gas. If you had the old Magnavox ICM/Coil set up I'd say that, but since I changed over to the type you have, I haven't had a bad ICM, but when the old type would fail, it acted the way your's does. See if you are getting spark. Wish I was more help. - BC

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In Memory of Brad - 1/21/1977 .. 10/23/2013 ...... Aaron - 1977 .. 2017 .....
2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport ..... 1992 Bonneville SSE 1SB 170 HP L27 4T60E retired/sold to MattStrike ..... 2005 Bonneville SE 1SC 205 HP L36 4T65E - retired/salvage yard ..... PBCF user 2321

I'll be heading over to the car in a bit to take a look at things. The fuel filter was done roughly 5000 miles ago or so, so I don't think it's clogged or bad. This is really the first time the car has done this before, last time it turned out to be a fuel line connection bust at the rail.


I'm pretty sure this is going to be one of those things where I go to take a look at the car and it starts up fine/doesn't give me any trouble lol.


Also forgot to mention this last night. When I unplugged the maf and started the car, it started and stayed running for a few seconds before I shut it off. I plugged the maf back in, and the car started again, but I didn't really leave it running long enough to see if it'd die again. Would that rule out the maf or no? I'm kind of leaning towards a CPS myself now after researching it for a bit.
Any suggestions as to what else I might check?

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Joseph

Current: 2013 Infiniti G37 Journey
1999 Infiniti G20T - Sold
1999 Buick Lesabre - Race Couch - gone but not forgotten

I wonder if it is a VATS issue? What does the security light have to say about all this?

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~Randall~


1993 Buick Park Avenue - 197k - Some odds and ends done - Simply won't die
1994 Buick Regal - 78k - Bone stock - Always ready for a good kicking
1990 Oldsmobile 88 - Gone to a better place

The security light wasn't on during the stalling, and the car would crank over and fire each time, just dying like you turned the key off each time within seconds.

What's the easiest way to test for spark in a parking lot without getting the *shoot* shocked out of you haha?

I'm definitely starting to lean towards the CPS though, I've been having the hard starts, long cranking, and now the intermentent stalling points to it pretty well.

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Joseph

Current: 2013 Infiniti G37 Journey
1999 Infiniti G20T - Sold
1999 Buick Lesabre - Race Couch - gone but not forgotten

Pull a spark plug boot off the coil and crank it over. You will be able to easily see a bright blue spark jump from the top of the tower to the base of the coil. You might have to get someone else to crank it over though as it is hard to hold the key and see around the hood at the same time.

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Ryan

2003 Bonneville SSEi - The Black Mirror SOLD!
2002 Bonneville SE - The Mutt Complete 2004 SLE interior, drivetrain, and body harness swap, ECC swap, HUD swap, black GXP wheels, GXP headlights and tinted tails - SOLD
2003 BMW 540i M Sport, 2001 BMW X5 4.4i, 2010 GMC Acadia, 2017 Grand Design Imagine 3150BH
1982 Cutlass Supreme - The fun one

VATS kills the injectors and would not allow it to run at all. He said he got it to run for a couple seconds and turned it off.

I agree with the CPS or ICM.

Thanks for the replies guys, I'm heading over to check things out now. Depending on if I can get it to run or not, I may be getting it towed to my buddies shop that did my fuel line work, but hopefully I can get it running. I just don't want to chance it dying on the road. It's dang scary when it dies and you lose your brakes before a red light..

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Joseph

Current: 2013 Infiniti G37 Journey
1999 Infiniti G20T - Sold
1999 Buick Lesabre - Race Couch - gone but not forgotten

Unplug the MAF again and see if it will idle.........

Jfridge92,

I don't need to contradict myfirstbonnie, BUT,
How long does it run again? If it is like less than 1 second it may be your VATS module. My 94 popped over but died in about a second. A chip device offered on the web (can't find it right now try ebay) supplies a special code signal to the PCM (splice it in) to enable the injectors that the bad module isn't doing anymore. You need the pin out for the PCM and solder or connectors. Some said that my car didn't have the injector disable theft feature but when I hooked up this chip device ($20) it started right up and ran ever since.

My thread on this:

SpoiledRed Thread

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2001 Bonneville SSEi. 1598xx mi.
great car. Wrecked


Burnt Bonny.

Note if you pull the injectors to obserbe fuel delivery...make sure you leave the plugs in and disconnect the ign. Believe me

Well I messed with the car for a while. The Coils, TPS, and fuel pressure all tested good. I unplugged the MAF and the car idled fine. I plugged the MAF Back in, started the car, and it ran the same, so I unplugged the MAF while the car was running and it didn't change in behavior at all. I thought that that was a sign of a bad MAF, so I decided to try and baby the car home where i could check things better. Less than 1/4 mile down the road, the car died again, with the MAF unplugged, so I'm ruling that out as causing the stalling problem. I couldn't get the car to stay running after that, so I'm wondering if it's a heat soak issue, as I let the car idle in the walgreens lot for a good 5-10 minutes, and it's 95 degrees out so it was nice and warmed up.

But from what I've seen, I'm convinced that it's a CPS or ICM issue that's causing the car to lose spark long enough to die. I had to wind up getting it towed to the shop, and they're closed monday, so I won't know anything until Tuesday...

Who wants to bet that they call me and say "Dude your MAF is unplugged, that's why it's dying" lol

Either way, hopefully I can get her back on the road soon, I can't afford to have my car down, or pay the repair bills... if only I had air tools in a parking lot to pull the balancer

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Joseph

Current: 2013 Infiniti G37 Journey
1999 Infiniti G20T - Sold
1999 Buick Lesabre - Race Couch - gone but not forgotten

I'd start with the ICM. Based on your description, it cools down and works fine. Then it gets hot or gets some revs on it and can't keep up. So it stalls.

And, it's the one part you can rule out yourself. It's pretty easy to replace the ICM, as long as you have a deepwell 15mm (IIRC) socket to reach the two bolts holding the ICM bracket on.

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2012 Chevrolet Cruze Eco - Current car

1999 Buick LeSabre Custom - Former car

Learn from the mistakes of others, that way when you mess up you can do so in new and interesting ways.

ICM requires a 7mm and 5.5mm socket to get out, 7 mm for the wiring, 5.5mm (7/32") for the bolts that sandwich it to the bracket.

However, it sounds like it's parked at a shop right now...

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Bye Bye:

RIP sandrock

Yep, I was going to try and swap the ICM out, which I could still do as the shop doesn't open until Tuesday, but the local Pick and Pull is closed tomorrow as well, so I have no way to swap one out with it short of buying a new one from the parts store. Unfortunately I don't know anyone with a 3800 close enough that I could swap it out with either. The last thing I wanted to have to do was take it to a shop, but with my work schedule and need for the car, I don't have the time to driveway diagnose it :( today was my only off day until friday, and fortunately Ashlee doesn't work tomorrow and tuesday so I can use her car, but after that I'd be walking miles to work, and I can't practically do that.

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Joseph

Current: 2013 Infiniti G37 Journey
1999 Infiniti G20T - Sold
1999 Buick Lesabre - Race Couch - gone but not forgotten

Come down and borrow one from me....LOL...

I agree and say try the ICM, if not that Crank sensor, but it starts every time so it looks like the ICM... No promises tho..

haha I wouldn't mind a Florida trip at all Don!

I'm supposed to call the shop first thing in the morning to let them know what's going on. I suppose I could tell them to diagnose it first, and if they say the ICM, I can always grab one from the pull a part and swing it by there before they charge me for a new one.

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Joseph

Current: 2013 Infiniti G37 Journey
1999 Infiniti G20T - Sold
1999 Buick Lesabre - Race Couch - gone but not forgotten

Dunno, this sounds alot like my 6000STE and my Formula when I had bad Catalytic converters. Just an Idea.

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1989 Pontiac Firebird Formula 350
2004 Saturn Ion 3 Quad Coupe

Well, the shop finally got a chance to look at the car today. They've gotten it to act up on them the same as me. I talked to my buddy that owns the shop, and he said so far they can't find anything wrong with it so far. They aren't a shop to run you around so they can charge more, but he said he'd let me know something this afternoon. He said so far all the sensors are good, so they're kind of stumped.

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Joseph

Current: 2013 Infiniti G37 Journey
1999 Infiniti G20T - Sold
1999 Buick Lesabre - Race Couch - gone but not forgotten

Well the verdict is in. I originally had unplugged the maf and the car still died, so I had ruled out a bad maf. The shop did the sane thing since I brought it in unplugged, but after testing everything else, they threw a new maf on it to see what would happen and they said it purred like a kitten and didn't stall.anymore. they only charged me $260 including parts, labor, and the tow, so that's not too bad, although I could HSBC done it myself. They did use a delco maf, but it still seems weird that it still died with the maf unplugged. Anyone else have that experience with a maf before?

Either way, when I go to pick the car up tomorrow, I'm going to literally drive the piss out of it, wot all day to.make.sure its good now haha.

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Joseph

Current: 2013 Infiniti G37 Journey
1999 Infiniti G20T - Sold
1999 Buick Lesabre - Race Couch - gone but not forgotten