Engine shuts off well driving

[rabbito]

Ok I haven't taken look at this yet it's my girlfriends father car. Get a text this morning his 2000 ssei just died all electrical works but motor won't turn over. We just got back from a trip to Chicago about a week and a half ran like a champ. Here something I noticed the fuel pump is loud you can here it kick on well idling every 20 sec or so. Is that normal? What other area should I look at I'm going to try and pick up a service manual for him (more for me lol) so I can start running down possible problem

[AJT2004]

I'm confused- Does the engine not crank, crank but not start or shut off while driving?

[rabbito]

He drove it out of his drive way and it died and now it cranks but doesn't start

[AJT2004]

Always start with the basics, check for spark and fuel. That will help determine next steps.

[rabbito]

Ok picked up a service manual just so I know what normal test number should be I'll get back with my results

[imidazol97]

Here something I noticed the fuel pump is loud you can here it kick on well idling every 20 sec or so. Is that normal?

What you may be hearing is the air pump for the auto-leveling rear shocks. It's inside the back of the right rear wheel area. When you turn the key to ON and leave it without starting the car, after about 40 seconds that pump should run for a few seconds to check the pressure for the air shocks. If it's running repeatedly while leaving the key ON, then there may be a broken air line or defection rear shock leaking.

To check to see if the fuel pump is even running requires listening after turning the key to ON. The fuel pump should run for a couple of seconds, then turn off. That will check the electrical connection. It does not verify that the pump is putting out correct pressure.

[Junior28]

Rabbito, If possible, swap the camshaft position sensor. When it malfunctions, one symptom is the car cutting off intermittently. The same thing was going on with my 2000 LeSabre up until a few weeks ago. I swapped the sensor and the car hasn't cut off since. Just remove the coolant reservoir to reach the sensor, and it's a simple removal/install.

From what I understand, cleaning the MAF sensor may help as well.

[MrPOPE]

Since the MAF sensor on these cars is well known to cause problems when they go bad... i would disconnect it and see if the car acts right or still does the same thing. If it runs fine disconnected... then you know the problem without spending a dime.

[rabbito]

Ok here a update replaced cam sensor, still nothing replaced 3 out of six plugs cause *dang* those rear one are hard to get to. Well it started up but ran rough then died. Could be the other three. But here the twist in things my girlfriend father replaced the fuel filter and it starts up like a champ. I've never heard the a fuel filter could cause it not to start. Run rough yea but not start. I hate newer cars lol I'll keep ya all posted if anything changes

[1oldman]

Ok here a update replaced cam sensor, still nothing replaced 3 out of six plugs cause *dang* those rear one are hard to get to. Well it started up but ran rough then died. Could be the other three. But here the twist in things my girlfriend father replaced the fuel filter and it starts up like a champ. I've never heard the a fuel filter could cause it not to start. Run rough yea but not start. I hate newer cars lol I'll keep ya all posted if anything changes

It did my oldest son's Mitsubishi about 20 years ago. How long since it was replaced? - BC

[rabbito]

Ok here a update replaced cam sensor, still nothing replaced 3 out of six plugs cause *dang* those rear one are hard to get to. Well it started up but ran rough then died. Could be the other three. But here the twist in things my girlfriend father replaced the fuel filter and it starts up like a champ. I've never heard the a fuel filter could cause it not to start. Run rough yea but not start. I hate newer cars lol I'll keep ya all posted if anything changes

It did my oldest son's Mitsubishi about 20 years ago. How long since it was replaced? - BC

He just replaced it couple days ago. When I looked at it looked like the original one. And the motor has 140,000 miles on it

[MrPOPE]

you didnt mention anything about the MAF sensor. my Bonne died many times while driving with a bad MAF

[rabbito]

We did disconct maf sensor didnt do anything still wouldnt start. With it running bow and fairly good i gave to say it was the fuel filter. Also i hate chilton repair manual. Abd the oriley auto part clerk who said there no diffrence between 85-2005 with bearly no info on cam sensor no gap for spark plug *dang* it made me mad

[AJT2004]

We did disconct maf sensor didnt do anything still wouldnt start. With it running bow and fairly good i gave to say it was the fuel filter. Also i hate chilton repair manual. Abd the oriley auto part clerk who said there no diffrence between 85-2005 with bearly no info on cam sensor no gap for spark plug *dang* it made me mad

What? Is the car running OK now?

[rabbito]

Here any update it was running great my girlfriend dad went on a trip to camper 3 hour away all good. Went to start it up same problem. He said he looked a daustch or what ever you call it. Going to the coil pack looks cracked. That might be the problem. I haven't been able to look at it so I don't if that's the problem.

[nos4blood70]

Check the crank position sensor.

[Steelworker26]

My four car killing items

MAF - My 2000 SSEI would die with no warning at all speeds. Just cruzin then dead. I tried the MAF cleaning, changed the fuel filter drove around with a fuel pressure gauge in my cabin etc. It would start fine a long while later and run like a champ for a few days/hours etc. Completely random - Flat out die. I also did tests with unhooking the MAF but no change. What finally "proved to me" it was the MAF is I was able to get the car started while fully depressing the accelerator. The car would start but ran like crap (but it got me home). So I changed my MAF and it was great for a year.

Crankshaft PS - Car died once while at a light, but this time my RPM's went to zero - yet the car was running for a few minutes then it died at a light. It would not start up no matter what. Changed out the CPS and it ran great for a year. (Note: My RPM's went to zero several times over the months without dying. Soon as I would shut it off and start it back up the RPM's worked again till the next episode).

Fuel Pump - Car would die without any warning JUST like the MAF. But it would start back up (hard cranking). Died like this several times. Went through the MAF thing again and did the CPS again. Did not fix it. Finally stranded my wife at work and I had to have it towed 30 miles back to my house. The old timer tow truck drive after he dropped it asked me what it was doing and I told him. He said fuel pump. Asked me to climb in the cabin and turn it over while he "tapped" on the tank just hard enough with a hammer and the car fired right up. (This was after trying to start it again before tapping on it). Changed it out with one from Haro and it ran like a top minus the fuel gauge level.

Honorable Mention - And three times ran out of fuel cause I was too "busy" to fix the fuel gauge.

Ignition switch - this one the car ran great and then we turned it off, we got back in 20 minutes later and ZERO. No clicking or anything. I was able to drive it home using the remote starter. My wife was the one who suggested that one. Every-time I touched the brakes I had to re-start the car with the remote after shifting to neutral...try that one in heavy traffic 10 miles away LOL. And I STILL Loved my Bonny.

And I learned how to fix all this stuff (and a whole hell of a lot more) and trouble shoot all this ONLY because of all you guys on this forum (past and present). Now my bonny is gone cause a tow truck driver totaled it (but I am looking for another one he he he).


Hope my issues give some insight. Good luck.

[Wes]

I would slow down with part swaps. I would agree with first checking for spark, and fuel pressure as previously suggested. Then go from there.

[rabbito]

Ok sorry guys been crazy so here a update. The coil pack main wire connector was cracked so it wouldn't seat all the way. Vibration and what not caused it to come a part. So need to replace the connector. Simplest chit sometimes can be the biggest headache thanks y'all for the help

[1oldman]

Ok sorry guys been crazy so here a update. The coil pack main wire connector was cracked so it wouldn't seat all the way. Vibration and what not caused it to come a part. So need to replace the connector. Simplest chit sometimes can be the biggest headache thanks y'all for the help

Keep us posted on how it goes replacing the connector. If you have problems sourcing parts, try Andrew (www.bonnevillesunlimited.com) - BC