FlyRyde

Hey guys, let me know your guess or shed some light on this problem.

So I'm driving to get my new tags, and on an uphill street, my car dies just before I make a right hand turn. I turn the key and it does its thing, but never starts? I jump out check the engine, all is well, but I decide to reset the ECU for the hell of it. Nothin.

So I push it back into a parking lot, and I'm thinking, there's no way I ran outta gas, cause the gauge says its half full. The gauge isn't off either, and I checked by keeping the key on and disconnecting the fuel pump. Sure enough, the needle fell when I did that, and rose when I plugged it back in. So I'm stumped. I walk up the street, get my tags, and even got a gallon of gas just in case. So when I get back to the car, I test it one last time before I add gas, and it starts right up no prob???

I added the gallon of gas, and drive about 3 miles downhill from there, and just before I get when I'm headed, just as before with driving to get my tags, I break down seriously a 1/4 mile shy of my destination? Car wont start. I call a co worker, and they drive to me, get my gas can, and drive away to get gas. Again I jump out, fiddle with the stuff under the hood, nothing looks out of place? Finally I just decide to do a reset again. I did, and it fired right up? So I'm thinking its a matter of just reseting the ECU now. After work, I go to drive to meet my father in law and a friend at a race track, and a couple streets before I get there, the car dies again. Wont start. Again a million cars are lined up behind me switching lanes as they pass the asshole in the broken down car with a vertical door up (as if I'm showing off or something). I push it back into a driveway to get outta the way, and get picked up to go to the race track. I did however manage to get the car to start this time though, but it only happened 3 quick times, where I'd turn the key, it fired up, and I had my foot down on the gas which revved it up to about 4000. When I dropped below 3000 RPMs, the car died. Again I started it, and held the gas down for a good minute or two, and then after very slightly letting off, I drop the revs to around 3000, and just below that, the car shuts off.

I'm thinking bad TPS at this point, as the car just wont get fuel, and I'm thinking the TPS isn't sending voltage for some reason, so the car isn't getting fed gas. After the race track, I get a ride home to get tools and my TPS from the black RD1. I get to the car, install it, and the car starts up first try. I drive all the way home, and it almost dies on me once, but I figured out that to keep it going, I'd need to keep the revs over 2000 all the way. So I did, and YET AGAIN, a 1/4 shy of my house, I die again. Fully died, nothings working. The car seems to do this after its been running or a good 20 minutes, or maybe as little as 10 minutes.

These are the only things I can think of that I've done, you tell me if you think its related or not. I filled the car up with hose water the other day just to move it, and today I drove it a good 60 miles. Maybe the water is that hard and bad.

I dont have the alternator plugged in, but it is bolted to the car, running a belt, and the thick cable to the positive battery terminal is bolted on. What the hell is that plug for?

That's it, I have no clue what else it could be. I thought TPS for sure, but nope. What else would make the engine just cut off, and not want to start for a while, then just decide to start up fine after an hour just sitting there. I did an oil change this morning. It almost sounds like this is something ECU related, but then why would it run so great for 20 minutes, then just crap out and not want to start for a while again. AND WHY ALWAYS 1/4 MILE BEFORE MY DESTINATION??? That part just bugged me.

Thanks guys, please guess away at what could do this.

majik

It hates you for being a ricer.

There's a possibility it's fuel related... injectors? pump?

What happens when it stalls? Does it just cut off, or does it gurgle the gas a few times then quit?

It seems to have to sit for a few minutes before starting back up... does it have to cool down? Do you have fluid in the radiator? Is your air filter clean?

Which car is this, the black RD1?

FlyRyde

"Rd2 Shutting Off For No Reason?" buddy smile.gif Its the white 2000. So yeah, it just quietly shuts off. No "must... get...more.. gas" bucking madness. Its like somebody just hit the kill switch, then it wont start back up for a good 20 minutes. I ended up just pushing it home downhill a half mile or so. I rode it like a wind surfer, lol, with the damn door up and me standing on the door sill like I was showing off trying to do some kind a stunt. But yeah, I'm sure if I go out there right now and try to start it, it'll fire right up. All will be fine until I decide to go somewhere, and then it'll die when I'm just around the corner from where I'm headed. I think even the cars are turning on me? You guys put some weird shark voodoo on me huh?

But yeah, the car just decides its had enough, and literally clicks off. I can watch the revs going, then "click" and its fully off. Power remains fine, it just wont fire up when I'm turning the key. It'll try, and I can even catch a few pops and chokes while its cranking, but it just wont start again until I let it sit for a while. ? I'm pissed, cause I really want to be driving a 4 banger instead of this ugly blue and gold 91 Coupe Deville V8 I've been borrowing to drive to work in. Help me outta my V8 grampa car guys!

majik

I'm really not sure what it could be.

Shuts down after driving for ~20 minutes (engine overheating? shorting out when radiator fans kick on?)

hey, it's 1a.m... give me a break. I didn't realize there were Vertical Doors on the white car.

Try letting it run for a while (20 minutes) then drive it a few houses away (in the direction where it's easiest to push it back home). Try to make the problem occur, then find out what variables are constant in every scenario. I wonder if it occurs without the vehicle in motion, like letting it idle for 20 minutes.

My Suggestion: Listen to Adam Sandler's "Ode to My Car" off the "What the Hell Happened to Me" Album.

i'm going to bed. good luck.

lemonade

this same thing happened to my car too. the weirdest thing. surprisingly it was the crank position sensor. its like a $30 part if i remember correctly. it happened to me about a year ago. its an easy fix. smile.gif

HyundaiKitCoupe

try checking your engine bay fuses. i think they're the 20A's if i remember. they're the big ones with the clear tops and if i remember labeled under ECU fuses. it might be PVC gone bad. it could be your CAI hitting the battery. Battery could be dying and need replacing, but only if your lights dim.

What do you mean you filled it up with water?

you can check the amperage of your alternator with a volt meter. It could be your alternator but usually the lights go dim when that happens.

majik

My crank position sensor fell out and I had to get it towed. It was after the automatic was first replaced under warranty with another. The dealership "forgot" to put a spring on it or something they said. I was driving and it was like I turned the key off and just coasted. Never turned over, tried forever, but the next morning at the dealership they said it fired right up.

Heh... I had driven it probably 20-25 miles to my girlfriend's (now wife) house, and was literally probably 1/4 mile away. I actually would have made it there, but I drove around the neighborhood making sure the new tranny was shifting good.

FlyRyde

THANK you guys, seriously. I'll pull the CPS off the black RD1 tomorrow and swap it to the white car and drive around my area for a while. I burnt the crap outta my finger today trying to check if it was that sensor when the car was hot. Fuses are all good, inside and engine bay.

By filling the car up with water, I meant from the damn hose, lol, I think just forgot to add that part. Battery is great, car has great power, cranks fine, just wont turn over when its having its little fit. So I'll give that a shot. Any other ideas? I think if you've been through this, and it was the crank position sensor, I'll confident that could do the trick. Either way I like as much help as I can get. This is about 1% of what I use the forums for, which for most people is the majority of why they're here, just to get some help smile.gif Thanks again guys!

majik

I'm still a little confused.

You filled up your radiator with water I'm assuming? Why was it dry? Has the car been garaged for the last 16 months? That's good info to know when diagnosing the problem from 2,000 miles away. fing02.gif

Mr. Muffin

if its not the cps and ur alt is disconnected from ur battery could it be the wire going to the alt is grounding out on w/e... but im sure u would have noticed...

its probably the cps, good luck fing02.gif