'86 losing fire while driving, help...
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,320
Likes: 4
From: Kyle TX (Because Mojo Made me fill it in)
'86 losing fire while driving, help...
My car started to lose fire while driving this morning. It was 32 degrees outside, but the car was sufficiently warmed up. I did fill up the car last night with 93 octane gas, but that was all I did. Any possible suggestions as to what may be causing this? Also, the cooling fan is coming on earlier than it should, what could be causing that?
I am also planning on having a tune-up done on the car next week, but I was going to replace the cap, rotor, plugs, wires as well. Should I wait till after I have it looked at first or should I replace those things before I get the guy to look at it?
I knew I was in for some repairs on an older car like this so Im not too upset with the gremlins that's popped up, but I would like to get them resolved asap.
Thanks. Any help is greatly appreciated.
[Modified by VetteNoob, 10:25 AM 2/7/2002]
I am also planning on having a tune-up done on the car next week, but I was going to replace the cap, rotor, plugs, wires as well. Should I wait till after I have it looked at first or should I replace those things before I get the guy to look at it?
I knew I was in for some repairs on an older car like this so Im not too upset with the gremlins that's popped up, but I would like to get them resolved asap.
Thanks. Any help is greatly appreciated.
[Modified by VetteNoob, 10:25 AM 2/7/2002]
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 14,165
Likes: 9
Re: '86 losing fire while driving, help... (VetteNoob)
Does it die completely or just sputter? It could be just as simple as a bad tank of gas, but new plugs and wires, cap and rotor certainly won't hurt if it has a lot of miles.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
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From: Athens AL
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Re: '86 losing fire while driving, help... (Nathan Plemons)
just get a tune-up as soon as possible, i had the same problem when i first got mine.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,320
Likes: 4
From: Kyle TX (Because Mojo Made me fill it in)
Re: '86 losing fire while driving, help... (vader86)
It completely dies, but the momentum of the car moving fires it back up. I did notice if it dies going into a stop, the car wont fire back up for a few minutes. Im lost here. (first Vette and I dont know the quirks yet) If it is bad gas, what can I do to get over this full tank? Drain it or is there some additive, like 104 or something I can add so Im not stranded?
[Modified by VetteNoob, 11:21 AM 2/7/2002]
[Modified by VetteNoob, 11:21 AM 2/7/2002]
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 62,171
Likes: 1,735
From: Athens AL
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Re: '86 losing fire while driving, help... (VetteNoob)
well you should get your tune-up before you go and clean out the tank. Just to eliiminate that problem. But if you do have to go in there, then run your tank empty (if possible) or you will have to siphon out the tank, then youll need to clean the inside of the tank (an additive really wont solve the problem).
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,783
Likes: 2
From: Latham NY
Re: '86 losing fire while driving, help... (VetteNoob)
I had the same problem when I got my 85. The gas tank was full of water. I added 2 bottle of dry gas (isopropyl not methanol) and changed the gas filter.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,320
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From: Kyle TX (Because Mojo Made me fill it in)
Re: '86 losing fire while driving, help... (Bluevette85)
Where did you get your dry gas? Ill probably drain the tank, but Im not shure where I can do this without blowing something up or killing poor defenseless animals. The tank is completely FULL. How much should I expect a tune-up will cost me and what should I expect they will do?
Thanks for all the suggestions!
Thanks for all the suggestions!
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 14,165
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Re: '86 losing fire while driving, help... (VetteNoob)
Really a basic tune up as far as plugs, wires, cap and rotor is a do it yourself project. The plugs and wires can kinda be a PITA, but they can't be TOO bad. I'm sure you can save a LOT of money just because it is a PITA people like to charge quite a bit of money for it.
I think the dry gas might be a good thing to try. You didn't have this problem before you got that tank of gas, so they are probably related.
I think the dry gas might be a good thing to try. You didn't have this problem before you got that tank of gas, so they are probably related.
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Joined: Sep 2000
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From: Princeton Texas
Re: '86 losing fire while driving, help... (Nathan Plemons)
My 86 did this also. turned out to be the battery wire to the distributor. The latch part of the connector had broken off and the connector came off easily.
In my case the connector would inermittently make contact with the terminal to cause the engine to quit.
In my case the connector would inermittently make contact with the terminal to cause the engine to quit.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: Kyle TX (Because Mojo Made me fill it in)
Re: '86 losing fire while driving, help... (ALL)
Cool....Ill give all these a go. Im gonna try the plug, cap, rotor, wires, and dry gas thing. By dry gas, you are not just talking about rubbing alcohol are you? Is this something I should try an auto parts store?
Fiddle...what did you do to fix that?
[Modified by VetteNoob, 1:25 PM 2/7/2002]
Fiddle...what did you do to fix that?
[Modified by VetteNoob, 1:25 PM 2/7/2002]
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,630
Likes: 1
From: Woodstock GA
Re: '86 losing fire while driving, help... (VetteNoob)
Car dieing when it shouldn't cooling fan coming on when it shouldn't sometimes it starts right back up other times it doesn't, sounds like a ECM problem drop it down and see if it a #1227165 if it is get a replacement the GM update is part number 16198259. I mean it could be something else but my money is on bad ECM, just something to think about.
David Fulcher
David Fulcher
