C4 Tech/Performance L98 Corvette and LT1 Corvette Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine

86 shutting off

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Old Sep 8, 2011 | 08:14 AM
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Default 86 shutting off

My 86 shuts off for no reason, it shuts off while ideling or driving down the road. It will start right back up with no problem. I have new dist cap, coil,wires, plugs, new MAF sensor, rebuilt alternator, new battery. The dash cluster does not go out when it shuts off or the radio die. I get no trouble codes from the ECM. Help any suggestions??
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Old Sep 8, 2011 | 09:00 AM
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It has to be either fuel or ignition.

Suggest you screw a fuel pressure gauge on and watch that at idle. If the fuel pressure drops and the engine cuts out then you know where to look.

Otherwise it is an ignition related problem.
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Old Sep 8, 2011 | 09:29 AM
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Thanks for quick response, fuel pump is new as is also the fuel filter, however I will try guage to see if the pressure does drop for some reason, could it be the oil pressure switch dropping out in the fuel pump circuit? I guess the guage will tell. Otherwise I am not sure how to proceed with checking out the ignition citcuits, any suggestions
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Old Sep 8, 2011 | 09:52 AM
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Originally Posted by rickyf
Thanks for quick response, fuel pump is new as is also the fuel filter, however I will try guage to see if the pressure does drop for some reason, could it be the oil pressure switch dropping out in the fuel pump circuit? I guess the guage will tell. Otherwise I am not sure how to proceed with checking out the ignition citcuits, any suggestions
Intermittent fuel issues are probably easier to detect than electrical issues. Eliminate the fuel side of the equation first before worrying about the electrical side.

Is the cutting out linked to engine temperature at all?
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Old Sep 8, 2011 | 09:57 AM
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Originally Posted by rickyf
Thanks for quick response, fuel pump is new as is also the fuel filter, however I will try guage to see if the pressure does drop for some reason, could it be the oil pressure switch dropping out in the fuel pump circuit? I guess the guage will tell. Otherwise I am not sure how to proceed with checking out the ignition citcuits, any suggestions
oil switch dropping out?

ricky, read some of the recent posts concerning this. far as we know, unless the FP relay is out of the circuit -at which time you would be seeing long crank times, THEN if the oil switch failed, the pump would shut off.

otherwise, you are chasing wrong information.

"shuts off" and "suffocating, chugging and dying" are different. if it is like key off, prob ignition related. icm comes to mind. also loose connections on any of the many wires on the distributor.
since it restarts, probably not the pickup coil.

if you have access to fsm or even a Haynes, that's where you need to go. more history would help.

joe
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Old Sep 9, 2011 | 12:44 AM
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One of the things you can do to check the ignition is to disconnect the ignition bypass connector (next to the brake booster with the tan wire with a black stripe).

This will hold your advance at 6 degrees (so the engine won't run the best) but it also eliminates the wiring between the distributor and the ECM and the ECM itself from the equation.
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Old Sep 11, 2011 | 04:32 PM
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Thanks for info on ignition, I will try eliminating ECM first. It did finally shut off again after I connected pressure guage, the pressure didn't drop one bit so fuel is definately not the problem, At least now I know where not to look
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Old Sep 11, 2011 | 04:39 PM
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P.S. This is definately not a sputter shutoff, it shuts off just like the key was turned off. This does happen alot more when car is cold but does happen sometimes when it is at operating temp but not as often.
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Old Sep 11, 2011 | 07:02 PM
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Sounds like your ignition control module to me. Don't forget get to stick the thermal grease on the bottom of the new one! (30 bucks at your local parts store)
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Old Sep 12, 2011 | 07:15 PM
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Okay I disconnected the ECM wire and it ran for about 4 miles then shut off as I was pulling into the garage, then again as I was parking it. So I guess now I replace the ICM, any other suggestions?
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Old Sep 13, 2011 | 01:34 AM
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Check all the wiring around the distributor (and inside). You might just have a loose connection.

Take the top off the distributor cap and check the connections to the coil.
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Old Sep 13, 2011 | 01:49 AM
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Originally Posted by yellowvette1
Sounds like your ignition control module to me. Don't forget get to stick the thermal grease on the bottom of the new one! (30 bucks at your local parts store)


Common issue.
Same problem happened to my 86e.
Still carry a spare module.

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Old Oct 2, 2011 | 09:12 AM
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Originally Posted by JrRifleCoach


Common issue.
Same problem happened to my 86e.
Still carry a spare module.

Okay I changed the ICM and it made no difference. Strange thing is it will sometimes run for twenty miles with no trouble then shut off twice within a couple minutes,new coil new wires plugs ICM bypassed the ECM still it shuts off on ocassion when either hot or cold, does seem to like to do this when slowing down if that means anything
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Old Oct 2, 2011 | 09:49 AM
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Originally Posted by rickyf
Okay I changed the ICM and it made no difference. Strange thing is it will sometimes run for twenty miles with no trouble then shut off twice within a couple minutes,new coil new wires plugs ICM bypassed the ECM still it shuts off on ocassion when either hot or cold, does seem to like to do this when slowing down if that means anything
throttle closed? or "slowing?"

some possibilities: IAC, egr not closed, tps circuit. ck that carbon is not affecting throttle closing -would have to be extremely heavy. also ck PCV system, if it happens with throttle closed.

any codes? intermittents are usually connections, don't follow predictability.

you should ck resistance on pickup coil, esp harness connector, per fsm or Haynes. also connection of bat terminal on dist cap, can be loose due to terminal spread.
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Old Oct 2, 2011 | 09:56 AM
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Originally Posted by rickyf
Okay I changed the ICM and it made no difference. Strange thing is it will sometimes run for twenty miles with no trouble then shut off twice within a couple minutes,new coil new wires plugs ICM bypassed the ECM still it shuts off on ocassion when either hot or cold, does seem to like to do this when slowing down if that means anything
This is a great problem to diagnose. As a newbe to Vettes I would like to know what could cause a not-so-intermittent stop? A lot of things could be ruled out. What relays are in the circuit? Could a ground be involved? Might it be time to hook up a scope to the car?
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