Car left me stranded
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,469
Likes: 6
From: Winchester Ontario
Car left me stranded
It's midnight, just got off work. Roads are wet, go around corner and give it a small shot of gas just to kick it a tad sideways, and car goes dead.
I steer it into a parking lot. I try to start it , and it just keeps cranking.
I have lots of gas in it as well. Most of the times if it's fuel related, it would chug a bit first, but not this, car just went dead.
Now, after trying to start it the battery is real low. Had a friend bring his booster cables, hooked up cables, reading said 12.8 V before starting. Car turns over, and nothing.
WTF is wrong with my car?
By the way, it's pouring rain out and lightning/thundering quite a bit. I may sound stupid here, but there's no chance I coulda got hit by lightning could there? I mean, my gauges were all working fine.
Help please, my car is left locked overnight in a parking lot.
I steer it into a parking lot. I try to start it , and it just keeps cranking.
I have lots of gas in it as well. Most of the times if it's fuel related, it would chug a bit first, but not this, car just went dead.
Now, after trying to start it the battery is real low. Had a friend bring his booster cables, hooked up cables, reading said 12.8 V before starting. Car turns over, and nothing.
WTF is wrong with my car?
By the way, it's pouring rain out and lightning/thundering quite a bit. I may sound stupid here, but there's no chance I coulda got hit by lightning could there? I mean, my gauges were all working fine.
Help please, my car is left locked overnight in a parking lot.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,298
Likes: 0
From: Jupiter Sunny Florida
Re: Car left me stranded (black_89_vette)
By the way, it's pouring rain out and lightning/thundering quite a bit. I may sound stupid here, but there's no chance I coulda got hit by lightning could there? I mean, my gauges were all working fine.
Fuel PSI is checked by taking off the cap to the fitting on the fuel rail and pushing the schrader valve. If it has press., it will shoot out.
Spark is checked with the old screwdriver technique.....
I would check the easy things first like fuel psi, and spark..... :thumbs:
[Modified by Q1KSLVR, 2:24 AM 10/21/2003]
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,469
Likes: 6
From: Winchester Ontario
Re: Car left me stranded (Q1KSLVR)
If it was fuel related, wouldn't it have chugged a bit first? I mean, I have ran out of gas before and the car chugged. THis just quit out of the blue on me.
I never checked fp and the engine would crank over and over with nothing.
I never checked fp and the engine would crank over and over with nothing.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 24,337
Likes: 25
From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
Re: Car left me stranded (black_89_vette)
I bet it's an ignition problem. That water probably got up into somewhere it shouldn't have. Try boosting it again in the morning.
[Modified by CentralCoaster, 4:03 AM 10/21/2003]
[Modified by CentralCoaster, 4:03 AM 10/21/2003]
Safety Car
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 3,651
Likes: 5
From: Atlantis
Cruise-In I Veteran
Re: Car left me stranded (black_89_vette)
There's only TWO things that can stop one of these in it's tracks.
Out of gas or a block wall... Just kidding.........
Check:
1) Fuel
2) Spark
There's only TWO things that can stop fuel.. well make that FIVE:
1) Pump Defective
2) Pump not getting + 12 volts
3) Regulator bad (bypassing all fuel back to tank)
4) Fuel Filter TOTALLY stopped up
5) ECM not pulsing injectors.
Spark can be cut off by:
1) Defective ignition module
2) Distributor shaft broken or roll pin missing on distrib.gear. (both highly UNLIKELY)
3) Bad Ignition coil
BOTH COuld be affected by:
1) Bad ECM
EVERY sensor on the engine can be DEFECTIVE and it WILL STILL run.
There is absolutely no ONE sensor that will shut'er down.
Check the codes for hints, FIRST. Only takes a paper clip to do this test.
Hope this helps.
Edit, I needed to add the coil to the list.
[Modified by VetNutJim, 8:20 AM 10/21/2003]
Out of gas or a block wall... Just kidding.........
Check:
1) Fuel
2) Spark
There's only TWO things that can stop fuel.. well make that FIVE:
1) Pump Defective
2) Pump not getting + 12 volts
3) Regulator bad (bypassing all fuel back to tank)
4) Fuel Filter TOTALLY stopped up
5) ECM not pulsing injectors.
Spark can be cut off by:
1) Defective ignition module
2) Distributor shaft broken or roll pin missing on distrib.gear. (both highly UNLIKELY)
3) Bad Ignition coil
BOTH COuld be affected by:
1) Bad ECM
EVERY sensor on the engine can be DEFECTIVE and it WILL STILL run.
There is absolutely no ONE sensor that will shut'er down.
Check the codes for hints, FIRST. Only takes a paper clip to do this test.
Hope this helps.
Edit, I needed to add the coil to the list.
[Modified by VetNutJim, 8:20 AM 10/21/2003]
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,469
Likes: 6
From: Winchester Ontario
Re: Car left me stranded (mistaben)
Found the problem!
I have a Walbro GS340M 255 LpH fuel pump from Racetronix with thier "hot wire" kit that takes extra Voltage from the back of the alternator.
Turns out the 20 W fuse blew on it. I wasn't getting any fuel pressure while the engine would crank over.
Seems odd that the fuse for the hot wire kit would totally kill my engine while I did drive it a bit with the Walbro fuel pump in it without the hot wire kit hooked up. Hmm, whatever.
If you got this hot wire kit with your fuel pump, keep a few extra fuses handy!
I have a Walbro GS340M 255 LpH fuel pump from Racetronix with thier "hot wire" kit that takes extra Voltage from the back of the alternator.
Turns out the 20 W fuse blew on it. I wasn't getting any fuel pressure while the engine would crank over.
Seems odd that the fuse for the hot wire kit would totally kill my engine while I did drive it a bit with the Walbro fuel pump in it without the hot wire kit hooked up. Hmm, whatever.
If you got this hot wire kit with your fuel pump, keep a few extra fuses handy!
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