HELP PLEASE! Car keeps shutting down while driving!

[hanguksimon]

Hi, I recently started having a problem with my engine shutting down on my 92 lude Si, its got about 220000 miles on the body but the engine was rebuilt due to accident. It first happened a week ago right after I filled up gas, I went to turn the ignition and it just died, not cranking, no sound, just completely shutdown, and the lights wouldn't turn on or anything. As if battery was completely dead. My buddy jumped me and I was good to go. Couple days later, it shut down on my while i was driving, I think I was in second gear slowly accelerating, and I couldn't crank it over for a few minutes. Then it was fine. Then next day same problem, much more frequent, every 10 to 15 minutes it would shut down while driving and the check engine light comes on and shuts off. It would crank but not start until a few times cranking and hitting gas, and once it starts, check engine light dissappears until it shuts down again. Any suggestions? I am going to clean battery terminals, check voltage on the battery, voltage on alternator. Any help would be great! Thanks!

[spiffyguido]

Have you done any reading about the main relay? I know that some people have experienced seemingly catastrophic failures in their electrical system and traced it back to this.

[hanguksimon]

Have you done any reading about the main relay? I know that some people have experienced seemingly catastrophic failures in their electrical system and traced it back to this.

I'll check that out, thanks!

[spiffyguido]

These three threads contain issues that sound somewhat similar to yours:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=400

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=370

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=365

Fixing the main relay is detailed here:

http://mustardcat.brinkster.net/p3g/Com ... nrelay.htm

[hanguksimon]

These three threads contain issues that sound somewhat similar to yours:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=400

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=370

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=365

Fixing the main relay is detailed here:

http://mustardcat.brinkster.net/p3g/Com ... nrelay.htm

Thanks for the threads, they are really informative, I'll keep posts on my progress!

[RedRacer]

It's most likely going to be either the ignition switch or the main relay.

While I've never heard of the main causing the engine/car to shut down while driving, it will cause you to not be able to start the car once it has been shut off.

The circuit board/solder inside the main relay (which is a small black box that plugs into the e-system in the underneath, upper left hand side of the dash) dries and cracks with age and is mainly affected by heat and higher temps. The warmer temps cause the board to expand, the solder loses contact and the circuit is shut down, hence the fuel pump not getting any juice and the fuel doesn't get to the spark. The links Spiffy provided for repair are pretty right on.

This is another that is useful, gives a little more detail and imagery of the main relay. And they're all pretty generic as for as Honda model applications.

http://techauto.awardspace.com/mainrelay.html

Also, looking into the ignition switch - try bumping, wiggling, jarring the ignition/keys, and a couple of good bangs on the steering wheel or column assembly (with the engine running, car in gear rolling slow in a parking lot without other cars around) and see if the engine shuts down. If it does, then you know without a doubt that your issue lies within the ignition switch.

Don't ya just frikkin hate electrical problems? I think they're one of the most frustrating things in the world as far as car repair is concerned.

Good luck!, and keep us informed as to what happens.

ps - some might say fuel delivery issues due to bad fuel pump, but if the fuel shuts down you're still going to have electrical. That's why all signs here, dead dash, lights, etc. total darkness, are leading me to electrical within relay or ignition switch wiring or points.

[hanguksimon]

It's most likely going to be either the ignition switch or the main relay.

While I've never heard of the main causing the engine/car to shut down while driving, it will cause you to not be able to start the car once it has been shut off.

The circuit board/solder inside the main relay (which is a small black box that plugs into the e-system in the underneath, upper left hand side of the dash) dries and cracks with age and is mainly affected by heat and higher temps. The warmer temps cause the board to expand, the solder loses contact and the circuit is shut down, hence the fuel pump not getting any juice and the fuel doesn't get to the spark. The links Spiffy provided for repair are pretty right on.

This is another that is useful, gives a little more detail and imagery of the main relay. And they're all pretty generic as for as Honda model applications.

http://techauto.awardspace.com/mainrelay.html

Also, looking into the ignition switch - try bumping, wiggling, jarring the ignition/keys, and a couple of good bangs on the steering wheel or column assembly (with the engine running, car in gear rolling slow in a parking lot without other cars around) and see if the engine shuts down. If it does, then you know without a doubt that your issue lies within the ignition switch.

Don't ya just frikkin hate electrical problems? I think they're one of the most frustrating things in the world as far as car repair is concerned.

Good luck!, and keep us informed as to what happens.

ps - some might say fuel delivery issues due to bad fuel pump, but if the fuel shuts down you're still going to have electrical. That's why all signs here, dead dash, lights, etc. total darkness, are leading me to electrical within relay or ignition switch wiring or points.

Cool Thanks, I'll check it out, thanks for all the help everyone, I will update as soon as I get some results!

[hanguksimon]

Ok, sorry for taking so long to reply, I have replace my batter terminals because they were badly corroded, and I have gotten my battery and alternator tested at advanced auto parts, and both are fine. Now when the vehicle stalls, the power doesn't shut off, just dies and check engine light comes on and it takes a few cranks with me furiously hitting the gas simultaneously, are these signs of fuel pump to injectors?

[spiffyguido]

Could be the fuel system, but you'll also want to check the spark system as well.

Is there any sort of pattern to what is happening now? Does it only happen when things are warm, cold, etc?

[hanguksimon]

Could be the fuel system, but you'll also want to check the spark system as well.

Is there any sort of pattern to what is happening now? Does it only happen when things are warm, cold, etc?

No, I don't think much of a pattern, usually starts up fine the first time I start it up during the day, then I'll be driving for about 20 minutes then it might stall, then it will do it ever 5 to 10 minutes until the next day. But today I took it back to advanced to try to get the ecu read but the reader they have isn't compatible with a obd 1 so that didn't happen. Then I drove a block and it stalled and would not start. So its sitting at a walgreens at the moment, cranks but will not start.

[spiffyguido]

Did you try checking the engine codes yourself?

The instructions on how to do so are here:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=14

[hanguksimon]

Did you try checking the engine codes yourself?

The instructions on how to do so are here:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=14

Sweet, thanks, yea I didn't really want to spend a hundred for a diagnostic test, I'll post the cel codes as soon as I get this done, that link is very informative.

[hanguksimon]

Ok everyone, so sorry I have lagged this long again to post results, been super busy, well, I broke down and took the ride to the mechanic, and after everything, it was the distributor, it was done, got a new one, running like a champ again, thanks for all the help everyone!

[RedRacer]

Glad you got your problem solved! I know you're happy for sure!

Thanks for coming back and letting us know what the problem was..... that's such a huge factor for future PDriver visitors and members who might be having the same problem, and they read your resolution and can maybe find the fix they needed because of your post.

Glad you came to PDriver to discuss your problem (even though we didn't get you the exact fix you needed) and glad you got your car rollin' again!

~ Josh

[Red2010_2008]

if u havnt replaced the main relay you might wanna do that to jus to get that outta the way, when i replaced my distributor i replaced my main relay as well, jus to be on the safe side.