Tech / General Engine Is your car making a strange sound or won't start? Thinking of adding power with a new combination? Need other technical information or engine specific advice? Don't see another board for your problem? Post it here!

Car starts great, runs great, warms up and shuts off

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 06-11-2024, 05:31 PM
  #1  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
rob.reid73's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2023
Location: Edmonton, AB
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1989 IROC-Z
Engine: 5.0L
Transmission: 5spd M5
Axle/Gears: 3.45 Borg Warner
Car starts great, runs great, warms up and shuts off

Love my 89 IROC 5.0 TPI, had it for 28 years. It sat for a couple years, then drove it for a bit, then it sat again for several years. But now I have moved to a new home, and I was able to drive it the 30 minute drive from my old place to my new place. During that drive, it started to run rough when I got close to the new place, but it did not die.
But last week, I took it out for a drive, and it ran perfectly fine, through warm up and for a bit after, until I decided to step on the gas a bit. As soon as I did that, the engine completely shut off. It seemed like it just suddenly had no spark or something. It would not start at all. I pushed it to the side of the road and let it cool down for about 4 hours. When I came back, it started right up. I replicated the issue yesterday. Exactly the same thing. Runs fine during warmup and for a while after, and then when I step on the gas, it dies. I have to let it cool down before it will start again.
Does anybody have any idea what is going on? Ignition coil? Distributor? God, I hope it's not the ECM. I am assuming it is a spark issue, only because I don't think it would quit so suddenly if it was a fuel issue. It would at least chug a bit, then die.
Old 06-11-2024, 05:58 PM
  #2  
Sponsor
TGO - 10 Year Member
iTrader: (92)
 
Tuned Performance's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Mile High Country !!!
Posts: 15,646
Received 715 Likes on 632 Posts
Car: 1967 Camaro, 91 z28
Engine: Lb9
Transmission: M20
Axle/Gears: J65 pbr on stock posi 10bolt
Re: Car starts great, runs great, warms up and shuts off

Check fuel pressure, injector pulse and ohm injectors hot, and for spark. Could be icm or shorted injectors or fuel pump.
Old 06-11-2024, 07:04 PM
  #3  
Supreme Member
TGO - 10 Year Member
iTrader: (14)
 
aliceempire's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Milwaukee
Posts: 2,018
Received 155 Likes on 129 Posts
Car: 92 Firebird, 77 Trans Am SE, 86 Z28
Engine: 5.7 HSR, T/A 6.6, empty
Transmission: T-5, TH350, T-5
Axle/Gears: 3.08 posi, 3.23 posi, 3.23
Re: Car starts great, runs great, warms up and shuts off

Test for spark, fuel pressure and injector pulse. Needs those to run and likely one failed. Purely guessing by anecdotal information, the icm in the distributor is dying from heat.
And I see way too late that Tuned already replied that Well, he knows as well as the rest of us, if not more so.
Old 07-10-2024, 03:10 PM
  #4  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
rob.reid73's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2023
Location: Edmonton, AB
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1989 IROC-Z
Engine: 5.0L
Transmission: 5spd M5
Axle/Gears: 3.45 Borg Warner
Re: Car starts great, runs great, warms up and shuts off

Originally Posted by aliceempire
the icm in the distributor is dying from heat.
I replaced the ICM, but the issue persisted. I then went ahead and replaced the rotor, distributor cap and ignition coil, as these can all be susceptible to overheating, and because they are cheap to replace. The issue persists. One thing I did notice... it smells like unburned fuel (I think that's what I'm smelling) when it is warming up, and once it is warmed, I can rev it up, and I hear popping and banging from the exhaust, which I believe is unburned fuel igniting in the cats, now that they are hot. This is why I am convinced that it is an ignition issue somewhere. Could I be wrong? Could it still be a fuel issue?
Old 07-11-2024, 09:04 AM
  #5  
Sponsor
 
southbay08's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Rockville Centre, NY
Posts: 1,504
Received 37 Likes on 31 Posts
Re: Car starts great, runs great, warms up and shuts off

Originally Posted by Tuned Performance
Check fuel pressure, injector pulse and ohm injectors hot, and for spark. Could be icm or shorted injectors or fuel pump.
I agree...the coils on the injectors tend to fail when they are hot.
Old 07-11-2024, 10:18 AM
  #6  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
rob.reid73's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2023
Location: Edmonton, AB
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1989 IROC-Z
Engine: 5.0L
Transmission: 5spd M5
Axle/Gears: 3.45 Borg Warner
Re: Car starts great, runs great, warms up and shuts off

Originally Posted by Tuned Performance
Could be... shorted injectors...
What does this mean? All injectors shorting out at once when it gets hot? Or is there a common component controlling all injectors? I thought that would be the ICM, but I replaced that. I still don't think it's the fuel pump.
Old 07-11-2024, 10:21 AM
  #7  
Sponsor
TGO - 10 Year Member
iTrader: (92)
 
Tuned Performance's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Mile High Country !!!
Posts: 15,646
Received 715 Likes on 632 Posts
Car: 1967 Camaro, 91 z28
Engine: Lb9
Transmission: M20
Axle/Gears: J65 pbr on stock posi 10bolt
Re: Car starts great, runs great, warms up and shuts off

It means you need to ohm them, if they short when hot the ecms injector driver shuts off.
Old 07-11-2024, 10:26 AM
  #8  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
rob.reid73's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2023
Location: Edmonton, AB
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1989 IROC-Z
Engine: 5.0L
Transmission: 5spd M5
Axle/Gears: 3.45 Borg Warner
Re: Car starts great, runs great, warms up and shuts off

How would failed injectors account for the unburned fuel in the exhaust?
Old 07-11-2024, 10:29 AM
  #9  
Sponsor
TGO - 10 Year Member
iTrader: (92)
 
Tuned Performance's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Mile High Country !!!
Posts: 15,646
Received 715 Likes on 632 Posts
Car: 1967 Camaro, 91 z28
Engine: Lb9
Transmission: M20
Axle/Gears: J65 pbr on stock posi 10bolt
Re: Car starts great, runs great, warms up and shuts off

How do you know it’s rich not lean ?
Old 07-11-2024, 10:47 AM
  #10  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
rob.reid73's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2023
Location: Edmonton, AB
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1989 IROC-Z
Engine: 5.0L
Transmission: 5spd M5
Axle/Gears: 3.45 Borg Warner
Re: Car starts great, runs great, warms up and shuts off

If it's getting plenty of air, but not enough fuel, would you get unburned fuel coming out the exhaust? If that's possible, then yeah, I guess it could be lean. But it seems counter-intuitive to have unburned fuel if there is not enough fuel.
Old 07-11-2024, 10:54 AM
  #11  
Sponsor
TGO - 10 Year Member
iTrader: (92)
 
Tuned Performance's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Mile High Country !!!
Posts: 15,646
Received 715 Likes on 632 Posts
Car: 1967 Camaro, 91 z28
Engine: Lb9
Transmission: M20
Axle/Gears: J65 pbr on stock posi 10bolt
Re: Car starts great, runs great, warms up and shuts off

Originally Posted by rob.reid73
If it's getting plenty of air, but not enough fuel, would you get unburned fuel coming out the exhaust? If that's possible, then yeah, I guess it could be lean. But it seems counter-intuitive to have unburned fuel if there is not enough fuel.
condensation or raw fuel coming out? Don’t see why is so hard to ohm the injectors. Check fuel pressure. Leaking or shorted coils or old injectors just not flowing well all are possibilities. But if you insist it’s ignition related good luck with fixing it.
Old 07-11-2024, 11:27 AM
  #12  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
rob.reid73's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2023
Location: Edmonton, AB
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1989 IROC-Z
Engine: 5.0L
Transmission: 5spd M5
Axle/Gears: 3.45 Borg Warner
Re: Car starts great, runs great, warms up and shuts off

Originally Posted by Tuned Performance
But if you insist it’s ignition related good luck with fixing it.
Nice. You won't get my business talking to me like that. I never insisted anything. I just didn't get an answer to my (seemingly obvious) question. Snarky remarks are not helpful.
Old 07-11-2024, 11:33 AM
  #13  
Sponsor
TGO - 10 Year Member
iTrader: (92)
 
Tuned Performance's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Mile High Country !!!
Posts: 15,646
Received 715 Likes on 632 Posts
Car: 1967 Camaro, 91 z28
Engine: Lb9
Transmission: M20
Axle/Gears: J65 pbr on stock posi 10bolt
Re: Car starts great, runs great, warms up and shuts off

Originally Posted by rob.reid73
Nice. You won't get my business talking to me like that. I never insisted anything. I just didn't get an answer to my (seemingly obvious) question. Snarky remarks are not helpful.
I don’t sell injectors so can’t help you anyways. Not sure why you haven’t followed others advice. I just see parts cannon getting loaded without diagnosing. Sorry if you have a issue with me just trying to assist.
Old 07-11-2024, 01:36 PM
  #14  
Supreme Member
TGO - 10 Year Member
iTrader: (2)
 
mikeceli's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: S. UTAH
Posts: 1,282
Likes: 0
Received 170 Likes on 141 Posts
Car: 1989 IROC-Z 305 LB9 AT Convertible
Engine: LB9 305
Transmission: AT
Re: Car starts great, runs great, warms up and shuts off

Originally Posted by Tuned Performance
condensation or raw fuel coming out? Don’t see why is so hard to ohm the injectors. Check fuel pressure. Leaking or shorted coils or old injectors just not flowing well all are possibilities. But if you insist it’s ignition related good luck with fixing it.


My first, of 3 First Gen F Bodies, died when warm with no restart. It came with a Repair Shop work order, stating the problem was bad Injectors. I was unfamiliar with GM Multec injectors and replaced the coil, distributor pickup, etc., with no change.

I replaced the injectors and problem was solved. Live and learn!

Check FI Injectors resistance, Buddy!
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Jdouglas4
Tech / General Engine
6
09-15-2023 08:02 AM
z28_AJ
TPI
4
03-03-2016 10:09 PM
jrhaus76
Tech / General Engine
5
11-25-2008 01:17 PM
thedoctorisin
TPI
5
09-09-2007 11:15 AM
85f-bird
V6
6
06-11-2004 05:16 PM



Quick Reply: Car starts great, runs great, warms up and shuts off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:28 AM.