'95 RMW dies suddently & intermittent no start

I think my issues are similar to the ones in this thread.

I picked up a '95 RMW last year. It ran like total garbage, but only had 64k on the clock. I figured more damage had been done from sitting and lack of maintenance than from the old lady backing it into a handful of cars now and then.

There isn't a speck of rust on the body and it lived in Rochester, NY it's whole life.

The water pump was dribbling all over the optispark, so I changed both out and did the plugs/wires as my first set of business. After that it ran like a champ! before it would hesitate spit and sputter all the time. Now it's burning the wheels off as I leave every light.

UNTIL....

I drove it for about 2 trouble free weeks. One morning I hop in and turn the key. Everything on the dash lights up, but it won't crank. ****. At this point I hop in my other car ('03 Volvo xc70) and the key won't turn (this turned out to be a worn lock cylinder, a pretty easy but not so cheap fix). It was a bad morning.

A couple days later the Roadmaster decided to fire right up. A little looking around and I figured maybe it was the passkey, so I jumped that out with a resistor. Seemed to run fine for a couple days. Then bam. It cranks but wont start one day. I ordered a passkey override and wired that in. IT HAS TO BE THE ISSUE, RIGHT?!?!?!

Not so lucky. I had to have the car towed home from work because it wouldn't start. It gets home and fires right up.

It has now manifested itself when the car is moving. I drive down the road and the thing just shuts off. DEAD. Not a sputter or fart, nothing. Just like I flipped the ignition off. The dash all lights up like normal, but it doesn't run. Some times it will fire right back up, some times it takes a minute. The last time it dropped dead in the middle of the road and didn't start up until the tow truck AGAIN dropped it off at home.

I haven't touched it since. That was in December or November. Too cold for me to BS around with it this winter. I didn't want to drive it in the snow anyway, that's what the Volvo is for.

Also, when I have tried looking at it, IE: when it is sitting in my driveway or in my garage and I have the time and temperature to take a look, it runs fine.

So it's warming up out and I'm going to give it a shot again.

Any one have any new ideas? I think it's cursed.

Start a new thread.

John never got his fixed, and he's since gotten rid of the car. John did not have the time nor the resources to properly diagnose and fix it so this was probably the best move for him.

Ever changed the fuel pump?

The simple answer is that you have an intermittent problem, most likely electrical.

Here's my rules for fixing these sorts of problems:
1. Don't drive the car until you have the time and tools to catch it in the act. Don't do stupid stuff like drive it to work or put your family in the car. Not until after you fix it. But once you've got the time...
2. Diagnose, diagnose, diagnose. Do NOT just replace parts. Buy or borrow the tools you need to properly diagnose it. In this case I'd be getting a fuel pressure gauge and a spark tester.
3. Engines need three things to run: fuel, spark and compression. You're probably failing on the second, possibly the first.
4. My guess is, given the sudden failures, that it's electrical in nature.

Keep a log book of every time the problem happens. Where were you? How was the weather? Was it raining? Was the car warmed up? How fast were you going? Brakes on? Gas on? Turning?

Clarify your terms. "Not cranking" means the starter motor isn't doing its job. Cranking but not firing indicates an ignition or fuel problem.

Have you checked the ground wires that bolt to the ignition module on the driver's side front cylinder head?
Try driving with a scanner/datalogger and see what happens when the car dies. Does the PCM continue to communicate with the scanner? If not, then you have a PCM power problem that could be in your ignition switch or a ground wire.

You can fix this problem, but you need to be methodical. Pick up a set of Factory Service Manuals too.

I have not changed the fuel pump.

I've got to find a set of service manuals, and I'll look into a data logger.

Luckily this isn't my daily driver, so I don't really have to gamble with it. I'll give some updates when it isn't cold and rainy.

I live in Farmington, NY., so if you're in the Rochester area, and need a hand, shoot me a pm.

Mike

Thanks for making a new thread out of this.


200OZ, thanks for the offer. I'm actually near Buffalo.


Anyone have a recommendation for a data logger/OBD1 reader?

Start with TunerPro.

2 months later, and very little news.

I ran into an issue with the daily driver that involved an axle breaking off in the tranny...this prompted the purchase of a brand new, non-hoopty car.

During the fixing of the Volvo I had to wait for some tools, so I finally put a little effort into the Buick.

I Got the ALDL to USB cable, as well as Tuner Pro and data master. Haven't spent much time with them. I tried a quick hook up to the laptop, but I get very intermittent connections. I pull data for a few seconds and then it cuts out. Not sure what's up there. Again, something I'll have to spend some time on.

Anyway, I spent half a day trying to get it to die. I banged on and wiggled every fuse. shook every wire under the dash and every wire and connector under the hood. Can't get it to die.

I drove it up and down my driveway, which is about 200 feet long. Over a rut that my plow left. Into and out of my turnaround. Can't get it to die.

So I take the next step. I hit the road. I drive up and down the street a few times. Around town a bit. Can't get it to die.

Get the axle stub un-stuck from the tranny with a little drilling, tapping and slide hammering, but don't get the car back together that night. I figure I'll take the Buick into work in the AM. I live 4 miles from work. It dies the next morning, 2 miles from home.


This time, however, it doesn't die all the way. It goes to a limp. The car starts and runs, but just barely. It won't move under it's own power, but if I put it in drive I can get it to go with a foot out the door pushing. We towed it home that night and I stuffed it back in the corner of the driveway.

I went out tonight to give a quick look at a few things. I fired it up and it's still in this barely running state. Put a spark tester to the wires and I'm getting spark all the way around. I took a brief video. You can hear the barely running sound in it, but just....barely.

Sorry about the quality.



It's idling at about 500rpm. I step on the gas and it just rumbles a little. Nothing really happens.

Just after the video the car died. It's back to the starter turning the engine over, but no start.

I really just need some time to look at the damn thing, some extra cash to bring it to the mechanic, or someone to come buy it.

Check the fuel pressure.

Do you have a fuel pressure gauge?

(Ooops, I see Fred beat me to it   )

simple check of fuel pressure,. turn key on,. use a small poker thingy at the schrader see if it has good fuel pressure,. good fuel pressure is usually shown as it sprays the hell everywhere,.for about 1 second,. poor fuel pressure is a small dribble,.

and before all the safety guru drama queens jump in,. use some common sense,. don't check fuel pressure with the engine red hot,..

maybe cast your eye over the maf wiring too,.

had similar problem with my 95rmw. 2 things. car wont start up cold, damp, rainy day? check ignition module and coil. with car running use spray bottle of water on coil and look for arcing. found mine reflecting off radiator hose clamp. if that is not the issue for dying out check egr valve as may be stuck open. resulting in bad fuel mileage and ending up plugging converters which will cause car to die out while running, just bogg down to a stop. might start again if backpressure drops but die soon after.