Well its been running normally untill today when I pulled up to a stop sign and as I got to about 5 or 10 miles an hour coming to a stop it started to miss and died. I tried to start it back up and it would chug on 1 or 2 cylinders at 100-300rpm then eventually stall. Its not fuel related, I can hear the fuel pump working and gas soaked rags on the filter element didnt change anything so I figure it must be spark related. Now if it was an alternator or battery I would have any charge when I turn on the ignition and the starter wouldn't crank over the motor like it always does. So Then I think if the coil went out not even 1 cylinder would fire at all so then it leads me to the opti, it has 86k miles on it, but the only thing that made me not think of that imediatley is that no codes were thrown and it happend so suddenly. I have recently replaced the maf sensor but even if it were bad a code would turn on the ses light and it would run on speed density. Also I have blown 2 cats in the last 3 weeks for some reason which may be totally unrelated since I passed the smog check with flying colors the day after I put the cats on adn the car has not been missing noticably since then anyways. Basically can the opti go out that suddenly and still let a couple cylinders half *** fire or would I have had some warning prior? What is wrong with this hunk of ****!!! LOL

 

It could still be the coil or wires, don't assume that they would all be out. Try wiggling the connector to the Opti, and pull the coil wire and look for white powder on either end. Try checking the fuel pressure with a gauge, and look for any obstructions in the intake path...could be as simple as sucking up a grocery sack...stranger things have happened!

 

pull a plug and look for spark

pull the wire to the opti from the coil and look for spark

if the problem is the coil then it wont spark but it does and you still dont find any spark getting out to the plugs then your opti is at fault.

 

well I have a friend with a thing that you conect to the battery then clamp it on a wire, coil or plug and the light will turn on if it detects electricity passing through the wire... never heard of it before but ill see what it tells me before I go get a fuel pressure gauge. I know a fuel pump can go out like that but can an opti just die so immediately?

BTW can the air/fuel chage ignite through compression with 93 octane gas? because atleast one cylinder is igniting cause it will pop and clug for 5 seconds or so jumping from 100-300rpm on the datamaster.... in which case if it cannot compression ignite like a diesel itsgotta have spark to one or 2 cylinders so in that case its probably not the coil.

 

ok I got a timing light and connected it to the battery and the coil to see if the coil was working and it lit up randomly like it did on my friends nissan truck so the coil seems to be good, then I tested each plug wire along the drivers side bank and it lit up every 1-1.5 seconds so the starter was turning the motor at about 100 rpm so they ALL WORK. And to top it off not only was the motor getting spark we smelled gas out of the tail pipes so its getting fuel as well What the hell is this... and im not going to check the other bank since if half of them were firing it would do more than it has beenespecially if it were getting gas. What else could cause it to die at a stoplight and refuse to start?????

 

hey Im gonna put this to the top for the last time till tomorrow night, I really would like to get some opinions on the last post I made on this thread, I really dont know what is wrong anymore and need to find out as soon as I can. Everyone's help is appreciated

 

Wait, you did WHAT with a gas soaked rag?

 

Something is definitely not right if you are getting spark and fuel but no ignition. Try resetting the computer and checking out all your fuses. Optis can break in several ways. Mine died suddendly when the metal contact on the rotor decided to fall off on me one morning with no warning.

 

what fuses specifically? Also when you say reset the computer do you mean dissconect the battery for a few minutes? Im gonna check the plugs when I get a chance although I dont think something like plugs could just die like a flickering flame maybe they will tell me SOMETHING. Any other suggestions would be helpful and thanks turbo z for your help so far... BTW just because the timing light is flickering does that mean there absolutly is current running through the wire? I also guess because the smell of fuel is present doesnt mean its the correct amount lol but I dunno, seems like no matter what as long as there is spark and fuel there should be ignition....?

 

Check the EGR valve and see if it is stuck.

 

I dont now what fuses specifically but they are all easy to check.

Just unplug your battery for 30 sec. or so to reset the computer.

It make sense to me if the light flickers there is current running thru the wire. I would have just pulled a spark plug.... no questioning that method.

As long as there is fuel and spark at the right time then yes you whould have ignition. If you are getting spark during the exhaust stroke then youre not going anywhere.

 

I did just have both cats blow out maybe they plugged up real bad...?? Im still gonna take the fuel filter off and see if fuel sprays out just to double check, since it needs replacing anyhow. Im hoping its as simple as the cats were in peices and plugged it up somehow... at the same time...meh prolly not.

 

Anymore opinions?

 

You need to check the coil using a spark tester, not just that it's giving a spark, but that it's strong enough.

 

Never heard of one... do I need to do the same for the opti? Can I do it with a multimeter? I replaced the fuel filter tonight and the fuel pump does work for sure, so neither of those. What about a stuck fuel pressure regulator? Maybe it stuck all of a sudden... Ill chekc the coil once I figure out what you are talking about Thanks a bunch for the suggestion!