I swear this car is one problem after another...anyway...

The car has cut off on me twice since I got it a week ago. It did it once coming off a stop light, once leaving my house for work in the morning, and again tonight coming down the street when I pushed the clutch in to rev it up a bit.

I'm sure this car has NEVER been tuned up. Could it the the optispark or something else?

 

Typically old plugs and wires will cause it to run rough, not just cut out; same with the opti. It's common for the ignition key switch to wear out over time and cause the car to just die. If it only does it when it's warm, your ignition control module could be getting heat soaked and cause it to die. The coil could be another possibility.

 

It dosen't do it just when the car is warm. It did it the other day right after I statred it up and pulling off to go to work. I'm gonna replace the plugs, wires, coil, fuel filter, and possibly the ignition moudle this weekend and see how it goes. The car just turned 94k miles so replacing that stuff isn't gonna be a waste of money no matter how you look at it.

 

Hey bro it could be the fuel pump. Usually if the pump is dying you will die out basically when you try to give it gas.

Have someone stand outside of your car when you turn it to accessory mode and have them listen to see if it primes.

 

Well now it won't start at all. When I left the house today I turned the key and got nothing. I tried again and it was really really groggy and then started clicking like the battery was dead. Finally on the 3rd try to really slowly and really groggly came to life. I went to get my haircut and then the same thing leaving there. Finally got to my mom's house to put it in the garage and while I was backing it in it died and wouldn't restart.

I just don't know what it is either needs a tune up and an opti or a fuel pump, but I'd really like to know before I go spend a lot of money and still not fix the problem.

 

Go get your alternator checked out, you said it died and started clicking when you tried to start it, thats a sign of a weak alternator and if your alternator is goin out, that will cause your fuel pump to stop running and make your car die. Because its an electric fuel pump and runs basically off your alernator.

 

How old is the battery and has it be mistreated? Could be a simple as a bad battery. Most automotive shops can check your alternator for you.

 

I took the battery and alternator to Advance Auto yesterday and got them tested. The battery was bad and the alternator was good. I went ahead and purchased an Optima red top batttery for good measure.

Too bad that was actaully the simple part of the saga that has unfolded with this POS car the last few days...

 

If the new battery doesn't solve it, look into the fuel pump issue mentioned above. I had the exact symptoms when mine crapped out... I tried starting it and it bogged down then started clicking like the battery was out or something.