Ok, here's the deal. Car is in sig., and I've been chasing a miss when hot for quite some time. I've about got it fixed, and I think I'm on to what's still causing it.

Anyway, here's the problem. Two or three times a day, when driving the car it will just die. The check gauges light comes on, and that's about it. Sometimes it's just for a second, and it comes back to life and and goes on it's merry way. Well tonight it didn't. I coasted off the road. and tried to re-start it. Wouldn't budge. I was fixing to call a buddy to come give me a lift home. I tried it once more and it started right up.

It has plenty of battery power and the starter spins the engine just fine. It just won't start. When it dies nothing funny happens, the lights stay on, etc. Until it restarts.

I've recently replaced the opti, plugs, wires, coil twice, fuel filter, cleaned the maf, and cleaned the throttle body. Now, I changed the coil for the second time today, trying to get the miss to disappear. In the dark in the night, once the car's warmed up you can see the coil arcing from the plastic housing to the little metal square bar that surrounds it on both sides. The stock coil and two cheap replacements have done this so far. I don't know if it's supposed to or not, I'd imagine not.

I've even tried taking it to the stealership here once, before I changed the wires, when it was still missing bad. I let the service manager drive it and it bogged and sputtered on him when he pulled out in traffic. He told me it was supposed to do that. I told him he's crazy and I'd take my money elsewhere. The other guys there also told me that if I have an intermittent problem they probably can't diagnose it until they can get the car to reproduce the problem. I hate to take it back and get the same crap again.

Opinions please, I think I've got the miss figured out with the coil but I'm at wits end as far as the dying goes. I checked the battery and alternator connections and about three grounds, and they all seemed fine.

If you can offer any help, please do so. My thanks in advance.

 

Sounds like your ignition control modual (I think that's what it's called, can't remember) is starting to go. Maybe someone can correct me if I am wrong on the part name but it is the part that is connected to the tumbler by a metal rod. You have to drop the steering colum to get to it. It's something like a $27 part.

 

Yes....I agree with it may be the Ignition control module. The Ingition Module is what controls when the coil fires. But the Module is mounted on the same bracket as the coil. I have seen a few cars do this before. Its not really that expensive of a part either.

The ignition switch is under the steering column.

 

Ok, good deal. Would that cause the coil to fire at the wrong time and arc the spark to itself as well? I know where the ICM is and how to change it, and that would definitely make sense because the misfire and such is only when hot.

I've been trying to get the car to die for the past hour now, driving it around, and it refuses to do it. The coil is still arcing badly to iself though.

 

I talked to a guy from gm tech today and he told me not to buy an ignition module or any more coils. He said usually the problem with the arcing coil is actually with the coil wire, but I have changed the wire twice now. With all three coils I have, you can see evidence of arcing between the plastic coil body and the metal square that mounts it.

I'm afraid that if I take it to the stealership, they'll want one arm and one leg, in which case I'll never be able to drive a manual car again, and they still won't be able to diagnose the problem. Some of the guys at the dealerships around here really don't know what they're doing.

Any more advice or possible ideas would be greatly appreciated. I hate to keep throwing parts at the car until it's right, but I hate more for it not to run right.

Thanks again in advance. --J.Bird

 

Ok, car just died again 4 times in a row. When I go to start it I can hear the fuel pump priming and everything, and then it won't start. If I leave it sit for a minute or two it starts fine. It just died for about an hour a few minutes ago. As soon as I towed it off the road and back onto the driveway it ran fine. I can't get it to duplicate the problem at idle or revving in neutral.

It acts almost like my old truck did when the cap and rotor wore out. Sometimes it runs fine, but if you get on the throttle hard or let off completely it just dies. I hate to drive it anywhere else like this.

ANY other ideas or input from the great ones, or whoever for that matter, would be greatly appreciated. I guess I'll make an appointment for the stealership tomorrow.

Thanks. J-Bird.

 

I would try changing the Ignition module before taking it to the dealership.

 

Thanks man, I'll give it a shot. Sorry for the rant. Just had to calm down a bit.