car cutting out once reaching operating temps

ASSISTANCE Stock Engine-Bay Components
21

Ok we’re back online…here’s what I’ve done since:

Alternator testing with multimeter. everything looked fine.

3/9/12:
So today I had a solid hour to work on the car. I removed the rear seats and checked the connections on the fuel pump. It primes every time I turn the key to position 2. I decided to take the car and drive it around for 20-30 minutes and see if the condition changed while the car got warmer and warmer.

So I drove around, it dies as usual…start it back up and drive some more. After dying about 4-5 times, the car no longer tried to start. Meaning, I turn the ignition, and it gives me one click, and that’s it. Headlights and everything stay on (so battery is fine), it just clicks. It does this for a minute or two, then it’ll start back up again.

Also, while the car is sputtering and dying, the fuel pump can be heard priming over and over.

3/10/12:
So today I took off the IACV again, and it was majorly gunked up. I cleaned it out with brake cleaner, everything dried out and clean. No difference.

So I took off the intake with the car at operating temp, idling in the garage. I covered the two holes in the TB with my fingers. They were sucking HARD, and the car didn’t die out. The two lines lead to the IACV (idle air control valve) and the FITV (fast idle thermo valve?). When these are covered the car should die almost immediately if all vacuum lines are connected properly.

I don’t have the ****ing patience to trace all the vacuum lines…but I guess that’s next.

Also, the fuel pump gets loud right before the car dies, like it’s trying to prime again…over and over. Then the car dies, and it’ll prime one more time like I just turned the car key on. LIGHT BULB GOES OFF

So as I write this, the ignition switch kind of makes even more sense if the fuel pump starts trying to prime again before the car dies (it might mean the ignition switch is shorting out making the car think it’s back in position 2).

3/12/12:
I unhooked, cleaned, and rebolted the main engine grounds (the two on the valve cover), and the one that is on top of the tranny, as well as the main relay ground.

3/13/12:
A few things I noticed today:

There is what looks like a black box on the back of the block (PCV chamber). There are two coolant hoses coming off the top. One hose is there, and the other is cut off at the box. Anyone know where that line goes?

Also, there is a vacuum hose cut that went from the back of the intake manifold to this little servo looking valve on the firewall right next to the MAP sensor. Any clue what that is?

Tonight I let the car get nice and warm idling. Took it for a spin, and it dies again. And again I hear what sounds like the fuel pump trying to prime again 1-2 times while the car is dying. It just gets loud. The car got so warm tonight that it was taking even longer to start now. It would just crank and crank and crank and crank. I had to let it sit for about 5 minutes tonight before it would restart.

22

I really think it’s the fuel pump, but I’m waiting for a fuel pressure gauge to come in the mail. The local auto parts stores in this small town only have gauges that go to 15psi.

23

[QUOTE=usdm420;2251160]Ok we’re back online…here’s what I’ve done since:

Alternator testing with multimeter. everything looked fine.

3/9/12:
So today I had a solid hour to work on the car. I removed the rear seats and checked the connections on the fuel pump. It primes every time I turn the key to position 2. I decided to take the car and drive it around for 20-30 minutes and see if the condition changed while the car got warmer and warmer.

So I drove around, it dies as usual…start it back up and drive some more. After dying about 4-5 times, the car no longer tried to start. Meaning, I turn the ignition, and it gives me one click, and that’s it. Headlights and everything stay on (so battery is fine), it just clicks. It does this for a minute or two, then it’ll start back up again.

Also, while the car is sputtering and dying, the fuel pump can be heard priming over and over.

3/10/12:
So today I took off the IACV again, and it was majorly gunked up. I cleaned it out with brake cleaner, everything dried out and clean. No difference.

So I took off the intake with the car at operating temp, idling in the garage. I covered the two holes in the TB with my fingers. They were sucking HARD, and the car didn’t die out. The two lines lead to the IACV (idle air control valve) and the FITV (fast idle thermo valve?). When these are covered the car should die almost immediately if all vacuum lines are connected properly.

I don’t have the ****ing patience to trace all the vacuum lines…but I guess that’s next.

Also, the fuel pump gets loud right before the car dies, like it’s trying to prime again…over and over. Then the car dies, and it’ll prime one more time like I just turned the car key on. LIGHT BULB GOES OFF

So as I write this, the ignition switch kind of makes even more sense if the fuel pump starts trying to prime again before the car dies (it might mean the ignition switch is shorting out making the car think it’s back in position 2).

3/12/12:
I unhooked, cleaned, and rebolted the main engine grounds (the two on the valve cover), and the one that is on top of the tranny, as well as the main relay ground.

3/13/12:
A few things I noticed today:

There is what looks like a black box on the back of the block (PCV chamber). There are two coolant hoses coming off the top. One hose is there, and the other is cut off at the box. Anyone know where that line goes?

Also, there is a vacuum hose cut that went from the back of the intake manifold to this little servo looking valve on the firewall right next to the MAP sensor. Any clue what that is?

Tonight I let the car get nice and warm idling. Took it for a spin, and it dies again. And again I hear what sounds like the fuel pump trying to prime again 1-2 times while the car is dying. It just gets loud. The car got so warm tonight that it was taking even longer to start now. It would just crank and crank and crank and crank. I had to let it sit for about 5 minutes tonight before it would restart.[/QUOTE]

Ever swap the coil out?

24

Yeah. Coil and ignitor were both replaced with brand new units, then I eventually replaced the entire distributor.

25

So here’s where I am at:

My fuel pressure gauge came in today and I installed it on top of the fuel filter. When loosening the banjo bolt, almost NO fuel came out. I installed the gauge and started the car. The gauge bounced from 37psi-44psi up and down the entire time.

I let the car warm up and took it for a drive. Car died by the end of the street. Fuel pressure dropped to zero. I had my wife crank the car while I watched the fuel pressure gauge…it just sat at zero. Even with the fuel pump making it’s priming noise, nothing was coming through the fuel filter. So I’m pretty sure I found the issue.

This weekend I will be replacing the fuel pump and fuel filter.

26

I’d start with the filter first.

27

I’m sure many of you have seen my thread where I’ve been troubleshooting my '92 GSR for about a full month now. I bought the car, and two days later it died out…and kept dying out. Info here:
http://honda-tech.com/showthread.php?t=3034645

Ok, so now the ****ing kicker…I buy all the stuff to swap out the fuel filter and fuel pump. Filter goes on no problem, now on to the pump.

I take off the rear seat, unbolt everything…and notice the fuel pump cover is different then what the factory usually is. I keep unbolting everything, and pull this out:

WHAT IN THE ****?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

I see no fuel line anywhere near the opening of the tank, no pump, no strainer…NOTHING. Is it even possible for the car to run without a pump? I don’t think it is. But where the **** would it be?

I have a feeling I bought the car (it had 3/4 of a tank)…and the owner knew about this shit. Once I got down below half, the car started dying. Maybe the pump is in some dumbass spot in the tank, and can’t pump after the gas lowers to a certain level? I’m completely ****ing stumped.

EDIT: NEVERMIND…dropping the tank tomorrow.

28

wow thats a good find. my 93 ls does the same idle too but it never dies. i think my problem is the mishimoto thermostat combined with the mishimoto radiator and fan switch i got. good luck with the rest

29

So I dropped the tank, swapped the pump…but the strainer was not attached. No local auto parts places had strainers in stock.

I think I’ll hit a shop to take care of the rest now. I’m done, don’t have the time to keep fucking with this issue anymore.

BUT, the GOOD NEWS is the car runs now and doesn’t shut off at all. It does hesitate and stutter at 2000-3500 rpms, but I drove it around for 20 minutes with no shut offs.
I’ll hit a local shop and have them drop a strainer in and see why it’s hesitating.

30

so it seems that the fuel pump fixed ur problem with the car dying? i read some one else changed theirs out and also fixed it. i’m having the same problem where my car just idles down and dies also.

31

at operating temps you say? I had a similar issue and it turned out to be a combination of the ignition coil and the o2 sensor.