Carrera cuts off....
04-12-2006 | 11:42 PM
#1
Thread Starter
AutoX
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Cary, NC
Carrera cuts off....
Hello guys,
I have a 1987 Carrera with 70k miles that I use as a daily driver. It's about 8k since the last 15k checkup.
About 2 weeks ago while driving home from work it cut off (under power and as soon as I pressed the clutch in the engine died). I was able to coast into a parking lot and stop. Before calling my wife to pick me up, I tried to restart it and it fired right up as if nothing had happened. As I started to leave the parking lot, it cut off when I reached the first intersection. Pushed it back to the lot, let it sit ~5 minutes, fired back up, let it run, seemed ok and drove it home. Gas was a bit low (1/4 tank), so I filled it up and it seemed to be ok. Have driven w/o incident for the last several days - was assuming maybe some trash in the gas line?
Today, as I pulled into my driveway and pressed the clutch in, it cut off again. Tried to start it immediately and it did not start. Let it sit for less than 5 minutes and it fired up as if everything was ok. After about an hour, I thought I would take it for a short spin and see what it did. A little over a mile from home, it started breaking up above 2k rpm. It would run fine up to 2k rpm, but any more acceleration and it would break up. This time on just less than 1/2 a tank of gas. Stopped the car, restarted and drove a bit more and in 1/4 mile it started breaking up and eventually died. Would not restart. Waited a couple of minutes and it fired up again and I was able to almost make it back home where it cut off just before reaching the house. On the positive side, the problem is becoming less intermittent :-).
I am guessing some part of the ignition as it seems to be ok after just a few minutes of cooling off, but not completely sure. Thanks for any thoughts and/or direction you can offer.
Did a little searching on the forum and did not see symptoms exactly like mine. I suppose it could be a fuel relay but when it was breaking up, it did not seem exactly like it was starving for fuel, more like it was missing. Thanks for any suggestions.
--travis
I have a 1987 Carrera with 70k miles that I use as a daily driver. It's about 8k since the last 15k checkup.
About 2 weeks ago while driving home from work it cut off (under power and as soon as I pressed the clutch in the engine died). I was able to coast into a parking lot and stop. Before calling my wife to pick me up, I tried to restart it and it fired right up as if nothing had happened. As I started to leave the parking lot, it cut off when I reached the first intersection. Pushed it back to the lot, let it sit ~5 minutes, fired back up, let it run, seemed ok and drove it home. Gas was a bit low (1/4 tank), so I filled it up and it seemed to be ok. Have driven w/o incident for the last several days - was assuming maybe some trash in the gas line?
Today, as I pulled into my driveway and pressed the clutch in, it cut off again. Tried to start it immediately and it did not start. Let it sit for less than 5 minutes and it fired up as if everything was ok. After about an hour, I thought I would take it for a short spin and see what it did. A little over a mile from home, it started breaking up above 2k rpm. It would run fine up to 2k rpm, but any more acceleration and it would break up. This time on just less than 1/2 a tank of gas. Stopped the car, restarted and drove a bit more and in 1/4 mile it started breaking up and eventually died. Would not restart. Waited a couple of minutes and it fired up again and I was able to almost make it back home where it cut off just before reaching the house. On the positive side, the problem is becoming less intermittent :-).
I am guessing some part of the ignition as it seems to be ok after just a few minutes of cooling off, but not completely sure. Thanks for any thoughts and/or direction you can offer.
Did a little searching on the forum and did not see symptoms exactly like mine. I suppose it could be a fuel relay but when it was breaking up, it did not seem exactly like it was starving for fuel, more like it was missing. Thanks for any suggestions.
--travis
04-13-2006 | 01:54 AM
#2
RL Technical Advisor
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 11,871
Likes: 66
From: Portland Oregon
Travis:
Get yourself two new DME relays: One for immediate replacement and one for a spare in the glovebox.
This relay powers the DME & fuel pump and when they fail, you'll suffer the symptoms that you described.
Get yourself two new DME relays: One for immediate replacement and one for a spare in the glovebox.
This relay powers the DME & fuel pump and when they fail, you'll suffer the symptoms that you described.
04-13-2006 | 04:20 AM
#3
5th Gear
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Could be the DME relay, or the fuelpump. You can take a cable with a aligator clip in each end and hotwire from battery + to fuse 34 (fuelpump). If this solve the problem it is the DME relay. If it did't fix the problem it can still be on the fuel line. Are the car serviced? fuelfilter, fuelpump?? You can also remove fuse 34 and measure the amps. If you have amps, and fuelpress at engine and the car still does't run. Troubleshoot the ignition.
My car does't start all times. I Having problem with the DME control unit. It doesn't ground the DME relay all times. I am Looking for the condition it need to be grounded.
My car does't start all times. I Having problem with the DME control unit. It doesn't ground the DME relay all times. I am Looking for the condition it need to be grounded.
04-13-2006 | 11:33 AM
#5
Race Car
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 4,045
Likes: 61
From: SoCal