j.kenzie@sbcglobal.net

This has started happening in the last 2 months. I can be driving along happily at any speed and the engine dies. The radio stays on, but the tach drops to zero and the big red (!) comes on. I have learned that if I shift to neutral, I can restart the engine and the car runs fine. This has happened maybe 5 times in the last 2 months.
Recent work 4-5 months ago replaced starter, coil and ballast resistors. Replaced burned x-bus wire on back of central panel. BTW I have a keyless entry/remote starter, but do not have an interrupt function on the unit.
I suspect ignition switch but am not sure where to start trouble shooting this intermittent problem.
Thanks in advance.

jpuzas

Sounds like you are narrowing it down to an electrical problem. Have you considered a fuel related problem? I was going to suggest a fuel filter change as I have heard of this sort of behavior when the dirt clogs the filter the engine stalls and then the dirt falls away from the fiter element allowing fuel to pass and then starts again until the next time it clogs.

Jeff.

SharkSkin

Dave, try to wiggle and jiggle the key and see if it cuts out. If not, you can get a small 12v bulb, like a sidemarker, find a location inside the car where you can see it, and temporarily run a wire between the ballast resistor(top left terminal in pic) and the bulb -- other wire goes to ground. If the bulb stays lit when the symptom reoccurs, the problem is most likely one of the ignition components, or maybe fuel system wiring(filter issue would probably not cause it to cut out abruptly). If the bulb goes out, it is somewhere in the ignition wiring. You can try the same test at other connection points to see if you can localize it. The "!" is probably coming on due to loss of oil pressure; are all of your warning lights working?

j.kenzie@sbcglobal.net

Thanks for the ideas. The fuel filter is about 3 years old. The fuel pump relay about 2 years old. I remember a little episode which lead to my burned x-bus wire. I wired a relay wrong and created a short to ground through the x-bus. I turned on the ignition key and saw smoke from the keyhole and the fuse panel area. I think I had current for 1-2 seconds. I figured out what I had done and the car seemed fine. This was a year or two ago on a relatively new ignition switch. i guess that made me think I may have partially toasted the switch.
BTW I will hook up the light as Sharkskin suggests. That should cut my failure components in half.

Dennis Wilson

With the tach dropping it sounds like you could be losing the tach signal to the fuel pump relay which shuts off the pump. Might try cleaning the connections on the green wire, ignition control unit and fuse/relays.

Dennis

SharkSkin

Good point, Dennis. IIRC that only applies to the single-distributor setup though. Future readers with a "1984 S" may find the distinction important if they happen to have the Euro S.

Alan

Well it sounds like the ignition (15) circuit on the ignition switch may be dodgy... I'd try wiggling the key around in the ignition position and see if at any point the dash lights go out - if so you found the culprit - maybe your previous 'smoking event' created some internal damage....

Alan

j.kenzie@sbcglobal.net

I can't duplicate any symptoms by wiggling the key. I do have a spare ignition switch (used but probably fine). I can swap it in in about 30 minutes and at least
gain some information if the problem persists.
Thanks for the ideas.

j.kenzie@sbcglobal.net

Changed the switch. Took about an hour.
Will report back in month or sooner if still dying.

j.kenzie@sbcglobal.net

Car died again today with new (old) ignition switch; it restarted OK. I decided to look at the central panel, specifically the A4 terminal. I started the car in the garage and poked that area with a wooden stick. The car died!
Remember I said I fixed a burned wire on the back of the CE panel; well I must have failed to securely reconnect that A connector. In truth that is where my keyless entry gets its ignition signal. I made a soldered Y-connector with spade plugs to avoid t-taps or scotch locks. The female spade connectors were a little loose. I squeezed them with a hemostat and now they are very firm. I know that the aftermarket home-installed device played a role in this problem, but it is so nice to have KE that I wouldn't give it up easily.


Thanks for all the help!

p

SharkSkin

Cool, so all is well now?

j.kenzie@sbcglobal.net

So far, so good. Thanks Dave, I used one of your mods to pattern my connection techniques. I think it was your hi beam flasher article. My problem appears to have been a loose male/female spade connector.

SharkSkin

Cool... If that wasn't it I guess we'll know soon enough.

SteveG

Note for future reference: "Poke it with a stick"

6mil928

Dave you might look at my post sounds like your symptoms are identical.

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...with-pics.html