Landseer

Joe, that bat ground strap can cause perfectly running car to cut-out or blip, then resumes acting correctly. 86 did it to me 2 wks ago, cut out and rolled to the side out of the blue. In this case, strap was a little loose at body. Tightened it, started right up. Then a few days later, similar. I flexed it a bit, started right up. So I'm going to replace it. Am pretty sure it is the strap itself. Seen it before. Just some thoughts. Voltage depletion can make the relays drop out. Can happen through ign switch too. Sorry to add a bunch of speculation, I don't have your answer but maybe it will help. Good luck sir.

polecat702

Thanks, picked up one of Roger's new ground straps about 2 years ago. Still looks new. When ever I'm on location for work, I always disconnect the battery, on all my cars. Dee doesn't drive any thing in my collection. It's not that I won't let her, she doesn't want to. So my cars sit a lot.

polecat702

I was only about a mile, or 3 long blocks from home, what took the time was recharging the battery.

SwayBar

I have discovered it is best to simply replace the sensor with a crumbling connector with a new one. Or you can replace the bad connector itself, but that requires the appropriate tools.

My 87 would die every now and then, and once I replaced the CPS which had a crumbling, zip-tied-together connector, problem permanently solved.

So every time I now replace all sensors with bad connectors with new. Money and time well spent down the road, and one less thing to potentially diagnose.

polecat702

I agree, that's exactly what I'm going to do!

linderpat

Joe one other thing I would check is alternator damage. You said you bottomed out - could be you broke a post on the alternator, and if you are driving around with the a/c on, it'll run the battery down in a hurry. The bottom out could have also compromised the wire harness at the alternator. That's where I'd look first.

polecat702

Thanks Ed, I put it up on the lift first thing next morning. The protector plates from Carl saved my bacon. They're what bottomed out.

Erik N

I have those as well. Great investment.

PS what year is your El Camino?

SteveG

How many miles on your fuel filter/pump? I hit a pothole on my way to Hershey 2 or 3 years ago. She died and would not start. It was a horrible day. After Pete opened the pump we found sandy junk had plugged it. I do not know if I got bad gas from bottom station's tank or when, could have been PO, as somebody had put wrench on the pump before, but did not replace. I'm leaning toward the CPS. But if it's old, you might want to look at the FP.

polecat702

After I recharged the battery, cause I ran it down. If fired right up, and I drove it home the 3 blocks back to the house. After I had it up on the rack, to check out the under side of the car, I changed out the relays mentioned. And it fired right up, and I drove it around the neighborhood, and put it back in the garage. It ran fine.

Maybe it's as Jim said, the fuel pump relay. I changed it.

When I get back to Vegas, before we head to Spokane, it'll get a new Hall, and CPS sensors, new EZK relay, battery, fuel pump and filter. Raise the front ride height, an alignment. Hopefully that will take care of things till we return home, and I'll do the top end refresh before 3rd coast in November. Plus coolant, and oil change. I should be up to snuff on maintenance at that time.

polecat702

!984 SS, I bought new. Just turned 100K, and change. It's my favorite car, out of all of them. Thing sits for months, and always starts up every time I need to drive it!