D16Z6 swapped wagon, randomly shuts off while running

ApocalypsoxApocalypsox New Wagonist
in Electronics, Fueling & Air Conditioning
Figured I'd make a thread for this while I work through it, just in case anyone else ever has the problem.

Runs and drives great most of the time. revs up, doesn't run rich or anything. perfect.

Randomly however, she will just shut off on me. Tach drops to zero, foot down and no go. Seems like no spark. Tach remains at zero even though the engine is physically spinning (Still in gear with clutch engaged). Happened to me twice this afternoon, and hitting the ignition seems to "wake it up" so to say. Tach jumps back to rpm, and I get spark again.

Most seem to say this is the ignition switch, but my switch is brand new. (Since whenever that means anything. Great parts quality these days) Dizzy is new, but I think its problematic as well. Cap and rotor new. plug wires new, plugs new. etc.

Anyways, if anyone has some insight to throw my way about this issue, I'd appreciate it. If not, I'll update with the solution when I finally trace it down.

Comments

  • SiWagonSiWagon Council Member
    Sounds like the same prob as in the EF . read the following:
    Ignition upgrade
  • ApocalypsoxApocalypsox New Wagonist
    Definitely sounds like the same issue, but the engine/dizzy and such came from a '93 Del Sol. I'll pop the dizzy open tomorrow and do some checks there. Thanks for the link, Si.
  • o_fatmike_oo_fatmike_o Wagonist
    wait you say the rpms drop to zero but its still running? or the tach drops to zero cuz the motor dies? if your tach drops to zero but the motor is still running check your connection between the plug behind the cluster, the wire running to the negative on your coil (should be the big blue one on your dizzy plug if i remember right). and the connection to your coil. If it drops to zero and the motor stops running i would test your coil and your ignitor after running them for a while or switch your dizzy out with a known good one and run it for a couple hours and see if the problem happens again. also i wonder if a main relay could do this at all???
  • JDMWago666JDMWago666 Senior Wagonist
    ^^agreed. Could be the main relay is going out. Get a different one and try it out. Not hard to take out and install a new one.
  • rti intracrti intrac Senior Wagonist
    Double check the earth on your thermostat housing, If thats loose it will cut out/have no tach etc
  • o_fatmike_oo_fatmike_o Wagonist
    any updates on this??
  • ApocalypsoxApocalypsox New Wagonist
    Haha, yeah. Turns out my alternator intermittently wasn't outputting voltage, so I went to change that out.

    Well, I got mad that I had to pull the intake mani to do it (To make it easy, I know I could have snaked it out around the intake piping)

    So now my entire car is apart and I'm bolting turbo parts on.


    Moral of the story though, get a volt meter and check your battery voltage and make sure your alternator is charging. My car was basically running out of electricity on the road.

    But yeah, I went through all the things you guys mentioned. I actually seriously beefed up the thermostat housing ground when I put the motor in, and checked it to make sure. It's fine there. Checked the plugs on the tach, checked the dizzy, etc.

    Finally got in my car to go for a drive to see if I could get her to die on me. Shut my door and my autobelt kicked back, and my tach shut off with the autobelt running. After my belt secured, my tach came back. Headlights, same story. Alternator was also getting crazy hot, and shortly after this my car shut off because it overheated.
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