enough is enough!
06-02-2006, 12:13 AM
#1
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Under The Hood
Posts: 3,875
enough is enough!
Well after a week, I'm painstakingly back on the road again.
My Opti went out on me about a week ago, and then the problems started to get worse.
out of the blue my Opti began missing at high RPMS, then It just begain missing randomly, till finally it back fired and popped above 2KRpm's then eventually it just flat out died on my while I was driving.
The car was overheating above the halfway point which is unusual, and started to worsen along with the opti.
So I get the car torn apart, change out the plugs, and slap on an accel replacement I got for a good price, and start the car up. Turns over no problem works good and feels strong... then it starts over heating... this time up to around 230ish. What in the hell?
So I go make sure the system is bleed for the 100th time... everything is good, WP is working, and I let the car sit, then pull off again.
I go where I need to be then when I'm done I come back to my car. Starts up fine, then down the road again it startes going to 230ish again. Both fans in full go. I get back home, and park the car. I go inside the house, come out and start it up again. It idles funny bounces up and down then dies. WTF? this is not supposed to be happening. I start it up again, and it fire up first try with a normal idle. I begain to take the car down the street, (btw it had cooled down at this time) and as I"m backign out it dies... I lit here sit for a minute and start her up no problems. I drive to the park, about 3 blocks over and it dies as soon as I'm in the parking lot. This time it drops idle, then the motor starts boging pretty violently like it's struggling to stay running, and then she dies.
As close as I work on my car what could it be I thought? My oil is the right color, and the plugs came out normal, so I rule out the gasket. I noticed my coil was looking a bid out of color when I swaped the opti, so I went and brought an MSD replacement and put it on. I aslo take out the new thermo incase it was bad, and clean the leaves out my radiator. BTw the entire cooling system is less than 12 months old so this shouldn't be happening. I start the car, and she fires right up no problem. I let her sit runnign for 12minutes watching the coolant gauge. She stays firm in the "Chill zone" (electric WP btw, not RPM affected). sO she doesn't bog or miss and I shut the car off, and dissapear for a few.
I come back to the car and fire her up. She strained for 3seconds and my brows raise up, but she runs good. I throw the car in reverse, and proceed down the road. 5 yards down the street and she bogs, then cuts out. I jump out the car and pop the hood. Jsut WTF is wrong? It's not a heat issue, it's an ignition issue, but I just changed the opti, coil, PCM module, and plugs. I was completely baffled. So I get frustrated and decide to bypass the MSD 6AL and hook the stock PCM controlled igition setup back up. I go to start the car, and she doesn't fire. It's like 100degrees out and I'm now sweaty, frustrated, and tired as hell. I get out the car and check the ignition fuse... it's blown. Okay good sign.. I change this and maybe she'll start.
I get back in the car, and she hesistates for 2seconds maybe, then fires right up. The car sounded different and the ignition felt sluggish, but I headed on out. She didn't cut off so I drive the car around turning her off and back on, and she started everytime first try. I leave the car to sit while I get some take out. I come back to her and turn the key... she stutter starts and dies, well atleast I turned the ignition off after I heard the motor stutter. I sat for a minute, and started her back up first try no problem. fuel pressure was at 40psi. the ignition switch also less than 12months old, the battery new, and altinator new, and holding good voltage. I drive the car back to my house and let her idle. The temp gauge had shot up to far for a car with no thermo in it. I squeezed the coolant hose and it felt pretty hard. This should be soft since the thermo stat isn't even installed.
The coolant should be flowing freely? What in the hell? The collant isn't circulating like it should. I decide that my 50K mile Old CSI is ineed of replacement, and order a new one awaiting arival. So far the ignition has not been appearing to be a problem, but when I recently went to start it, she stuttered for a few seconds but came on and idle right. I reved the car up, and it felt a bet slow, probably because I've been using the MSD setup for the past 5 years, and am so used to that. Right now I'm thinking the over heating engine cause the shielding on one of the msd box wires to melt so it's arcing somewhere, since the ignition fuse blew, since the MSD fise didn't blow, I"m asumming it's the msd ignition wiring that is arcing, and not the MSD power wire arcing because that fuse was intact.Or maybe at 60K miles on the clock, my box has fulfileld its service.
The only hint I have are the bouncing idle, and the fact that the car ran to 6500 RPMS all though it's set to 6200rpms and the PCM is at 6300 rpms? Still baffled about that. I just can't belive so many parts malfunctioned in just a week, and all at the same time just about. Only problem is I feel that it's very dangeriosu to drive the ca with the stock GM ignition now. knowing that it just cuts off randomly anyplace and anywear is dangerious as hell. I'm thinking of breaking the bank, and going for the delteq to play it safe, since It would be wiser tp buy a new MSD box in any case I might as well as just skip it all together and get a safer ignition system that won't just cut out randomly (i hope). I've been battling poor starts, stall outs, coils, and opti's for years, and I'm a bit weary of it enough is enough.
I'm open to all thoughts in opinions and would like to hear what you guys think I should do.
Only down side is I just spent major coins buying a new cam and related goods, and I need to replace my clutch thanks to a bad FW and stuck open throttle.
My Opti went out on me about a week ago, and then the problems started to get worse.
out of the blue my Opti began missing at high RPMS, then It just begain missing randomly, till finally it back fired and popped above 2KRpm's then eventually it just flat out died on my while I was driving.
The car was overheating above the halfway point which is unusual, and started to worsen along with the opti.
So I get the car torn apart, change out the plugs, and slap on an accel replacement I got for a good price, and start the car up. Turns over no problem works good and feels strong... then it starts over heating... this time up to around 230ish. What in the hell?
So I go make sure the system is bleed for the 100th time... everything is good, WP is working, and I let the car sit, then pull off again.
I go where I need to be then when I'm done I come back to my car. Starts up fine, then down the road again it startes going to 230ish again. Both fans in full go. I get back home, and park the car. I go inside the house, come out and start it up again. It idles funny bounces up and down then dies. WTF? this is not supposed to be happening. I start it up again, and it fire up first try with a normal idle. I begain to take the car down the street, (btw it had cooled down at this time) and as I"m backign out it dies... I lit here sit for a minute and start her up no problems. I drive to the park, about 3 blocks over and it dies as soon as I'm in the parking lot. This time it drops idle, then the motor starts boging pretty violently like it's struggling to stay running, and then she dies.
As close as I work on my car what could it be I thought? My oil is the right color, and the plugs came out normal, so I rule out the gasket. I noticed my coil was looking a bid out of color when I swaped the opti, so I went and brought an MSD replacement and put it on. I aslo take out the new thermo incase it was bad, and clean the leaves out my radiator. BTw the entire cooling system is less than 12 months old so this shouldn't be happening. I start the car, and she fires right up no problem. I let her sit runnign for 12minutes watching the coolant gauge. She stays firm in the "Chill zone" (electric WP btw, not RPM affected). sO she doesn't bog or miss and I shut the car off, and dissapear for a few.
I come back to the car and fire her up. She strained for 3seconds and my brows raise up, but she runs good. I throw the car in reverse, and proceed down the road. 5 yards down the street and she bogs, then cuts out. I jump out the car and pop the hood. Jsut WTF is wrong? It's not a heat issue, it's an ignition issue, but I just changed the opti, coil, PCM module, and plugs. I was completely baffled. So I get frustrated and decide to bypass the MSD 6AL and hook the stock PCM controlled igition setup back up. I go to start the car, and she doesn't fire. It's like 100degrees out and I'm now sweaty, frustrated, and tired as hell. I get out the car and check the ignition fuse... it's blown. Okay good sign.. I change this and maybe she'll start.
I get back in the car, and she hesistates for 2seconds maybe, then fires right up. The car sounded different and the ignition felt sluggish, but I headed on out. She didn't cut off so I drive the car around turning her off and back on, and she started everytime first try. I leave the car to sit while I get some take out. I come back to her and turn the key... she stutter starts and dies, well atleast I turned the ignition off after I heard the motor stutter. I sat for a minute, and started her back up first try no problem. fuel pressure was at 40psi. the ignition switch also less than 12months old, the battery new, and altinator new, and holding good voltage. I drive the car back to my house and let her idle. The temp gauge had shot up to far for a car with no thermo in it. I squeezed the coolant hose and it felt pretty hard. This should be soft since the thermo stat isn't even installed.
The coolant should be flowing freely? What in the hell? The collant isn't circulating like it should. I decide that my 50K mile Old CSI is ineed of replacement, and order a new one awaiting arival. So far the ignition has not been appearing to be a problem, but when I recently went to start it, she stuttered for a few seconds but came on and idle right. I reved the car up, and it felt a bet slow, probably because I've been using the MSD setup for the past 5 years, and am so used to that. Right now I'm thinking the over heating engine cause the shielding on one of the msd box wires to melt so it's arcing somewhere, since the ignition fuse blew, since the MSD fise didn't blow, I"m asumming it's the msd ignition wiring that is arcing, and not the MSD power wire arcing because that fuse was intact.Or maybe at 60K miles on the clock, my box has fulfileld its service.
The only hint I have are the bouncing idle, and the fact that the car ran to 6500 RPMS all though it's set to 6200rpms and the PCM is at 6300 rpms? Still baffled about that. I just can't belive so many parts malfunctioned in just a week, and all at the same time just about. Only problem is I feel that it's very dangeriosu to drive the ca with the stock GM ignition now. knowing that it just cuts off randomly anyplace and anywear is dangerious as hell. I'm thinking of breaking the bank, and going for the delteq to play it safe, since It would be wiser tp buy a new MSD box in any case I might as well as just skip it all together and get a safer ignition system that won't just cut out randomly (i hope). I've been battling poor starts, stall outs, coils, and opti's for years, and I'm a bit weary of it enough is enough.
I'm open to all thoughts in opinions and would like to hear what you guys think I should do.
Only down side is I just spent major coins buying a new cam and related goods, and I need to replace my clutch thanks to a bad FW and stuck open throttle.
06-02-2006, 05:26 AM
#2
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Under The Hood
Posts: 3,875
Re: enough is enough!
Update:
I drove the car around again this morning, started up eagerly. I stopepd and started the car ocassionaly...she started right up every time... no stutter starting. So hopefully the problem was just te MSD box.
I drove the car around again this morning, started up eagerly. I stopepd and started the car ocassionaly...she started right up every time... no stutter starting. So hopefully the problem was just te MSD box.
06-02-2006, 04:07 PM
#6
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Columbus, IN
Posts: 862
Re: enough is enough!
Heat is resistance. Since your engine's temp got up into the 230 range, it's a good possibility that your ICM could've gotten heat soaked. 100 degree weather isn't helping to cool things down between runs either. Taking the MSD 6AL out of the equation probably band-aided the problem since there wasn't as much voltage trying to pass through the system and thus not as much heat being transfered in the process.
Before I'd jump off the deep end and ditch the MSD unit and spring for a Delteq setup, I'd work on getting the overheating issue under control. It may turn out that you don't even have any ignition problems at all after that problem is fixed.
Before I'd jump off the deep end and ditch the MSD unit and spring for a Delteq setup, I'd work on getting the overheating issue under control. It may turn out that you don't even have any ignition problems at all after that problem is fixed.
06-02-2006, 04:11 PM
#7
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ..behind you with a butter knife
Posts: 977
Re: enough is enough!
how did you wirein your MSD box?
did you use the spade connector that came with it....because I had the same problem as you last month and I tracked it down to a stupid spade connector on the MSD coil harness that was loading up the ign.circuit .... shutting the car down ...... go check them grab onto one and see if its really hot..
did you use the spade connector that came with it....because I had the same problem as you last month and I tracked it down to a stupid spade connector on the MSD coil harness that was loading up the ign.circuit .... shutting the car down ...... go check them grab onto one and see if its really hot..
06-02-2006, 04:48 PM
#8
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Join Date: Nov 2003
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Re: enough is enough!
Originally Posted by thesoundandthefury
Heat is resistance. Since your engine's temp got up into the 230 range, it's a good possibility that your ICM could've gotten heat soaked. 100 degree weather isn't helping to cool things down between runs either. Taking the MSD 6AL out of the equation probably band-aided the problem since there wasn't as much voltage trying to pass through the system and thus not as much heat being transfered in the process.
Before I'd jump off the deep end and ditch the MSD unit and spring for a Delteq setup, I'd work on getting the overheating issue under control. It may turn out that you don't even have any ignition problems at all after that problem is fixed.
Before I'd jump off the deep end and ditch the MSD unit and spring for a Delteq setup, I'd work on getting the overheating issue under control. It may turn out that you don't even have any ignition problems at all after that problem is fixed.
06-02-2006, 04:51 PM
#9
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Join Date: Nov 2003
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Re: enough is enough!
Originally Posted by Sparkz28ss
how did you wirein your MSD box?
did you use the spade connector that came with it....because I had the same problem as you last month and I tracked it down to a stupid spade connector on the MSD coil harness that was loading up the ign.circuit .... shutting the car down ...... go check them grab onto one and see if its really hot..
did you use the spade connector that came with it....because I had the same problem as you last month and I tracked it down to a stupid spade connector on the MSD coil harness that was loading up the ign.circuit .... shutting the car down ...... go check them grab onto one and see if its really hot..
The 6AL was the first thing I tossed on the car after I brought it. When I got hte car I was so used to driving a honda I thought it could hit 7K easily, so I tried to hit 7K and ended up blowing up my Stock Cat. It was the funniest thing atthe time. I wired it in word per word with the diagram. Those connectors have lost thier protectant shielding now. I think they might be touching each other.
06-02-2006, 04:55 PM
#11
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Moore Oklahoma
Posts: 1,388
Re: enough is enough!
With the blown fuse, was your electric water pump still running? If the electric water pump is on the same circuit, that could be the cause of the overheating problem. Also, without a thermostat installed, the coolant can circulate too quickly in the system and radiator to properly cool.
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2189634
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2189634
06-02-2006, 04:57 PM
#12
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Re: enough is enough!
Originally Posted by Heatmaker
The 6AL was the first thing I tossed on the car after I brought it. When I got hte car I was so used to driving a honda I thought it could hit 7K easily, so I tried to hit 7K and ended up blowing up my Stock Cat. It was the funniest thing atthe time. I wired it in word per word with the diagram. Those connectors have lost thier protectant shielding now. I think they might be touching each other.
I would look into that....my car would run anywhere from 10 seconds to 3 mins....then it would sputter pop fat and die...
turns out that some soilder and some heat shrink will fix it up fast
06-02-2006, 05:06 PM
#13
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Re: enough is enough!
Originally Posted by The Engineer
With the blown fuse, was your electric water pump still running? If the electric water pump is on the same circuit, that could be the cause of the overheating problem. Also, without a thermostat installed, the coolant can circulate too quickly in the system and radiator to properly cool.
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2189634
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2189634
I just wnt outside to see how I wired the pump up. Because it is wired to the ignition fuse, but it has a relay and it;s own fuse. Even without the IGN fise installed it works. So I guess I can rule that out. Since I umplugged the MSD it seems to be running ok.