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Car keeps dying...

Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:59 am
by 96subie96
Have a 96 impreza. I put a 92 2.2t in last winter. All winter it ran really good. When it got warm out after freeway driving in would die about a mile after getting off the free way. And start agian about 5 to 10 min later and runs like nothing happened. I thought the stock fuel pump from the 1.8 that was in it wasnt enough and was getting to hot, so I put in a sti fuel pump.

Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 1:02 am
by 96subie96
ooops... It didnt help. All ive done to it is put on a 04 wrx intercooler and down pipe on. I have both fans running all the time. Is there a relay or a senser that would cause it to die all the time when its warm out?

Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 2:33 am
by log1call
Has the check engine light been on?

Have you checked for trouble codes?

Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 2:43 am
by 96subie96
No it has not. I wish it was so id know something.

Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 3:59 am
by log1call
There is no sensor that should make it die when it's warm, well not while you are driving anyway. Very occasionaly one will fail with heat but they aren't common. Crank sensors being the most common.

When it dies, is this while you are still moving? At a traffic light? Does it cut out abruptly or does it start to run rough then gradually slow down before dying?

You really need to take careful note of every symptom if you want to diagnose it online.

So, how far you have gone, is it always after the same distance, whether it dies straight off or fades out, any noises or behaviour before it dies, Is there some particular thing that seems to get it going again, like full throttle say or the wait which you have noticed, perhaps it will not be the wait but a lot of cranking, perhaps a lot of cranking makes it worse, have you done or had done any work on it lately, has it ever done it before, does it do it consistantly. Anything you notice or even suspect could be a factor is worth mentioning because someone on here will come up with a test to confirm or rule out the idea. If you can cause it to die somehow, even though it isn't convenient or pleasant, it would both pin-point the fault and allow you to test it was better after a repair. Perhpas you could just leave it idling in your drivewy till it gets really hot and it might do it. Perhaps running it at high speed and revs up the biggest hill you can find might make it do it.

In the meantime, have a read here and get any trouble codes out of the cars computer... http://codes.rennacs.com/Petrol-Engine/ ... ngines.php

Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 4:16 am
by ericem
Sure theres a sensor. Sounds like a bad MAF sensor but you would think there would be a code.

Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 4:23 am
by 96subie96
If I drive it easy it wont do it. Its only after ive been on the freeway for 40 miles or so. Or if im hard on it around town. It always dies about a mile of so after driving it that way. Usually when Im shifting or stopped and a light. It loses all power and dies.
And Its at normal temp. There are no warning signs that its going to happen. Im just trying to figure out why only in the summer does this this happen. The only thing that Ive noticed is the coil pack gets really hot Not sure that could cause it to die? The only stock part in the car from the 1.8 that was in it is the radiator. Just thought id run it by here first before I take it somewhere to get looked at because Im all out of ideas on why it does what it does.

Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 5:06 am
by wtdash
What are you doing for engine managment (EM) since the '96 is OBD2; EJ22T is OBD1??


TD

Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 3:12 pm
by 96subie96
Its OBD1 now.

Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 10:04 pm
by log1call
Have you checked for codes?

That's the first thing to do.

There are a couple of sensors that can get defective and play up when they get hot. The cam sensor is essential and if it fails the motor will not run at all. If the MAF plays up it will effect the running, and it may make it stall from an idle or run badly when driving.

There is also a relay under the dash that can cause these symptoms but it's hard to get to.

We can take guesses at what's wrong, and we can start changing expencive parts hopeing to cure it by good luck, bit if you want to diagnose it the recommended way, check for trouble codes first.

I have a couple of files here... http://cid-4ca3c3459aaa7f7f.skydrive.li ... =610095433 that may help you. There is one called "basic diagnostics", and one just called "diagnostics".

The second one shows how to get trouble codes, what they mean and how to check the components under suspicion. The first one is a bit simpler and will probably give you some ideas about what to look for when driving. Trouble codes are only an indication of what is happening and should not be taken too literally. O2 sensors set a code if the air cleaner is blocked for instance. The rich mixture caused by the blocked filter is the real problem, not the O2 sensor which detects the rich mixture!

Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 12:02 am
by 96subie96
Ill check for codes. Im going to be putting it the revtronics chip stage 1 so I can run a plastic housed maf senser in case the one I have is going bad and changing the coil pack. So Ill see if these thing work if I dont get any codes.

Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2009 5:12 am
by Legacy Konig
I couldn't tell you, however...

It's certainly heat-related.