Car stopped while running!! Please help!!!

[gpadilla1071]

Hey all,

As some of you know, 3 weeks ago I bought this '86 T-Type and things were going great until yesterday. I finally got it inspected and pass, new exhaust and tune and things were going awesome. Yesterday when I decided to drive to pick my daughter from school every stop I made the car just die. I check the oil and that's good. Check for vacuum leaks and no problems, transmission go to go. The car starts right away everytime it died. At this point I don't know where else to look. I'm new to the Turbo engine and I'm a little unfamiliar as to what look for. A couple a friends told me that it could be the distributor cap and the other told me it could be my oxygen sensor. Now with that said I know what a distributor cap looks like and I don't see one. What I see is the coil box and I don't know where the O2 Sensor are located. Excuse my ignorance but I need help big time. My wife won't stop messing with me and telling me that I bought other people's problems. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance. German

 

[vader87]

No distibutor on these cars unless of course you add on. Check your battery connections. Mine did that and the negetive cable was loose. Also the fuel relay maybe going out. No big deal just unplug and replace.

 

[Tin Man]

In regards to the distributor, they may be refering to the camshaft position sensor. It is located on top of the front cover of the engine just under the throttle body. If you remove it there is a procedure to set it correctly.

The O2 sensor is located on the passenger header just below the turbo.

Do you have a scantool? That would be step one for these cars. I use a Scanmaster. It can check any codes as well as monitor 02, etc.

I understand the grief fom the wife. Good luck on that.

 

[TurboDave]

No distibutor on these cars unless of course you add on. Check your battery connections. Mine did that and the negetive cable was loose. Also the fuel relay maybe going out. No big deal just unplug and replace.

Fuel pump relay will not kill the car. It will run just fine even if removed. It's in parallel with the oil pressure switch.

 

[TurboDave]

Hey all,

As some of you know, 3 weeks ago I bought this '86 T-Type and things were going great until yesterday. I finally got it inspected and pass, new exhaust and tune and things were going awesome. Yesterday when I decided to drive to pick my daughter from school every stop I made the car just die. I check the oil and that's good. Check for vacuum leaks and no problems, transmission go to go. The car starts right away everytime it died. At this point I don't know where else to look. I'm new to the Turbo engine and I'm a little unfamiliar as to what look for. A couple a friends told me that it could be the distributor cap and the other told me it could be my oxygen sensor. Now with that said I know what a distributor cap looks like and I don't see one. What I see is the coil box and I don't know where the O2 Sensor are located. Excuse my ignorance but I need help big time. My wife won't stop messing with me and telling me that I bought other people's problems. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance. German

If you have a scan tool, it would be nice to know what your IAC (idle air control) and TPS (throttle position sensor) numbers look like at idle.

 

[gpadilla1071]

See, this is exactly why I love this site. The replies are outstanding. I'll be checking for these things this evening after training (CPO stuff), you know what I'm talking about TurboDave. :biggrin: I'll keep all of you posted of my progress and see what I find out. Thank to all.

German

 

[thepremier]

I had the same problem just recently bro. My car was starting and then suddenly turning off within seconds of starting it up.

To add to that, I kept blowing a 15amp fuse.

To make a long story short, the problem ended up being the oil pressure sender switch located down by the oil filter. I switched it out, and had no problems ever sense.

 

[chrisgarrett]

Sounds to me like it could be the IAC. Unscrew it from the throttlebody and clean the cavity. Use parts cleaner, or brake cleaner and q-tips. Swab it out until the q-tips come out clean. Re-install the IAC and don't overtighten.

 

[Project TNX]

I'm gonna guess that your TCC Solenoid (transmission) is shot and it's stalling your car out as you stop. It happened to my old 86 quite a bit, same scenario. Put it in neutral as you come to a stop and see if it still stalls.

 

[gpadilla1071]

Project TNX,

You are absolutely correct, even when I put it neutral is stalls as well unless I press the gas pedal to keep it running. I will defenitely check into that. Thanks.

 

[Project TNX]

Project TNX,

You are absolutely correct, even when I put it neutral is stalls as well unless I press the gas pedal to keep it running. I will defenitely check into that. Thanks.

My bad, I was confusing in my wording. It shouldn't stall if it's the TCC, not in neutral unless it already had began the stall before you put it in neutral. I would clean your IAC and throttle body up, probably just a matter of gunk and grime. Whatever it is, don't fret too much, it sounds like it's most likely a quick fix.

Do you have the breather bypass kit? If you don't, the throttle body and I/C can get real nasty, real quick. And it will pool up over time where you IAC is.

 

[gpadilla1071]

Noted Project TNX, however I don't have a breather bypass kit. Any recommendations where to buy it from? One more thing I did forget to mentioned that the car has been sitting for over a year. So I went and I did the most common thing to do on a car (oil change, air filter, oil filter, transmission fluid and filter change, etc. ) Never thought about the throttle body and stuff like that. I didn't get a chance to work on it today as planned. However, I just started it and it took a few tries before it finally cranked. I let it warmed up and so far so good. Tomorrow, after I clean it and go through the check off list provided by all of you I will be posting the results (wish me luck). Also, someone here earlier told me to get a scan tool. Any recommendations as to where to buy it? Can I buy it from Advance Auto or NAPA, etc? Thanks in advance.

 

[at7we2]

Fuel pump relay will not kill the car. It will run just fine even if removed. It's in parallel with the oil pressure switch.

what if his oil press. switch has been removed as is common when installing an aftermarket gauge? (asking an honest question, not trying to be a smart-a$$)

 

[at7we2]

Also, someone here earlier told me to get a scan tool. Any recommendations as to where to buy it? Can I buy it from Advance Auto or NAPA, etc? Thanks in advance.

nope, pretty much only a turbo Buick vendor. These two are great to deal with and have excellent prices and service:

GBodyParts.com Online
FULL THROTTLE SPEED - Store Front Page

HTH

 

[gpadilla1071]

at7we2,

I haven't checked that niether. I didn't know that to connect a turbo boost gage you can use the oil pressure switch for that. Honest answer and curiosity. Thanks for the vendor information.

 

[87GNSteve]

You may have to get together with some other knowlegable TR owners to learn what to look for and let them show you if anything has been changed.
It could be a few things that cause stalling and you havent mentioned if and what is original/aftermarket.
Those friends talking about distributor caps think you have a v-8 carbed chevy motor, stay friends but ignore their advice.
Go to the MAGNA section on these boards there are lots of guys in your area
and set up a meeting.

Advice for a new owner:
If you are unable to do your own work. Do NOT take it to the local mechanic down the street for the most part they have no clue about these cars and will over charge and mess it up.
Get referals from people here.

Not a good idea to use these cars as a daily driver.

Car is a big theft target, make sure its insured, garaged, and has a kill switch installed.

Don't share the problems the car is having with the Mrs and you'll be OK.
Dont share the amount of money spent on the car with the Mrs and you'll be OK.

 

[Project TNX]

You may have to get together with some other knowlegable TR owners to learn what to look for and let them show you if anything has been changed.
It could be a few things that cause stalling and you havent mentioned if and what is original/aftermarket.
Those friends talking about distributor caps think you have a v-8 carbed chevy motor, stay friends but ignore their advice.
Go to the MAGNA section on these boards there are lots of guys in your area
and set up a meeting.

Advice for a new owner:
If you are unable to do your own work. Do NOT take it to the local mechanic down the street for the most part they have no clue about these cars and will over charge and mess it up.
Get referals from people here.

Not a good idea to use these cars as a daily driver.

Car is a big theft target, make sure its insured, garaged, and has a kill switch installed.

Don't share the problems the car is having with the Mrs and you'll be OK.
Dont share the amount of money spent on the car with the Mrs and you'll be OK.

Your last 2 lines have me rolling, so true, so true.

"Honey, new car coss twice this much......"

 

[gpadilla1071]

87GTA,

On the last four lines already covered. Especially the last 2. LOL Thanks.

 

[at7we2]

at7we2,

I haven't checked that niether. I didn't know that to connect a turbo boost gage you can use the oil pressure switch for that. Honest answer and curiosity. Thanks for the vendor information.

nope, maybe I should have been more clear, sorry. to install an aftermarket oil pressure gauge a lot of people (including me) will remove the factory oil pressure *switch* and replace it with a sending unit for the aftermarket oil pressure gauge. the other option is to add some kind of "Y" fitting and have both down there, but that's alot of stuff to have installed in a small tight space. it's also more places for leaks. The boost gauge ties into the vacum-system.

Rob

 

[TurboDave]

what if his oil press. switch has been removed as is common when installing an aftermarket gauge? (asking an honest question, not trying to be a smart-a$$)

I didn't know that was a common practice. It's certainly not what I recommend when advising on such matters. A brass T that allows both aftermarket and stock senders is the only safe way to fly.

But you're right, if it's disconnected (bad idea) then the circuit is broken if the fuel relay fails.