Rep Power: 0

Hi guys, my dad has a '92 DX sedan, manual trans. It runs great otherwise with no CEL codes.

It will randomly stall while driving and won't restart unless you wait a few minutes, or just won't restart after being driven. It starts fine when cold.

It turns over just fine but won't take off. It seems to do it maybe once a day. After waiting the few minutes and trying it again, it starts normally and runs perfectly fine.

The other day when it happened he was in slow/stopped traffic, and today it wouldn't restart after he turned it off at a store.

Any suggestions guys?

 
Rep Power: 278

I got a few.

1. Drop the gas tank, pull out the fuel pump and try to blow through it with your mouth. If you can't get gas coming out the other end, your fuel pump is either bad or blocked. And even if you can, put a voltimeter on it to make sure it's getting power.

2. Are his dash lights at normal brightness? That will tell you problems with your alternator/battery. If this is the case, sometimes turning off all accessory power (radio, dome light, dash lights) will give enough power for the car to start before taking it to a mechanic. Or simply buying a new battery/alternator.

3. It could simply just be the fuel lines themselves. Is this car old enough to be carburated or did they have fuel injection then? Try the injectors.

I've dealt with beater cars not starting many times, my dad's owned 2 Escorts, a Cavalier, Spirit, Blazer, Explorer and now an Escape. He's a sucker for crappy domestics.


EDIT - I forgot to state the obvious. Turn the key to the ON position without starting the car and listen real carefully for the fuel pump to come on. If you don't know what you're listening for, get in someone else's car and listen to it, then get in your dad's. If there's no sound, there's no pumping.

 
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I found it to be the fuel pump relay...I removed the back seat and found that power was not going to the pump when it wouldn't start.

 
Rep Power: 278

Boyakasha, plus one for me.

 
Rep Power: 246

i was going to say main relay. VERY common problem on 4-5gens.

 
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I did the quick test of spraying some ether in the thing...it would run on ether so I traced it from there with a test light

 
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I Had the same problem, look under your dash and it's gonna be your MAIN FUEL RELAY, It's a box about 2"x1-1/2" big with a wire harness and it's labeled, it's about $80 bucks at autozone, but just get it from the wrecking yard.

 
Rep Power: 278

Great first post, douchebag, quit telling people to steal. Better yet, quit bringing up threads that are 4 months old.