Car just shuts off :S cant scan it so i'm stumped!

mx3biotch · Post by **mx3biotch** » May 19th, 2007, 4:08 pm

Hey guys, I have a KLZE and lately I'll be driving (every time) and my tach guage will flutter like crazy then it just shuts right off. After it sits for about five or ten minutes it starts up again... just wondering if anyone has a clue what that might be! I dont know if its maybe the alternator? My battery was putting out 13.9v with the car off.... fuel pump? distributor? I dont know!!! Doesnt sputter or anything.. just shuts off electrically and starts up again after a little while... I'd appreciate the help!!!!!

tehbrookzorz · Post by **tehbrookzorz** » May 19th, 2007, 8:53 pm

I'd be willing to bet on what it might be, but instead you should just give me your car.

Okay, I'll stop being a jerk. Sounds like a failing ignition module. I don't know enough about the KL-ZE distributor to offer a complete solution but I'm sure if you search you'll find some info on a cheap fix under "HEI mod".

Anybody else want to contribute thoughts?

(ps- how can you have that list of stuff done and not be aware of the ignition woes of this car?)

mx3biotch · Post by **mx3biotch** » May 19th, 2007, 8:58 pm

lol, sadly, i would lloooooove to say i built this car but i didn't and i dont know who did, so far my contributions have been the ngk plugs/ wires, K&N vs. the gross filter that was on it, the tail lights, and the stereo and the valve cover gasket project, exhaust manifold gaskets, and replaced the resonator... haha

tehbrookzorz · Post by **tehbrookzorz** » May 19th, 2007, 9:02 pm

Okay, well being a 94 I'd normally say it's OBD-1, but I don't know if it somehow got switched when the ZE was installed. If it is OBD-1, there is a method of getting the codes to flash on the dash with a paperclip.

Do you know which ECM you have? It should be under the dash behind the cigarette lighter, and say right on it. Somebody should be able to help you from there if you can post that info.

mx3biotch · Post by **mx3biotch** » May 19th, 2007, 9:03 pm

you mean ECU? it says KL30 and KL31 underneath it...

http://s154.photobucket.com/albums/s275/Thaleia_photos/

picture is in here

PATDIESEL · Post by **PATDIESEL** » May 20th, 2007, 2:25 am

I would bet it is a bad alternator, but it you should only get 12 volts with the car off and 13.5-14 with it running. The fluttering guages and then it dieing is what gives the impression that it is the alt. If ONLY the tach, then I'd say disty issue since the tach gets its signal from the disty.

tehbrookzorz · Post by **tehbrookzorz** » May 20th, 2007, 2:30 am

That's why I said to wait for the pro's opinion. Before you throw money into fixing, try to pinpoint exactly what's wrong.

If you have your battery and/or alternator loose, you can take it to Canadian Tire and they can check them out for you. It should be a free service if they're loose.

Keep reading up on how to check codes though, you may have something saved in your ECU worth knowing.

mx3biotch · Post by **mx3biotch** » May 20th, 2007, 6:29 pm

Yea, I did a volt check on the bat with the car not running, it put out 13.9v, which is pretty good, I was thinking distributor thats awesome guys thanx, I'm gonna go pick one up if CTire has one, I'm going to try replacing the fuel filter as well, I"m on my way to CTire now for that stuff also I was reading up on the pcv filter, gonna go get the stuff to set up that as well

. I went to Canadian Tire and the guy there had no clue what that smoke stuff was for the vacuum lines, I hate it when a 30 year old man has no clue what I'm talking about, you'd think he'd know more than a 22 year old chick, haha.

94mx3precidia · Post by **94mx3precidia** » May 20th, 2007, 6:53 pm

does anyone know where there is a description on how to check the codes with a paperclip. i know your saposed to put the paperclip in the diagnosis box, but i dont know which sockets the paperclip goes into.

Cy · Post by Cy » May 20th, 2007, 11:20 pm

the inside of the diag box has a 3 letter system...

paperclip between any GND and the "TEN" pin...

94mx3precidia · Post by **94mx3precidia** » May 20th, 2007, 11:23 pm

Cy wrote:the inside of the diag box has a 3 letter system...

paperclip between any GND and the "TEN" pin...

when you say GND do you mean ground?

tehbrookzorz · Post by **tehbrookzorz** » May 20th, 2007, 11:26 pm

Yes, but there should be a pin connector in the diag box that actually says GND, meaning ground.

mx3biotch · Post by **mx3biotch** » May 21st, 2007, 2:50 am

lol, is it bad that i dont know where this diagnosis box is? And i drove my car today and yes, it is only the tach gauge that flutters, but my buddy is going to try and scan it for me anyways and this info is really helpful, thank you so much guys

94mx3precidia · Post by **94mx3precidia** » May 21st, 2007, 10:00 am

tehbrookzorz wrote:Yes, but there should be a pin connector in the diag box that actually says GND, meaning ground.

ok thanks, is there a site where i can read the codes, like if it gives me say code 22. How would i know what this means?

it shows the codes by a light blinking in the dash right? so say if it went something like this

blink...blink.......blink...blink...blink...blink.......

that would be a code 24?

94mx3precidia · Post by **94mx3precidia** » May 24th, 2007, 12:18 pm

anyone?