MX-3.com

Hey! Okay, list of what's happened to date.... lol

changed valve cover gaskets, removed egr in the process(well...really just cut the egr pipe off the manifold and closed off both ends)

Car runs fine for about 3 weeks

Car stalls one day out of the blue, I check my oil(oil changed a month ago) and I have maybe a liter in there, so I add more oil.

Start driving, car stalls again, just shuts off, no sputter, nothing.

Alternator and Battery are fine.

Wires are fine, checked just one plug but it seemed fine and I really dont think that is the problem as I am getting no spark anyways.

Checked all my connections in the engine, everything seems fine other than a wire thats been loose awhile and never seemed to be a problem.

Replaced ignition coil and fuel filter, start car, it idles rough(loping really..)

Drive car to work, doesnt die, but is still loping really bad, car dies the minute I pull into the shop at work.

Did the HEI mod (without the blaster coil though as I have just replaced the ignition coil)

Car starts fine, runs for over half an hour without dying and idles peeerfect but when I rev or drive it, it bucks and kicks and when I let off the accelerator I hear popping noises. Dies in Reverse and on the way back to the shop dies if i let off the accelerator.

Pulled disty apart, checked everything with a mechanic from the shop, it looks fine,adjusted the timing (over the very short period of time the car would run)

Got that finished and the car starts dying again, this time it won't start at all, checked for spark and there is none. checked for voltage to all the plugs going to the disty and they're fine, pulled disty apart again, put it back together, still wont fire up, it turns over and cranks and everything comes on but the engine wont fire up!!

Fuel pump is getting 12V as well, I checked the plug going to it, and as far as I my knowledge extends, I am getting air, so I have fuel, and air, I just have no spark! AAAARRRRRGGHHHH!!!!!

Could it by chance be my ECU? Or maybe I should try a new disty? Or maybe I should try the Blaster coil as well?

This is getting frustrating, I havnt had a vehicle in 2 weeks now and my work hours are all over the chart and work is out of town so I need to fix this asap!!!

Any suggestions are extremely appreciated!

It sounds like your air to fuel ratio is messed up.

I very much doubt that it is the ECU since it is periodic. When the ECU fries, it is usually spontaneous and once it's gone, it's gone. Make sure you have the HEI very well grounded. That will probably fix your problem; if not, go ahead and get the blaster coil. The only other thing to check are the spark plugs and plug wires.

Edit: You can also try a different HEI module. It is possible that it is faulty or over-heated due to insufficient grounding causing damage.

How do you adjust that? But would that not give me spark?

It's not the AFR that is causing this.

If a different HEI doesn't fix it, get new plug wires next. Bad plug wires have given me those exact symptoms in the past.

If its the wires i'll be pissed! cuz i spent 140 bucks on an ngk set like 2 months before i parked the car for the winter!

I had this problem AGAIN a few months back.. turn out original HEI i didnt wire right. I know it was the coil because i cranked it and you can hear the spark coming out when the cap is off. Have you checked coil?

Oh and my hei died because I did not have it grounded properly in the first place. Had to get a new one, lifetime warranty by the way and rewire the while thing. it worked just fine.

definately check to make sure everything is done right relating to the HEI mod and get a blaster coil

I had this same problem when I had a loose wire and I would be driving and the car would "freak out" by bucking then it would just stall while I was driving.

a quick look and a wire had come loose... fixed the wire and car started up fine...

this info is helpful thanks guys, so just to clarify, if the hei wasnt grounded properly it automatically dies? or might it be okay and is there any way to check it to see if its fine? no big deal, i mean its only 40 bucks, lol.

mooneggs- i checked the wires, they're all nice and snug

i really dont want to bother with the blaster coil if i dont have to as the ignition coil is brand new! haha

um, i forgot my key was on when i had the cap off and i got a spark when i touched somthing to one of the screws inside the cap... does that mean im getting spark off the coil?

I tell ya though... last year i was only learning how to change the oil when i first got this car and now im doin everything from gaskets to ignition and learning LOTS because I hate auto shops and I dont trust mechanics or much less anyone than me touching my car without my supervision!!! Yes its a money pit but its a good experience and I love every minute of it except for the fact that I miss driving it and it sucks not having a vehicle to drive!

Same story here.

Cranks, but no start (no spark).

The problem was, I did a short circuit in the diag box, then motor stalled.


Could be a fried ECU or damaged HEI mod?

Ps. cant' get any codes from diag plug. No more flashing light

Thread jack!

mx3biotch thats a nice mod list you got there, any pics? of the car i mean lol

http://www.cardomain.com/member_pages/s ... 2_full.jpg

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_im ... 7_full.jpg
More photos here though, haha, mainly on the second page
http://s154.photobucket.com/albums/s275/Thaleia_photos/

Well i must say that is very nice looking and very well put together!

Thanx man