Stalls after fixed time - second go 'round
 

Last week I posted about the 1992 Acclaim (4 cyl, 124k miles) that stalls
after exactly 20 minutes at highway speed. Anything over 40 mph seems to do
it.

My mechanic couldn't test drive it long enough (he's not very near a
highway) to recreate the problem. He said the hall effect sensor had a
fluctuating resistance and replaced it. No difference though.

Some people here suggested the gas cap was not allowing air into the tank.
When next it stalled I removed the cap for a few seconds to let the pressure
equalize. There was no sound of air rushing in. It still wouldn't start
until it sat for 5 minutes just like before.


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Sounds like something in the ignition circuit is getting hot and
creating an open circuit.
Possibly the coil.

On Mon, 6 Jun 2005, Tom Del Rosso wrote:

> Last week I posted about the 1992 Acclaim (4 cyl, 124k miles) that
> stalls after exactly 20 minutes at highway speed. Anything over 40 mph
> seems to do it. My mechanic couldn't test drive it long enough (he's not
> very near a highway) to recreate the problem. He said the hall effect
> sensor had a fluctuating resistance and replaced it. No difference
> though.

Did he test the primary resistance of the ignition coil?

> after exactly 20 minutes at highway speed. Anything over 40 mph seems to
> do
> it.
>

I once had a similar symptom that turned out to be a clogged fuel filter. Of
course, at lower speeds it ran longer before stalling.

Just a thought for what it's worth.

"Blake" > wrote in message
...
>
> > after exactly 20 minutes at highway speed. Anything over 40 mph seems
to
> > do
> > it.
> >
>
> I once had a similar symptom that turned out to be a clogged fuel filter.
Of
> course, at lower speeds it ran longer before stalling.

A week before this began, it wouldn't start at all, and was fixed by
replacing the fuel pump. When replacing the pump he checked the filter,
then after a few days I noticed this behavior.


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"Daniel J. Stern" > wrote in message
. umich.edu...
>
> Did he test the primary resistance of the ignition coil?

I don't know, but I'll ask. Thanks.


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> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Sounds like something in the ignition circuit is getting hot and
> creating an open circuit.
> Possibly the coil.

Maybe that would create the same behavior, but I thought it "feels" more
like a fuel problem because it sputters with gradually increasing severity
for almost a minute before it stalls completely.


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Tom Del Rosso wrote:
> Last week I posted about the 1992 Acclaim (4 cyl, 124k miles) that stalls
> after exactly 20 minutes at highway speed. Anything over 40 mph seems to do
> it.

Can you borrow a timing light?
Test it by connecting to battery and clip around a sparkplug wire.
Start the car. When you pull the light trigger, you will see a bright
flash out the end indicating the presence of power to that plug.
When your symptom recurs, have a friend crank the car while you check
for a spark using the timing light. (Stand to the side of the car, please.)

Or route the timing light wires so you can do this as a one-person
operation.

If it won't start and you are getting your normal spark power, you can
suspect that it probably is something other than the ignition system.
If on the other hand, you see no spark power as you did during the
time the car was running, you can suspect something in the ignition
circuit. (Distributor, Coil, Ignitor, Fuse, Ignition switch, wire, etc.)

--Winston

"Winston" > wrote in message
...
>
> Can you borrow a timing light?
> Test it by connecting to battery and clip around a sparkplug wire.
> Start the car. When you pull the light trigger, you will see a bright
> flash out the end indicating the presence of power to that plug.
> When your symptom recurs, have a friend crank the car while you check
> for a spark using the timing light. (Stand to the side of the car,
please.)
>
> Or route the timing light wires so you can do this as a one-person
> operation.

Thanks. I would have to do it that way, since this only happens when I'm
alone on the side of the road. I do have a current clamp for my
multimeters. I can extend the wires if it's possible to use one of those.


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Tom Del Rosso wrote:
> "Winston" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>Can you borrow a timing light?
>>Test it by connecting to battery and clip around a sparkplug wire.
>>Start the car. When you pull the light trigger, you will see a bright
>>flash out the end indicating the presence of power to that plug.
>>When your symptom recurs, have a friend crank the car while you check
>>for a spark using the timing light. (Stand to the side of the car,
>
> please.)
>
>>Or route the timing light wires so you can do this as a one-person
>>operation.
>
>
> Thanks. I would have to do it that way, since this only happens when I'm
> alone on the side of the road. I do have a current clamp for my
> multimeters. I can extend the wires if it's possible to use one of those.

I don't think your multimeter is going to be fast enough to catch
the pulse in which we are interested. You really need to use a
timing light or scope.

Quite a few servicable timing lights sold on ebay recently for less than
US$20 each. Like:
<http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4122&item=61841815 55&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW>

--Winston