Car died while driving...

[1989accordaz]

89 LX Carb. Driving down the road, all of a sudden just died. No sputtering just died. Tried to restart it and it cranks, just doesnt start. Towed it home, next day starts right up. Drove it all day. Got home ok. Started again hours later and nothing. Cranks ok. I dont hear the pump energize, so I disconnected the pump connector and attached probes from a volt meter and tried to start it and I get 12 v while crancking. At this point I am positive is the 6 month old Autozone pump. Too late tonight to buy a new one. Will know for sure tomorrow once I replace it. Airtex brand...

[1989accordaz]

Well, car starts right up this morning. Last night the pump wouldn't energize, and it was getting 12 volts. So I wonder if the heat has been creating this pump to fail ( I am in AZ and has been hotter than usual for the past week ), it cools down over night and its starts again in the morning. Didn't want to chance it so I didn't drive it to work today.

Hate to work on issues that are intermittent. But my guess is the pump. Any suggestions?

[87roach]

From what you're describing it does sound like the fuel pump. Also, when was the last time that you replaced the fuel filters? I don't see them as the major problem source but if they are quite old they may not be flowing as well as they could.

[1989accordaz]

Filters were replaced at the same time as the pump, less than a year ago.

[1989accordaz]

Do carb 3geez have a pressure regulator? Or is it just lxi models....if so, I may just change that az well. If it does have one.

[87roach]

It could be some cruddy electrical connections or possibly the main relay too.

I am not sure about the pressure regulator as I haven't been carb'd for years now, it doesn't sound familiar though.

[Dr_Snooz]

It could be some cruddy electrical connections or possibly the main relay too.

I believe the equivalent on carb models is the fuel cutoff relay. Definitely worth testing it for this problem.

[1989accordaz]

The fact that it was reading 12 v at the fuel pump connector convinced me that it was the pump. I replaced it with a new one, so I ll monitor it in the next few days. So far so good this one has a higher flow rate. Starts right up as opposed to crank crank crank start. And I did test a spare fuel cut off relay but didn't solve the problem. Also the pump was under warranty, since they don't carry airtex anymore they replaced it with a new and more expensive pump. Keeping my fingers crossed. Thanks for the input.

[1989accordaz]

OK the problem is not the fuel pump. I drove a few miles today, came home, then after an hour or so I left the house and just two blocks down the road it died again. I hear the pump energize, tried to start and it just cranks. So I sprayed fluid starter down the carb and it starts. Drove again and it died again. So I repeated the spray drive 3 times until I got home.

So it seems that is fuel related, I am going to replace the fuel filters ( they are less than a year old ) and also need to check fuel pressure.

I replaced the fuel cut off relay with a spare, and see if that makes a difference. But first things first, will replace fuel filters then test for fuel pressure and see were that takes me.

-Will also check for:

faulty ignition switch- will remove all my keys except the car key and see if it makes a difference.
stripped timing belt-nope timing belt is ok.
going to replace spark plugs and cap and rotor

[1989accordaz]

Ok, it just died again after driving for a while...

Here is what I have done:

1.- New fuel pump
2.- Good spare fuel cut off relay.

I was able to start it again after spraying starter fluid down the carb and several attempts to hear the pump energize.

I have been doing some research on this issue, and my next thing to replace is the ignition switch.

[1989accordaz]

Just went to the yard and found a donor car just like mine with 197k on it and I pulled the ignition switch. Pretty easy, just remove the steering wheel column covers ( Phillips screwdriver ) and use a 6mm socket to remove the two bolts in the back of the switch. Disconnect the 7 pin connector from the hardness and you are done.

Will monitor it and hope my "died while driving condition" is fixed. Thinking back about potential signs of problems, I now recall my stereo shutting down for a second, then restart after I would hit a bump. Not always, but enough times for me to notice. The engine wouldn't shut down like it does now though. Could have been related to the problem I have now, but we will see in the upcoming days.

[1989accordaz]

Nope, that was not it.

Started the car after I replaced the ignition starter, let it idle for about 5 minutes then it died. No sputtering, just dies.

So far this is what I have done:

- Replaced fuel pump
- Replaced fuel cut off solenoid
- Replaced Ignition switch.

Now I am going to replace fuel filters and cap and rotor.

Any ideas?

[ryan427]

I had this same issue with my 89LX. After I replaced the carburetor, it never happened again. There were several issues that went away after the carb replacement and that was definitely one of them. My car had 268k miles on it when I replaced it so...


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[1989accordaz]

ryan427, that is on my list, definitely.

What I am dealing with is a bit odd, now I don't hear the pump energize....it has been more than 10 years since I took my car to a mechanic because I couldn't figure it out. This one has me stomped.

[ryan427]

Keep at it. Check the wiring that goes to the fuel pump. It's reasonable to believe that wiring could be an issue. I had an electrical issue with my cooling fans where the voltmeter was reading normal voltage but fans still weren't working. Turns out the wire was nearly severed in one discreet area. It would light up a test light and show normal voltage but wasn't reliable enough to carry current. You could have a similar problem somewhere in the hot wire. It's also reasonable to think that a grounding issue could cause your problem. Now that you said the pump won't energize, I'm leaning more toward wiring. Hang in, you will identify the issue. Trust me, if I can do it then you definitely can. Right now I'm trying to find replacements thermowax valves... Now that'll piss you off!


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[1989accordaz]

Thanks for the reply Ryan427,

I just finish testing the terminals at the fuse box for the fuel cut off relay (11-47 shop manual ) everything test ok, but when I jump terminal one and 2, the pump should run and it doesn't.

So I remove the connector at the pump, with the jumper still on, I read 12v, but the new pump doesn't run......WTF!

So now I am going to remove the pump and connect it directly with the bbattery...and if the pump runs, then you are probably right about the wiring.

I'll hang in there man, one way or another I am making it run.

Haven't had to mess with the thermovalves yet, hope I don't have to!

[1989accordaz]

Connected the pump to the battery...it kinda wants to run and then dies....going to take it back and get a new one....again...

[1989accordaz]

New pump installed...up and running again...yeah I am done for today...

[1989accordaz]

Car started fine today, drove to work. So one thing I did notice, not sure what did it. But before these shutting down issue, my brake light was always on. This morning it was off for the first time in months. So so far so good, will keep my fingers crossed.

[ryan427]

I'd call this a success! Nice job for sticking with it.


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[1989accordaz]

After a week with a new pump, glad to say that the problem is fixed. Kinda makes me want to carry a spare fuel pump in my car from now on.

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[Fixedit]

Glad you got this figured out. Nice avatar pic by the way

[1989accordaz]

My fuel pump, I am pretty sure is not working again. Car will start with staring fluid, the died a few seconds later. I can hear the pump energize. So I ll replace the pump and filters again, just did it almost 6 months ago. Staring to wonder if may be I need to clean my tank. May be clogging the pump filter and not allowing enough pressure. I can hear the pump energize, but no fuel at the carb when I prime it. Update: Went to work on my car, sprayed starting fluid and it started, so I just let it idle and it did warm up. Like nothing happened.