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Thread: Car died while driving home yesterday...looking for thoughts on why.

  1. #1
    Supporting Member Turbo Mopar Contributor
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    Car died while driving home yesterday...looking for thoughts on why.

    Yesterday my car (87 T1 log) "died" while I was driving home from Michigan. This was its very first road issue since I purchased the car in 87
    -Car was filled to 7/8 tank with 93 from a small gas station
    -day was 90F ran AC on second fan speed
    -drove 1.5 hours on highway and then stuck at Canadian customs for 1/2hr, after I clear I accelerated to 60mph at 2-3psi.
    -after approx 2 miles the car took two moderate surges and died. I pulled over to the road side. I tried to restart by no luck. I turned the ignition off and tried to restart again but no luck.
    -checked codes and no error codes and only 55 showed
    -waited for a few minutes (maybe 10) and the car started promptly.
    -drove 1/2miles to a gas station and filled with 91. The gas was very difficult to dispense and I could only get a trickle in for the first couple of quarts, but gradually I was able to fill at the full rate. I feel this was due to the hot gas tank.

    The car worked well on the way home(without AC, just in case) and worked well today.

    What do you think?

    Could it be I received late winter or early spring gas? (contains more light ends such as butane, gas companies like to add butane as it is cheap and low specific gravity, this is called fluffing the barrel)
    I could see early spring gas causing a vapour lock at the injectors/fuel rail.
    Thanks for your comments
    Regards,
    Miles

    DD '87 Sundance T1, SLH with rear disks
    '87 CSX #432 2.5 CB TII, SLH

  2. #2
    Supporting Member Turbo Mopar Contributor mopar-tech's Avatar
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    Re: Car died while driving home yesterday...looking for thoughts on why.

    Fussy distributor pickup is where I would start, they can get flaky when hot.


    Working on clearing the decks.

  3. #3
    Supporting Member Turbo Mopar Contributor
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    Re: Car died while driving home yesterday...looking for thoughts on why.

    interesting.. that was the first thing I picked out of my glove box when I pulled over!

    Is there any good HEPs, I hear the after market are crap. Maybe I have to make myself a good one as a winter project
    Thanks Gary
    Last edited by chromguy; 05-28-2016 at 09:52 PM.
    Regards,
    Miles

    DD '87 Sundance T1, SLH with rear disks
    '87 CSX #432 2.5 CB TII, SLH

  4. #4
    Supporting Member Turbo Mopar Contributor GLHS60's Avatar
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    Re: Car died while driving home yesterday...looking for thoughts on why.

    If the tach drops a split second before stalling this is a good indication confirming Garys opinion.

    Thanks
    Randy


    There is no logical reason to call an Engine a motor.

    Randy Hicks
    86 GLHS60
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  5. #5
    Super Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff contraption22's Avatar
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    Re: Car died while driving home yesterday...looking for thoughts on why.

    I wouldn't discount the fuel pump being the culprit.
    Mike Marra
    1986 Plymouth Horizon GLMF "The Contraption" < entertaining sponsorship offers
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    http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/showthread.php?69708-The-Contraption-2013-14&highlight=

  6. #6
    Supporting Member Turbo Mopar Contributor amoparx's Avatar
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    Re: Car died while driving home yesterday...looking for thoughts on why.

    If the car just died without any other driving issues prior to that, I'd guess pickup coil or timing belt. I had an oil pump I-shaft strip out once for no reason. Just driving along and the car stalled. On the side of the road I determined the timing belt jumped. I was trying to figure out what happened before I go it towed home. I looked at a couple things that pointed to the belt. Bought one, turned the engine until everything lined up and noticed it hadn't jumped. What did I see on the highway? A little over a year later, (I have lots of cars so it wasn't priority) after my R/T shredded the I-shaft and pump, A friend said lets look at your Lebaron and try to figure that out. I pulled the covers off lined up everything. While on the ground doing that, he pulls the cap off. I stood up to say everything was fine and saw the rotor pointing in the wrong direction. That must have been what I saw on the highway. The rotor and the timing marks on the fly wheel not matching up. So the belt didn't jump, the oil pump did! LOL
    Bob Doherty..... mnsdac.com
    Coon Rapids, MN
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    SDAC Member.expires 05/2016.MNSDAC Vice President

  7. #7
    Supporting Member Turbo Mopar Contributor
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    Re: Car died while driving home yesterday...looking for thoughts on why.

    Thanks Bob,
    My car is working great since, but no luck figuring it out. I will have a look at the HEP
    Regards,
    Miles

    DD '87 Sundance T1, SLH with rear disks
    '87 CSX #432 2.5 CB TII, SLH

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