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Car dies but starts right back up.

1990GSXNA

Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2015
Messages
24
Location
Glendale, AZ
My GGSX will start normally and run for up to 10 seconds and then it will shut off, kind of like if I were to turn the key off. The engine DOESN'T sputter shake or anything it just shuts off. When it dies the three dash lights come on (check engine, brake, oil light) because the car is still in the "on" position. My first instinct is alternator or fuel pump, but the symptoms of those going out would have the engine shake and stutter before dying. Then also the car wouldn't start right back up if the alternator was shot.
I can start the car right away after it dies but it will die instantly after. I can also put the car in gear and run it but as soon as I'm off the gas it will die. If I hold the throttle almost wide open it will not die, but under low throttle it will still die.

After some research I have a feeling that the IAC has gave out on me because the idle would be very sporadic, before the dying issue started. While it was in its warm up cycle it would rev to about 2000 then drop to around 1500 then drop and repeat over and over until the car was at operating temperature then the idle would be fine and smooth at around 1000. It's just I have no idea how a car reacts to having the IAC go out, and that's where my questions start.

What is wrong with my car?
Where do I even start to diagnose this problem?
How does a car react to the IAC going bad?
 

92_talon_awd

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 11, 2014
Messages
456
Location
Knoxville, TN

1990GSXNA

Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2015
Messages
24
Location
Glendale, AZ
I followed the steps in that video and my IAC is showing that it is reading no resistance between the 1-2 pins and also the 4-5 pins. With what he said on the video that means the IAC is bad, do you think mine is as well?
 

1990GSXNA

Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2015
Messages
24
Location
Glendale, AZ




So I took out my ECU and as you can see the caps have started leaking. Now this could be causing my issue. But could there still be an underlying cause?

How legit is ECMTuning? That's what I have seen on here that most people send their ECUs to get fixed.
 

1990GSXNA

Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2015
Messages
24
Location
Glendale, AZ
Sent my ECU to ECMTuning, and I am getting the capacitors replaced. They said my ECU is fine other than the leaking capacitors, also the the ISC drivers are working properly as well as the fuel pump relay. Thus ruling out the ECU being the culprit of the car not running. Any other suggestions?
 

92_talon_awd

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 11, 2014
Messages
456
Location
Knoxville, TN
I sent my GGSX ECU to Thomas and he hooked it up proper. Car runs great now. Have you replaced your IAC with a known good one?
 

1990GSXNA

Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2015
Messages
24
Location
Glendale, AZ
I'm hoping when I get the ECU back it'll run great again, but I'm doubtful. Assuming the IAC from oreilys was good, then yes I replaced it with a good one. What was wrong with your ECU and what did he do to fix it?

Could it be the CAS, someone posted about the earlier but I kinda wrote it off because my car would run once it was setting in the Arizona heat for a while.
 

92_talon_awd

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 11, 2014
Messages
456
Location
Knoxville, TN
He put new caps on it, had to replace the isc drivers and a few other things. I think it was pretty messed up because they ended up drilling a hole through the board and running a wire from the front side to the back. But it works great now. Before he rebuilt it the car would idle all over the place, it wouldn't idle surge but it would always idle at a different rpm. I sent him a buddy's ecu for a vr4 that was cooked. His cars fuel pump would randomly cut off and it was the ecu.
 

1990GSXNA

Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2015
Messages
24
Location
Glendale, AZ
I got my ECU back an plugged it back in, car starts right up and staying running. But it still has the sporadic idle, I already replaced the known bad ISC with no symptom changes. Any other ideas comments or suggestions?
 

1990GSXNA

Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2015
Messages
24
Location
Glendale, AZ
Got my car running and it turned out the be to FIAV was not working properly so I blocked it from working and now my car runs great again! Living in AZ means I don't really have to deal with cold strt issues commonly attributed to the FIAV bypass.
 

1990GSXNA

Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2015
Messages
24
Location
Glendale, AZ
So my car has started doing this again, same symptoms are before. The car will start no problems and run great for 3-5 seconds until it will stall. If I give it gas it will still stall out. I’m at a loss here and any help would be greatly appreciated. Here is a list of things that I have done in the past 1-2 months to fix this and as routine maintenance:
New ISC
New CAS
New Fuel Filter
New Plugs/wires
New O2 sensor
Timing belt (all other belts/pulleys water pump that go along with it.)
Ebay Header
New battery
ECU capacitors replaced at ECMTuning
FIAV bypass
TPS tested good
ECT sensor tested good

What should I test next? I'm at a total loss thanks in advance!
 

Spyke169

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 17, 2005
Messages
324
Location
Greenfield, Wi
Is the alternator puttibg out the proper voltage and amperage?
 
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