car keeps dying need help asap

mr5o

Founding Member

Jan 28, 2001

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Ontario, Canada

Jun 5, 2005

#1

• Jun 5, 2005

• #1

everytime i drive my car after a while it will either quit while driving or not restart after stoping for a min ...it takes about 2 hours to start again any ideas what to look for ? it seems to have started after installing all the msd stuff in my sig ...do you think it could be the tfi breaking down ? ive heard msd distributers sometimes have problems even when new ...its left me stranded for 5 hours in the last 3 days in a row its getting kinda old ....what are the symptoms of a bad tfi ..or what else should i check ....anyone had similar problems if you have let me know what you did to fix it ....
thanks

 

stang22

Active Member

Jan 29, 2003

1,318

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Washington, D.C.

Jun 5, 2005

#2

• Jun 5, 2005

• #2

The symptoms you are having are symptoms of a failing TFI module. More than likely the heat is killing it. You can take it to AutoZone and have it tested, but I have heard people having them tested and they tested ok, but were bad. Another thing it could be is the PIP (pick-up coil inside the dizz), but I doubt it. My money is on the TFI.

Tim

 

Carney Woods

New Member

Dec 29, 2002

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Montreal, Quebec

Jun 5, 2005

#3

• Jun 5, 2005

• #3

I'm willing to bet it's either the ignition module or a fuel pump. More likely a fuel pump IMO because when my module went I had trouble for 1 day and then it shut down completly,had to be replaced. After the car stalls see if you can hear the fuel pump come on when you try to re-start.

 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

15 Year Member

Nov 29, 1999

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Jun 5, 2005

#4

• Jun 5, 2005

• #4

when it wont start, have you checked for spark?

I like Tim's thinking here. Also, if you have something cold (like a frozen bag of carrots, etc) toss them on the TFI and let them sit (like icing the intake at the track). see if the car comes back to life quickly thereafter.

When you lose your PIP, you will also lose injector firing - you can use a noid light to see if you have injector pulse (this is highly unlikely, but worth mentioning).

Like Tim said, a bench test does not always catch bad modules. One can ask the parts guy to repeatedly test the module - it will get very hot to the touch while doing so, which might be a more valid means of testing (real world).

And having new parts in there tosses in a whole new bunch of variables. Just gotta do some testing.

good luck.

 

mr5o

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Jan 28, 2001

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Ontario, Canada

Jun 5, 2005

#5

• Jun 5, 2005

• #5

thanks for the help guys the car died again on me so i swapped the stock distributer back in and it fired right up ...which leads me to believe that the msd unit was failing ...kind sucks because it only has about 2000 miles on it .... fuel pump is new too but i think this helped im gonna have to drive it a day or so too see ...i'll keep you guys updated

 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

15 Year Member

Nov 29, 1999

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Jun 5, 2005

#6

• Jun 5, 2005

• #6

At least you got it figured out, for now. Good luck with getting new parts, etc.

 

stang22

Active Member

Jan 29, 2003

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Washington, D.C.

Jun 5, 2005

#7

• Jun 5, 2005

• #7

Did the new dizzy come with a new TFI module or did you swap them back and forth?

Tim

 

mr5o

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Jan 28, 2001

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Ontario, Canada

Jun 5, 2005

#8

• Jun 5, 2005

• #8

im going to swap the stock tfi onto the msd unit because it seems to be working

 

stang22

Active Member

Jan 29, 2003

1,318

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38

Washington, D.C.

Jun 5, 2005

#9

• Jun 5, 2005

• #9

If you swap the TFI onto the MSD and it still does it, it could be the pickup coil (PIP) inside of the MSD. Just and FYI... Good luck!

Tim

 

mr5o

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Jan 28, 2001

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Ontario, Canada

Jun 5, 2005

#10

• Jun 5, 2005

• #10

thanks for all the info