Sudden RPM Loss

[Blackrosepet]

I was on the way home from work tonight, cruise control set at 65. Suddenly and unexpectedly, the car jerked and lost rpms, I mean totally down to 0. Then everything was back to normal, all within a second or two.

I know you'll ask, so here goes: the car is basically stock, which means exhaust lol.

I've also been having issues with random crank/no-starts, if that has any bearing on wtf my car just did tonight.

-amanda

 

[Adam95GT]

Sounds like the PIP or a short somewhere.

 

[Blackrosepet]

So the PIP would tie in with the random no-starts, correct? Along that front, I've posted about it before, but the car would crank and crank and nothing, charging system is good, along with new dizzy cap and rotor, TFI module, coil, and plugs and wires.

 

[Chythar]

The PIP is the first place to look. When it starts to fail, it can cause no-starts when the engine is warm. Essentially, the PIP is an essential part of the ignition system, transferring electrical power to each of the cylinders. When it starts to fail, it can do some really weird stuff. You've replaced just about everything else that could be a problem, so replacing the PIP is next.

Of course, to replace it you need to disassemble the distributor. There's a how-to buried somewhere in this forum, do some searches and I'm sure you'll find it. If you decide to replace the distributor, be careful with remanufactured ones. Most of the time, they don't replace the PIP. They test them when the parts are cold, and a bad PIP will test OK when cold.

 

[Dino Dino Bambino]

I was on the way home from work tonight, cruise control set at 65. Suddenly and unexpectedly, the car jerked and lost rpms, I mean totally down to 0. Then everything was back to normal, all within a second or two.

I've also been having issues with random crank/no-starts, if that has any bearing on wtf my car just did tonight.

Yes, the two problems are related and the culprit is usually either a bad PIP sensor or a bad TFI module. Since you've already replaced the latter, my money's on the PIP sensor.
The cure is to replace the distributor, not just the PIP sensor, if you still have the original teenage factory unit but whatever you do, DON'T get a reman. unit. Buy a new OEM distributor or alternatively, the Summit Racing billet aluminium unit.

 

[blk95]

deff would say pick up mine was doing the same thing the pick up coil acts like a cam sensor watch ur rpms when its hard to start you wont see the tach movig the pick up sends the tach signal its 20 bucks at auto zone

 

[Blackrosepet]

I guess the PIP finally shot it's wad lol. Died coming up to a redlight and couldn't get it started, had it towed home.