O.K. fortune tellers, I am looking for, ah, kinda of a top ten list of trouble shooting. Last fall as the weather started to turn cold (about 40F) i was on my way to work one morning and the engine first sputtered a bit (no backfire) then just quit. After that, a couple of time on deceleration, I could tell the engine was not firing on it's own until I fed it more throttle. A minute later it quit completely but did fire on a rolling re-start, it ran for a couple of minutes then again just quit. I coasted into a parking lot and sat for about ten minutes while my son was on his way to give me a ride to work (turn about is fair play!), I tried it again and it fired right up. I did make it all the way to the office but I could feel a couple of misfires along the way. After work, I drove it home without incident. After a few more days of no incidence of shutting down it was time to put it into winter storage. I don't think it is a fuel issue as there is no evidence of backfire but I am not familiar enough with this injection system to know the difference. The car is an all original 1974 with a 2.0L.

My quest is to assemble a top ten check list for this spring. All the simple ones are out, fuel quantity, battery/charging, loose ignition wiring, all are fine. I am looking for specific, non destructive testing of possible systems/components to reduce the possibility list. By "non destructive" I mean I would like to test things that do not require a major operation just to look, like pulling injectors and having to change o rings and the like.

The car has 80+k miles on it and I don't think the PO did any internal engine work but the engine runs 100% when it is running. No smoke, very smooth idle, great fuel mileage but could use a valve set. In other words the car runs fine but I am concerned there is an upcoming issue that I would like to take care of before it leaves me somewhere.

Thanks for your input.

Did your tach dance around just before it died? Check your coil isn't shorting against your tin...

Fuel pump fuse. That got me! It would work sometimes and not others.
Cht sensor, that seems fairly common
Ignition switch
Fuel pump relay

relay board


I have found that if it's ignition related, it would pop and or backfire on me. If the fuel pump shut down, it would just quit.

The symtoms you describe is characteristic of a CHTC (Cylinder Head Temperature Censor) Going bad. http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/smart/...29%2C%20Each%20

No tach "dance" (just a rumba, LOL) and ignition wiring was checked for loose components, failed wiring, etc.
The only other fuel injection issue I have ever had was on a diesel. Cam position sensor on 7.3L. Similar effects but this is a known issue for these engines. Kinda like one would have to carry around a ballast resistor for the older Dodges. Is there a value/temperature rating on the CHT sensor that I could check it with or at that price is it just a replace it anyways, 'cause it's gonna give you probs in the future anyway? I hate replacing things for maybes. I always try to confirm the issue first, it helps me sleep at night.

There are more than one relay for the fuel system on the board check these. Very common!

Check the wiring from the alternator over the starter to the relay, if there is something a little loose, it can also cause this problem!

Check Brads site for cht tests. I don't have the link on my iPad. And there is only 1 fuel pump relay btw.

There is one for the fuel pump and one for the injection system this can go bad often too

Check the CHT wire for cuts or split in the insulation as it may be shorting to the tin.

Here is a link to the site mentioned by underthetire, it is awesome!

I had a similiar problem on my 71' 1.7 d-jet car and ultimately the intermittent problem was traced to a circuit on the ECU board where a transistor leg was corroded and broken, but it would work sometimes then with a certain vibration I suspect it would seperate contact and the fuel pump would shut down.

You will have to systematically troubleshoot it using the link below as a guide, take your time and you will find it.

Jim

Brad Anders D-jet site