Moody Little Eta Throws Stubborn Fits

[NeoMishMoo]

So this has been a problem for a couple months now. Sometimes when I get in my car it won't fire up. Turns over and will fire with a little ether in the intake, makes me think its fuel pump issue. Usually I can just come back to the car 15-20 mins later and it will start up fine. Seems to help if I leave the key on and let the fuel pump prime.

However yesterday it would not start at all and I had to hook it up to chains and pull it back to my house. Today it started up just fine. It seems to do this once every few weeks and afterwards it runs fine until the next tantrum.

I have a new(er) in tank pump, new plugs, new(er) distributor.

[long tall eta]

possibly the crank position sensor

[bastianshaw]

runs fine after starting?

[jlevie]

The fact that it will fire with starting fluid suggests that there is a fuel system problem, or intake leaks. Monitoring the rail fuel pressure will tell if that is a possibility and a smoke test will tell if there are intake leaks.

[NeoMishMoo]

possibly the crank position sensor

Whats the best way to test for this?

runs fine after starting?

Yeah 90% of the time the car starts right up just fine, idles a little funny when cold at first but runs just fine. This most recent time it actually died a couple miles down the road and wouldn't start back up. There was an immense amount of rain and water on the road so I'm thinking that might have been a factor, and point towards the intake leak.

Smoke test sounds like the best step.

[long tall eta]

Whats the best way to test for this?


Yeah 90% of the time the car starts right up just fine, idles a little funny when cold at first but runs just fine. This most recent time it actually died a couple miles down the road and wouldn't start back up. There was an immense amount of rain and water on the road so I'm thinking that might have been a factor, and point towards the intake leak.

Smoke test sounds like the best step.

how to check is not a question i could answer. but pretty sure there is a shit load of guys here that could. i do know that an intermitant no start problem is one of the symptems of the cps going bad.

[NeoMishMoo]

Sounds like possible problem, never seems to do it after it sits for couple hours...
First time: went to friends house, wasn't home, went back to car wouldn't start. .
Second time died within 10 mins of driving in heavy rain
Third time (tonight) : went to bar realized I could park closer, tried to move closer no start.
Fourth time (right now) went to gas station, not firing up after filling up.
Each time it has started street sitting couple minutes/hours. But afterwards will drive fine for days/weeks starting to happen more frequently, need to address this before it strands me

[Kershaw]

the in tank pump is just a transfer pump, you know that right?

have you tried replacing the high pressure pump? it's right in front of the drivers side rear tire. maybe it's overheating and after awhile it cools down and works again.

[NeoMishMoo]

didn't think about overheating being an issue. the intermittent nature of this problem is what is really bugging me. Don't have the money to start throwing parts at it. Seems like it must be fuel delivery so I guess I'll start with a new pump. I've got another m20b27 sitting around I'll try and take the cps off of it and put it on as well.

[NeoMishMoo]

Swapped the ECU and so far so good. Then again it will take a couple more weeks to know for sure.

[bikerjim2000]

Main Relay check

I had same issue for awhile, check your main power relay, mine was original......and look underneath mine was showing some breakdown of the silicon backing...it would cut out for a second or 2 on a drive, hard starts etc..Die when I hit a bump, then restart OK...or not, threw in a pump and engine ground , Injector harness connection corrosion cleaned and have Been chasing issue for a year or so.....also you have a fuel pump relay right next to the main. I hear 10 years is expected life, My main had a date on it.(the white one) 1987.......

[EtaSax]

I know I had issues very similar to yours a while back. Turned out to be the high pressure pump. Replaced that and everything remains okay to this day. Oddly enough, a good bang to the pump was often enough to knock it back to life for a bit. Give it a good kick if it fails again. Worth a shot if you don't go ahead and replace it and the fuel filter.