HELP! - Car died suddenly and I'm stranded

[syclone98]

I was just in the process of taking my son home and my 87 GN quit running all of a sudden.

The car's got 110K miles on it and although the motor needs rebuilding (it has a rod knock when it's cold) the car's been running great up until now.

What happened was that I was doing about 30mph and had slowed down to take a corner and the dash lights suddenly came on and the car stalled.

The car turns over fine, none of the fuses are blown, I can hear the fuel pump when I turn the ignition on and I verified that I'm getting spark. I haven't been able to verify fuel since it's raining right now.

I've tried turning it over several times and other than what sounded like a very brief backfire, it hasn't even come close to wanting to start.

Is there anything else I can check before having to call a tow truck?

Thanks,
Christopher

 

[garyk1970]

unplug the maf and see if she starts.....

 

[notacarlo]

Might need a new cam position sensor. If it fails during a drive the car will go into a batch fire mode (limp home). Once you shut the car off it will not restart.

 

[vacuum 6]

Also check the crank sensor. Had one go on me...at a light and the car just died and would not start.

 

[syclone98]

Unplugging the MAF didn't help so I'm just waiting for a tow truck.

I'd like to hopefully get to work today so is there a quick way of determining whether it might be a crank or cam position sensor?

 

[SouthernCal GN]

Paperclip the ECM to check for codes: jump "A" and "B", and count the series of flashes that SES light reports.

 

[whitehot1]

Good troubleshooting info here.

First page under troubleshoot shows a short cut that Jim Testa came up with some time ago to cut through the chase.

Vortex Turbo Buick Performance

 

[wagon]

My guesses would be cam or crank sensors. Remove the top of the cam sensor and see if it turns when you crank the engine.
Nah, forget that. If the cam sensor went, it wouldn't die on you. You'd get the oil light and the SES light, but it would still run until it seized.
It might be the crank sensor.

 

[NJ Torque]

Hmm... Could be jumped time by some timing gear teeth breaking off.

 

[MSDGN]

My guesses would be cam or crank sensors. Remove the top of the cam sensor and see if it turns when you crank the engine.
Nah, forget that. If the cam sensor went, it wouldn't die on you. You'd get the oil light and the SES light, but it would still run until it seized.
It might be the crank sensor.

Sorry but the cam sensor can cause the car to die...I was cruising on the freeway when the car started bucking/chugging and then it just shut off...didn't realize until I had it towed home that the cam sensor ring had come loose...pull the cam sensor cap and check the ring...

 

[wagon]

Sorry but the cam sensor can cause the car to die...I was cruising on the freeway when the car started bucking/chugging and then it just shut off...didn't realize until I had it towed home that the cam sensor ring had come loose...pull the cam sensor cap and check the ring...

Good Point. I hadn't thought of that. When my cam sensor went, the timing gear sheared the in, so the cam sensor just stopped spinning. That would only trip the light. But, if the timing on it changed, but it still continued to give a signal, but out of time, then yeah, I guess I could see it causing the car to die. That's cool, I learned something today. Now I can go back to sleep.

 

[Evans Ward]

What's your location? I don't see from your signature that you have that posted. Do any other TR owners with any spares live near you?

 

[Just a Six??]

Sorry but the cam sensor can cause the car to die...I was cruising on the freeway when the car started bucking/chugging and then it just shut off...didn't realize until I had it towed home that the cam sensor ring had come loose...pull the cam sensor cap and check the ring...

Exactly what happened to me!! Altho, I was only doing about 30 mph.
Ring tab broke & that was that!

 

[syclone98]

I live in the Northern California Brentwood and fortunately I've also got an 86 in the garage that I just pulled the motor out of last night so spare parts shouldn't be a problem.

When I get home from work tonight I'm going to try and narrow down the problem and swap out any needed parts (and hope it's not something wrong internally).

Thanks to everyone for all the suggestions.

 

[VadersV6]

No one is directing their ideas toward the clues...the dash lights flashed on...
I had a seriously built 4V 351 Cleveland 70 Cougar when I was 18-19. Similar thing happened. It had something to do with wiring plumbed into the fuse box. I had a friend install a stereo head unit for me, for 20 bucks. Well, you get what you pay for. I would be cruising down the road, and my headlights and dash lights would start flashing off and on, and every time the lights pulsed off, the engine would cut out. So the headlights would be flashing to the beat of my engine dying and restarting. It was quite a mess. I still dont know what that idiot did, but he refused to fix it. Never really had the chance to. My parents had just divorced (mom was messin around at her new job) and my mom had taken the house my dad built, and me and him were living in a tiny apartment. I couldnt find work for a year and a half, and my insurance had just run out. I finally found a job (JMS Racing engines), and I was 1.5 weeks into the job, and was going to get my first paycheck in 2 days. My work was 1 mile from home so I didnt worry too much. Some lady was doing her makeup and hit me head on, while I waited for traffic to pass so I could turn left. The car was totaled, my face smashed up (lap belt) and the cop gave me a ticket for turning in front of oncoming traffic and causing the accident...genius cop didnt notice that the wrong side of the car was smashed, for me to have turned left in front of her. I contested the ticket, and the lady and cop didnt show up, so they threw it out. But my license was suspended for a year and I had to ride a mountain bike to work for a year.
....lol sorry for the totally irrelevant info.