Engine won't stay lit

[Valhalla]

A little background. She's a '97, with 98k miles and an AEM EMS Series 2 full stand alone to monitor the engine and twin turbos. The car has run flawlessly since the initial install a year ago.

So yesterday I run a couple of errands. Get home and park the car in the driveway. Come back to it several hours later to place it in the garage. I turn the key, the engine turns over, the motor catches, it revs to 1800 rpms and then dies. Try this ten more times to the same ending. I try this twice more at one hour intervals. Always the same. It feels like it runs out of fuel but my pressure gauge is reading a solid 50psi. So I get on Prime and do some research.

After sifting through a bunch of threads I come up with main relay and ignition switch. So I hook up with a buddy of mine and we swap out my main relay first. No dice. Same old non start dance. Then I switch out the ignition switch. Fire her up and still no improvements. Still won't idle past the initial start.

So Prime Nation, any thoughts on this one? I'm all ears....

 

[AdvansCPAP]

JC,


If you are still running a fuel pump resistor, try swapping that out with a known working one. You my not have one anymore since the AEM set up though.

 

[Valhalla]

Whoops, forgot to add that I removed the resistor and am running a Walbro 255. Remove that from the possible theories. But thanks for chiming in. Keep those thoughts coming.

 

[RYU]

Knee jerk reaction tells me its the DBW handshake between the NA2 Throttle Body and EMS S2.. but i'll reserve judgement and see where this goes.

*popcorn*

- - - Updated - - -

Other sensors come to mine like MAP sensor and Coolant Temp sensor.. but i'm just thinking out loud to myself here.

 

[Valhalla]

Just what I needed, a Terell Owens sighting!

Could be that but all of a sudden? I mean one day were golden the next pushing daises. Would a throttle body cleaning cure this? Done it before and it's not difficult but just wondering...

 

[RYU]

At this point why not. Without understanding what's going on (myself included) even getting your latest tarot card reading could help

 

[Valhalla]

But I just fired her. Damn. Maybe I'm not holding my mouth just right? OK, off to remove the TB and see what's cooking there.

 

[RYU]

I hope it's something simple! Less tinkering. More driving! That's my new moto and i'm having problems sticking to it.

 

[Caroline-NSX]

I had this same exact problem turn out it was my ignition switch. Replace it and fire right up. Hope you find out the problem fix it and post it up so next time if anyone run into this same problem they know what to look for :wink:.

 

[Valhalla]

Less tinkering, more driving, that is what I have been doing.

So I took Regan's advice (yeah I know, I know) and I looked at the TB. Looked fine. So I unconnected and reconnected the DBW circuits. Then I looked at the engine bay fuse box. Had one 30 amp fuse look a little suspect so I pulled it for closer inspection. Seemed OK so I reinstalled it and checked all the other fuses for tightness. Then I pull the hood and look at that fuse box. Make sure all is tight and do the same with the relay box by the radiator. Wiggled all the relays around to make sure they were tight. And just for shits and giggles I decided to try the starter one more time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=skgrFTu6KTI

Don't ask me why or how as I really don't have a clue. But I think my next big project will be to pull every freaking connection and Oxguard it. And I may just pull pull all my big fuses and replace them as preventive measure as well. Oh yeah, I will be replacing my main fuse and ignition switch too.

 

[RYU]

So problem solved?

 

[Caroline-NSX]

I believe so!

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[h=1]Hallelujah! :wink:[/h]

 

[Valhalla]

Yep. Next big project will be to get a 55 gallon drum of Oxguard and fix every connection I can get to. So help me...unlike Scarlett O'Hara, I do not depend on the generosity of others. I will fix it myself, damn it.

 

[Valhalla]

Oops, waited too long to replaced the main relay and ignition. Looks like I need a tow home, damn it

 

[racer9x]

I actually clicked on the link and thought I had to watch and listen to a chanting comercial before getting to the actual video of the car starting, then I smiled and realized there was no car video just the chanting of glory:biggrin:

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Oops, waited too long to replaced the main relay and ignition. Looks like I need a town home, damn it

So it wasn't a bad connection @ the alternator?

 

[Valhalla]

Bad typo. Not smart phone, not smart phone....

The car did die again while rolling and wouldn't lite again. I don't even want to go into how I got her home but have already have ordered a new main relay and ignition switch. Will pick up new main fuses too. What a pain in the tuckus. I know it won't be the total fix, but will be a step in the progress of bringing her back. I'll keep you posted.

 

[Valhalla]

So I got my new main relay and ignition switch. Called Southcoast Acura Wednesday night at 5:30PM and they had the parts Friday morning. Good price too.

So I try to start the car just to see. Nope same old start and die. So I replaced the ignition switch and try it again. Again it starts then dies. So I replace the main relay. No go. I remove blade fuses and swap them around, disconnect and reconnect every possible wire harness connector I can get to and try it again. Still won't stay lit.

Kids, I'm running out of ideas here. Any more thoughts out there? Please?

 

[NSXASTY]

Might want to check the engine bay ground wires. Could just be possibly loose. Had that happen on another car of mines.

 

[Valhalla]

Where is it and would it cause this kind of non-run issue?

 

[racer9x]

+1 what NSXASTY said, I was actually assuming that you had found corrosion or a loose ground wire at the alternator.

 

[NSXASTY]

Where is it and would it cause this kind of non-run issue?

Hopefully someone with an nsx etm can point you in the right direction. Or just poke around in the engine bay or under the hood to see if somethings loosd or corroded.

 

[Semnos_NSX]

Maybe the igniter? I had a similar problem years ago and found that my igniter was going bad. If you have a CTSC it's a pain in the a$$ to replace because you have to pull the SC off to get to it. If your not running the SC, it should be a pretty simple thing to replace. Just a thought... Hope it helps.

 

[Valhalla]

Hey guys, thanks for the suggestions.

All connections that I can get to are tight. I also replaced just last year;
* Both battery cables
* Ignitor
* All Coil Packs
* Engine Wire Harness
* Fuel Pump and filter

I'm kind of running out of things to replace.

 

[mr envy]

all your vacuum hoses connected? no leaks? earths off the motor to chassis?

 

[Valhalla]

Yes, the vacuums are all tight. I'm pretty sure all the engine grounds are intact as well. It's funny, it starts right up. Sometimes it will stumble and run only to finally die. But most of the time it starts and a second later it dies. Occasionally it will take throttle and I can rev it but just once. Weird.

The car was running great and I was having such a good day. Right up until it turned itself off at 50mph.