Engine Rolls Over, Won't Start

[ShadowRider]

Hi there everyone. Wondering if there's anyone out there who can help me out. I posted a not-so-helpful problem here back in May 2008...since I didn't really know what was wrong with my VX. My car suddenly died while driving, and I had enough inertia to pull safely to the side of the road into a parking spot. All of the lights on the dash would come on, including the check engine light. The engine would roll over, but it would not start. My dad took a look at it, and found that a fuse was burnt. He tried replacing the fuse, but every time he put a new one in, that one would pop as well, even as he increased the amp on the fuse. Well, after a while of searching, my dad found that it was the ECM causing the problem. We were fortunately enough to locate a used ECM in Sacramento, and replaced my former one...and it worked!...up until 2 weeks ago. The same thing happened while I was pulling off the freeway...the engine cut off while I was driving, the engine light came on, and the power steering and power braking stopped...this was while I was exiting the freeway during rush hour traffic on a Friday night. But thank God, I was on the right lane, and once again had enough inertia to pull off into a little island area between an exit and an entrance of a 45mph zone.
This time, we of course deduced that it was the same problem, and ordered another ECM unit. This time, it had to be shipped from the east coast (I am near San Francisco). It just arrived, and he replaced it again, but this time it didn't fair off as well as the previous time. With the newly installed ECM, the VX actually started, and stayed that way...for 20 seconds. Then it blew the fuse again, and now when he tried to replace the fuse again, it would behave the same as the other ECMs that we had. Now I'm stuck without knowing what to do. As I searched the site, I noticed someone stating that an ECM problem is unlikely, and not many have had that problem before. I'm beginning to wonder if it was an ECM problem to begin with! How likely is it that THREE ECMs have the same issue? Does anybody here have any advice on what to do? The fuses just keep on blowing, and now I'm stuck with 3 ECMs, and the car is still not starting. Please HELP! Thanks in advance!

[pbkid]

wow, thats horrible...something is probably short circuiting, causing electrical problems (hence the blown fuses)..

that would be my guess....

[pbkid]

i know that it doesnt help all that much but its somewhere to start..

[mdwyer]

Look behind the (I think) drivers-side headlight. I believe there's a pinch-point there that eventually wears through the insulation and causes bizarre problems.

Try searching the board for more info.

[Ldub]

Look behind the (I think) drivers-side headlight. I believe there's a pinch-point there that eventually wears through the insulation and causes bizarre problems.

Try searching the board for more info.

Look here...

http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=1394&highlight=wiring+harness

[Riff Raff]

Question: When was the last time the "Fuel Filter" was changed??? Sounds like your problem is fuel related and the engine is being starved of fuel. Try replacing the fuel filter and see if that helps. Fuel filters by nature are very fickle; they don't give you any advance warning, and when they're clogged, you're engine will crank but won't start.

[VCrossfan]

Question: When was the last time the "Fuel Filter" was changed??? Sounds like your problem is fuel related and the engine is being starved of fuel. Try replacing the fuel filter and see if that helps. Fuel filters by nature are very fickle; they don't give you any advance warning, and when they're clogged, you're engine will crank but won't start.

If the above doesn't work replace your FPR (Fuel Pressure Regulator) then have the fuel pressure checked if it's below the recommend pressure replace the Fuel Pump. I've put 2 FP's in my VX in the last 5 years. The first was a generic and last was a Bosch for an Acura due to I couldn't find just the FP for a VX without buying the total sending unit and all. But the Acura with about the same 3.5L I could buy just the pump alone.

BTW..Both times my Fuel Pumps failed it was blowing fuses also..

[Gussie2000]

Hi shadow !

Beside all suggested recommendations i'll also checke the entire electrical system,it seems that your VX DC voltage is "pumping" more electrical draw which cause fuses to blow.

Also checked all ground cables but focuse on the alternator,battery,ECU & fuses.

Did you dash lights blinked right before the 1rst time the VX got power off ?

Try to recall any "symptoms" the VX had before it went off,that can also help find the source of the problem

[Thmstec]

I had a similar problem. Primary ignition circuit fuse was blowing. Turned out that my wiring harness had been routed behind the radiator :confused::mad::confused: and thus after a short bit of spirited driving had melted all together. Follow whatever fuse is blowing, I'm sure that'll unveil your problem. I'm sure the wiring diagram is in one of the .pdf's we have on the site.

[ShadowRider]

Thank you so much for all your help, guys! I will start on all of the suggestions that all of you have made. I appreciate it! I knew that I can count on all of you! ;) I sure hope this works!
Gussie - I don't recall the lights blinking on the dash right before it dies the first time...I was just focused on driving, when everything just cut out all of a sudden. I was just worried about pulling out of the intersection and into a spot. After the engine cut out, I would try to start it, and the engine rolls, but doesn't click. Every time that I turn the keys to the "on" position, almost all the lights would blink, and they just all stay on. Everything had worked fine prior to both events...I've never had engine problems at all either.
It is time that I should change the fuel filter...would that blow fuses?
I wonder why would changing the ECM the first time around allowed me to run the car the past few months...?
Thanks again! Any more suggestions would be greatly appreciated! I'll try to update everyone once the rain lightens up and I have a chance to check it again.

[pbkid]

i didnt catch before that it was raining....try drying off the distributor...sometimes if they get wet inside they wont fire correctly...

i had that happen on a toyota that i owned one time...

[etlsport]

i didnt catch before that it was raining....try drying off the distributor...sometimes if they get wet inside they wont fire correctly...

i had that happen on a toyota that i owned one time...

do we have a distributor?

[Y33TREKker]

Which fuse is it that you've had to keep replacing?

[pbkid]

do we have a distributor?
not sure lol :)

sounds dumb for me to give advice when im not sure where or if we have one...but i knew where it was on my toyota and my teg and both of them have had problems starting when it was wet out because the distributor got wet...

im pretty sure it would have to have a distributor...the distributor is what tells the spark plugs what order to fire in...trace the wires off the coil packs and there should be a distributor on the other end....

[SlowPro48]

Shadowrider - check out what mdwyer said before you go chasing any other rabbits. Use your head man - the engine quits suddenly and without warning (i.e., no sputtering, surging, etc), you're popping fuses, you're frying computers - I'd correct the electrical problem before even thinking about fuel delivery. You'll probably find some wires somewhere with insulation rubbed off or cut. They might do fine most of the time, then when you hit a bump they short - or maybe when it rains, you're getting water in the wiring harness and that's the reason electrons are mingling with wires they shouldn't associate with - who knows - just look all over for wires with bad insulation, starting with the location mdwyer suggested. If you need more info search for a thread Anita started. I think she was the first to sleuth this out years ago.

But DON'T go looking for a distributor to dry out because the VX has a wasted spark ignition like a motorcycle - so no distributor. That suggestion brought back fond memories of the MG I drove all through high school and college though - so thanks pbkid! Lucas, Lord of Darkness made sure I never went anywhere in the rain without first drying the distributor cap. Good times!

[pbkid]

haha i had the same problem with my 87 toyota pickup... wouldnt move anywhere in the rain without me having to get it dry and keep it that way....

my acura doesnt have the same problem as often because i replaced the distributor with a better one and havent had the problem since.....

sorry, i just wasnt positive about whether or not we had one...but i figured if we did it would be a good place to start..

[ShadowRider]

Hey folks. First of all, I want to thank everyone for all of your wonderful advice and help. You are all truly wonderful people on this site. Well, after a while of searching by my father, he found the culprit. Just to let everyone know what happened just in case another situation like mine occurs ( I would not wish it on anyone). He pretty much took my VX apart, and ran a little detection device over all of the wires that connected to the ECM, since that was the fuse that kept burning. He has this little handy device that can check for bad connections/wires...looks like a cassette player, especially since it is connected to a set of headphones. Well, whenever it runs over a bad wire, the machine will beep through the headset. As he took apart my VX to run the device over the wires, he found a bad wire right underneath the glove compartment of the passenger side...right by the passenger side feet area. He cut the wire and attached the ECM again, and everything started as normal! It's like nothing ever happened! So, everything runs well again, and it had nothing to do with anything except for that one wire! So, the original ECM, plus the two new ones that I purchased...they ALL WORK! My fuel pump is okay too...that was the first thing that he took apart to check, and found nothing wrong. So now here's my question...does anybody know the use of a wire that connects to the ECM, runs around the feet area of the passenger side, and through to the back of the car, near the fuel pump area, and connected to some valve thing? I know it's vague, but it's all I've got, since it's hard for me to translate what he did, or what it was. He had cut it, and I've had no issue with the problem so far...but we just don't know what was the use for it! I've tried to check all of the electrical buttons, such as the power doors, CD player, Hazards, etc...but have found nothing. Anyways, that's the gist of it. Thanks again for all your help,and if you have any idea as to what that wire is for, that would be great. I'm just glad to be driving the VX again!

[ShadowRider]

Hey folks. First of all, I want to thank everyone for all of your wonderful advice and help. You are all truly wonderful people on this site. Well, after a while of searching by my father, he found the culprit. Just to let everyone know what happened just in case another situation like mine occurs ( I would not wish it on anyone). He pretty much took my VX apart, and ran a little detection device over all of the wires that connected to the ECM, since that was the fuse that kept burning. He has this little handy device that can check for bad connections/wires...looks like a cassette player, especially since it is connected to a set of headphones. Well, whenever it runs over a bad wire, the machine will beep through the headset. As he took apart my VX to run the device over the wires, he found a bad wire right underneath the glove compartment of the passenger side...right by the passenger side feet area. He cut the wire and attached the ECM again, and everything started as normal! It's like nothing ever happened! So, everything runs well again, and it had nothing to do with anything except for that one wire! So, the original ECM, plus the two new ones that I purchased...they ALL WORK! My fuel pump is okay too...that was the first thing that he took apart to check, and found nothing wrong. So now here's my question...does anybody know the use of a wire that connects to the ECM, runs around the feet area of the passenger side, and through to the back of the car, near the fuel pump area, and connected to some valve thing? :confused:I know it's vague, but it's all I've got, since it's hard for me to translate what he did, or what it was. He had cut it, and I've had no issue with the problem so far...but we just don't know what was the use for it! I've tried to check all of the electrical buttons, such as the power doors, CD player, Hazards, etc...but have found nothing. Anyways, that's the gist of it. Thanks again for all your help,and if you have any idea as to what that wire is for, that would be great. I'm just glad to be driving the VX again!

[VCrossfan]

Hey folks. First of all, I want to thank everyone for all of your wonderful advice and help. You are all truly wonderful people on this site. Well, after a while of searching by my father, he found the culprit. Just to let everyone know what happened just in case another situation like mine occurs ( I would not wish it on anyone). He pretty much took my VX apart, and ran a little detection device over all of the wires that connected to the ECM, since that was the fuse that kept burning. He has this little handy device that can check for bad connections/wires...looks like a cassette player, especially since it is connected to a set of headphones. Well, whenever it runs over a bad wire, the machine will beep through the headset. As he took apart my VX to run the device over the wires, he found a bad wire right underneath the glove compartment of the passenger side...right by the passenger side feet area. He cut the wire and attached the ECM again, and everything started as normal! It's like nothing ever happened! So, everything runs well again, and it had nothing to do with anything except for that one wire! So, the original ECM, plus the two new ones that I purchased...they ALL WORK! My fuel pump is okay too...that was the first thing that he took apart to check, and found nothing wrong. So now here's my question...does anybody know the use of a wire that connects to the ECM, runs around the feet area of the passenger side, and through to the back of the car, near the fuel pump area, and connected to some valve thing? I know it's vague, but it's all I've got, since it's hard for me to translate what he did, or what it was. He had cut it, and I've had no issue with the problem so far...but we just don't know what was the use for it! I've tried to check all of the electrical buttons, such as the power doors, CD player, Hazards, etc...but have found nothing. Anyways, that's the gist of it. Thanks again for all your help,and if you have any idea as to what that wire is for, that would be great. I'm just glad to be driving the VX again!

Thats great to hear Shadow. Thats another one for the VX memory bank