1996 Olds Achieva Engine cuts out

[CivilWarJF]

I have a 1996 Olds Achieva with a 3.1L-V6 engine that has 95,000 miles on it. I am experiencing an electrical problem where the engine, while moving, suddenly stops.

Some background: This issue happened to me twice about 4 months ago. While at a stoplight, waiting to turn all of my warning lights flickered and suddenly my engine had stopped. I put the vehicle in park, turned of the switch and successfully restarted the car. About 30 minutes later, while driving on the hwy, the warning lights on the dash board flickered, the engine cut out and I was coasting to a stop without power steering. In both instances the radio remained on. The shop, which is trustworthy, could not replicate the problem and advised that I keep an eye on things.

One month later (Nov '08) my car had more problems. I left the seatbelt in the door, I think this caused the battery to run low (though I am not certain). The car jumped sucessfully, was driven about 10 minutes and then shut-off. Twenty minutes later it would not start and could not be jumped. Subseuently my shop spent several hours to hash out the problem and replaced a fusible link and the starter relay. No further problems for 3 months.

Current problem. A few days ago while in a turn lane, my dashboard warning lights flickered, the engine cut out, I lost power steering and coasted to a stop. After parking car and waiting a brief minute, the vehicle started sucessfully. I went an hour down the road and while on the highway, the engine cut out immediately after the dashboard lights flickered. I pulled over, stopped and restarted the car. In both instances the radio was still playing.

Today, I went to start the car, but the dashboard lights flickered, this time the radio made a clicking sound and it reset the clock. In the next couple attempts to start the car, the vehicle started but cut-out within a few seconds. I waited another minute, then all was fine.

From my reading, it sounds similiar to some problems dealing with the cluster or crank sensor, but I would like to hear the thoughts of others. Any advice and DIY instructions are welcome and will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Jim

[Great 88]

Did you check the ignition switch?

I had the same problems on a VW Jetta. Dash lights went off, engine died, radio still worked.

Pull off the steering column cover, or whatever covers the connectors for your ignition switch. Look at the connector and all the connections that it mates with the switch.
Check for looseness of the pins, burning, etc...

Then try starting the car and wiggling the connector around and see if you can make it die (at home of course!). This will tell you that there is a bad connection in there. If it doesn't die, try wiggling the key slightly in the switch. If it doesn't then the problem may be with any connections to the starter or the solenoid shorting out. If it does, you know your switch is bad

Since you mentioned your mechanic replaced the fusible link and starter relay, there may be a short in the wires in this area. Do the same checks as you did with the ignition switch, and see if you can come up with any results.

[HanlonsRazor]

Originally Posted by CivilWarJF

I have a 1996 Olds Achieva with a 3.1L-V6 engine that has 95,000 miles on it. I am experiencing an electrical problem where the engine, while moving, suddenly stops.

Some background: This issue happened to me twice about 4 months ago. While at a stoplight, waiting to turn all of my warning lights flickered and suddenly my engine had stopped. I put the vehicle in park, turned of the switch and successfully restarted the car. About 30 minutes later, while driving on the hwy, the warning lights on the dash board flickered, the engine cut out and I was coasting to a stop without power steering. In both instances the radio remained on. The shop, which is trustworthy, could not replicate the problem and advised that I keep an eye on things.
... skipping a bit ...

Current problem. A few days ago while in a turn lane, my dashboard warning lights flickered, the engine cut out, I lost power steering and coasted to a stop.

... skipping ...

I went an hour down the road and while on the highway, the engine cut out immediately after the dashboard lights flickered. I pulled over, stopped and restarted the car. In both instances the radio was still playing.

Today, I went to start the car, but the dashboard lights flickered, this time the radio made a clicking sound and it reset the clock. In the next couple attempts to start the car, the vehicle started but cut-out within a few seconds. I waited another minute, then all was fine.

From my reading, it sounds similiar to some problems dealing with the cluster or crank sensor, but I would like to hear the thoughts of others. Any advice and DIY instructions are welcome and will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Jim

Hi Jim,
My 96 Achieva has the 2.4L (4 cyl), so I don't know if my experiences will be helpful, but they might be. Last year, I had a failing instrument panel cluster, which caused the vehicle to not start. Replacing the cluster fixed my problem, but in the year or so before it died completely, I never had a problem with the car stalling once it had started successfully. In my case, the problem was that the part of the IPC that contained the "Passlock" system was failing, and it would fail to authorize the fuel pump immediately after the starter was cranked. Since that doesn't sound like the behavior you're seeing, my initial thought would be to start your search somewhere other than the cluster. Of course, I'm learning as I go, so someone more knowledgeable might have better insights.

Good luck!

[keeneydj]

The only time I have had a problem similar to this, it was on a '78 impala. The bracket the held the back end of the starter up, fell over on to the main positive post on the solenoid. It finally melted through the negative battery terminal, and all stop. But before it made it all the way through, the car was acting the same as you are describing. Everything flickers, car dies ect. I was able to restart this one 2 or 3 times before the cable end was trashed.

What I am getting at is it sounds like a short close to the main power circuit. You said the radio stays on, which is believable. The radio is pretty much on it's own circuit. Plus we know it's not the MAIN power circuit, or everything would be going out.

I'm with Great 88. I'd check the ignition switch first. It's fairly cheap, and I could see the switch kicking back to off just due to vibration or whatever. Or it could just be shorting out. The '92 achieva I have, the ignition switch doesn't even click anymore when you turn it. It just kinda slides around and you have to pay attention to the dash lights and motor to make sure you have it in the right spot. I'll be changing that soon, but it is a switch that does control most of the power to everything in the car.

The question I'm curious about is if the interior lights or headlights went out when the car died, or if they stayed on with the radio. The more things I know that went out/stayed on, the less guessing I'd have to do. You know, "was it just the things the ignition switch controls that went off, or a bigger problem?"

Still, if you haven't ever replaced the ignition switch, it's not going to hurt. Maybe your wallet a tad, the switch for that car is about $45. (Borg-warner CS-199)

I'm betting that's what it is. Not an expert, but that's what I think.

-Dan