intermittantly dieing saturn

[Doug000]

I am attempting to help a friend figure out why her car dies randomly. She has a 1999 Saturn SL1. The car has died several times in the last few months. All but one time the car was going over 70 mph for 15-20 min. The gas tank has been between 1/4 and 1/2 full each time. Each time the car has needed to sit for about 5 minutes and then it is able to be restarted.

What has been done: The Saturn dealer spent a day looking at it after the first time it died and says it has to be a short in the wiring. Saturn says it could not be a clogged fuel filter because the car does not have one. I have found a fuel filter online for it and I have odered it. I have tested the fuel pressure (44 psi), fuel flow test (that is good), and resistance on the fuel pump (I honestly cannot remember the reading from this).

I was a mechanic for a about 6 years and I never saw anything like this. However, I am thinking that it is in the fuel system, but I cannot find out what the problem is.

Has anybody ever heard of this problem before?

Does anybody have an ideas what might be causing it?

Thanks

[AkinaSpeedStar]

well my friend had a problem just like this, actually exactly like this, you might want to try testing the cam or crank postion senser.

[miamisl2]

i have heard that this problem has been prominent with the new ions, saturn have no idea what is causing it. seems to happen after extended periods of highway travel after slowing down.

replace the filter anyway just to be sure. i havent heard of this problem on s series cars. does the car immediately shut off? is it having any acceleration problems? when exactly does it shut off? do rpms start to get lower and then shuts off ...ect ect?

[Doug000]

It stumbles fro just a few seconds like it out of fuel then dies. You can try to restart it immediately, but it won't restart for about 5 minutes. Then it runs normally for a few weeks.

[miamisl2]

are you usually accelerating when it stubles, or decelerating...or just letting it idle and then it stumbles? usally from a stop or when you're already moving?

[sierrap615]

my 2002 S-10 truck i drive for work was randomly studdering and stalling, everybody was thinking it was the fuel but when chevy pulled the code it was a bad ignition module. just my

[Doug000]

It has always died while driving a steady 70-75 mph after about 15 minutes of consistant speed. We have learned to slow down to about 68 and it does great.

[MERC_DoD]

My daughter is having the same problem. What was the solution?

[MERC_DoD]

I changed the Crank position sensor....did not fix the problem.

[rkvons]

Originally Posted by MERC_DoD

I changed the Crank position sensor....did not fix the problem.

Check the wire to the crank sensor. Make sure it is not touching the exhaust manifold.

[MERC_DoD]

It was the ignition control module. Whoo Hoo!