Car Died last night, please help

[ThatsMeGC]

It's been acting weird for a few days, and last night the check gauges light came on, went off, came on a while later, then last night I was driving to my friends and my radio just stopped working, after I say "wtf" the car wants to stall, I give it gas, its running bad but running (backfiring, studdering, ect) I just keep giving it gas because I'm in a bad neighborhood, and need to get a few more blocks. But it died, I pulled over tryed to start it, no luck, just clicking, waited a few tried agian, it almost seemed to want to go, so I let it sit, after 15 minutes or so I try agian and it starts, seems to be running fine. I take off, get 2 houses away from my friends house and it stalls out agian and I coast it in.

Anyone have any clue what that could be? Sounds electrical to me. Any help would be a lifesaver.

[ThatsMeGC]

Re: Car Died last night, please help

I know I have a bad maf, so it's worth a shot, it seems like it will start after a "cool down period". It just sucks because I have no job right now and I have a feeling this is going to be very expensive. lol

[camaroman1181]

Re: Car Died last night, please help

what gauge was reading funny when the check gauges light came on? was it hot, wsa the voltage low?

based on teh little info ya have so far, id look towards the ingition system (heat soaked coil, ignition module.. after they cooled down, they worked again... ) or a bad alternator (were runnin off the battery.. after a while of sitting batteries recoup some of their charge... enough at least to get you those few more blocks... )

if you have an autozone near you, they can test the alternator off the car for you on their workbench inside... they should be able to test the ignition module as well...

if the check engine light is on, you could have the codes pulled too..

[slow6]

Re: Car Died last night, please help

I would definately go to autozone and get it scanned for free! We NEED those Codes!!!
I bet its all the MAFs fault! and yes a MAF is expensive, I would try cleaning it VERY VERY VERY carefully with alchol and a q-tip
and wait for the alchol to dry first before you start it

[CDNFB]

Re: Car Died last night, please help

Here's my guess,

Your alternator is dead, and your running off battery. Battery gets too low and wierd electrical things start to happen. Car ends up running funny because fuel pump voltage is getting too low. Then car dies. Battery voltage is too low to crank the engine. Every time you turn the key to start all you get is a clicking noise. You wait 10 min. and the battery recovers enough voltage to start and get you a few more blocks.

Charge up the battery. Start the car. Check the voltage at the battery with a volt ohm meter. Should be 14.5 volts (or there abouts). If voltage is low, alternator is not doing it's job. Get it replaced or rebuilt.

[ThatsMeGC]

Re: Car Died last night, please help

Thanks guys...

When the check gauge light came on everything looked fine. Earlier in the week the speedometer was showing me going 13mph while I was stopped at a light, when I started moving it was normal though. And it hasnt done that since that day.

I have tried cleaning the MAF before and it didn't clear the code.

The car is at my friends house, I guess I will go over there pull my car into his driveway and hook up a battery charger and see if that theory helps.

[camaroman1181]

Re: Car Died last night, please help

ok.. if you clean the MAF like stated, you must be VERY careful! personally, i would spend a few bucks and buy the CRC MAF cleaner. a few auto parts stores carry it. It comes in a grey can. A&A carries it, Autozone does not.. dunno who you might have local that would. MAF's are delicate sensors, so cleaning improperly could damage them.

Secondly.. take the battery out and have it charged at a parts store. Autozone and Advanced do it for free. They'll test the battery for free too. If you can, pull the alternator and have them test that for free too. Testing the voltage across the termials, while it will tell you some info, is not entirely accurate. a battery with a dead cell can still read fully charged when not under load. its only under load that the problem is apperent. I would take the components to some place that can help you out and do the tests correctly.

good luck and keep us posted

[ThatsMeGC]

Re: Car Died last night, please help

Thats guys, I'm on my way to my friends house (in my dads truck) take a battery charger, check if its dead and charge it up. Then try to drive it to my buddies shop with someone following me incase I dont make it.

[ThatsMeGC]

Re: Car Died last night, please help

Well, Charging it did not work. So, now I am waiting for my friend to not be busy at work and give me a tow to the shop, and let them figure it out.

[camaroman1181]

Re: Car Died last night, please help

will the car crank over? do you hae fuel pressure? spark? with teh charged battery, you should be able to crank it up and start it, even if the alternator is bad...

if you have no fuel pressure, check the pump.. that could cause the car to shut off while running.. if you let the car sit a while, then go to crank it up, and it fires up for a few seconds, it could be a fuel pump... try beating lightly on the bottom of your gas tank if thats the case and see if it runs at all... fuel pumps are electric motors, and electric motors can get stuck on dead spots on their commutators.

[ThatsMeGC]

Re: Car Died last night, please help

I got it fixed... It was just the Alt. I haven't driven it yet, I'm picking it up tomorrow. I really thought it was something more serious.