Engine stalls/dies while driving
09-11-2013, 10:45 PM
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Engine stalls/dies while driving
FIX: Main relay was replaced and fixed this issue.
I've been browsing the forums for years while waiting to buy my s2000. I finally got one back in June and have run in to a problem with her. I have had the problem since I've had the car. It started a few days after I got her home.
The problem, well several problems, I'm having is that when I'm driving the engine will stall out for a split second. If I disengage the clutch during this time the engine will completely die until I engage the clutch again or push the start button. This was my original problem and I believe it has been getting worse and worse because I'm now getting slightly different scenarios.
1. The engine will die completely, with the clutch engaged, and not restart for several seconds. During this time, all the gauges are still functioning and the immobilizer light is NOT on.
2. The engine will die, with the clutch engaged, the dash and everything will go out, and the immobilizer light will blink. This only happened one time and I waited several seconds, then the light went away, and everything came back on, including the engine.
3. The engine will die for just a split second and come right back on assuming I haven't disengaged the clutch during this time. The cluster is normal, no immobilizer light, etc.
4. The engine will die, cluster is normal, and even with the clutch engaged, the engine will not restart. I have to turn the key off, then back to on, and the engine will finally restart via engaging the clutch.
5. The engine has died at idle a small amount of times. I believe it may be due to the same problem since I have done the MAP whack and cleaned the IAC valve and throttle body.
And I have had this problem happen under wide open throttle three times. However, it doesn't seem to correlate to any RPM, temperature, day, night, anything.
The car is not getting a CEL code nor running in an abnormal matter other than the stalling. The idle is a little funny to me, but it may just be s2000s in general. My troubleshooting so far is as follows:
I have started the car, in neutral, at idle, I unplug the immobilizer receiver and the car will run and operate as usual. I assume the immobilizer is only needed for startup. And according the wiring diagram, I believe I am correct. I have removed and cleaned all the major grounding points except the G101 ground and one end of the ground that is accessed from the engine bay by the ABS system, I can't see where it goes under the intake manifold. The G101 ground, I tugged on while the car was idling and the engine did not stall out. I have checked for proper voltage/continuity of the immobilizer. I have tapped/pulled on the main (PGM-FI) relay and surrounding wires with the car was idling. Hell, I have tugged and pulled on just about every wire under the dash while the car was idling hoping it would cut out when I did, but it didn't. I have read several forums involving my symptoms verbatim, however, no one has reported back as to what the direct cause was. My initial thought was the G101 ground or immobilizer (which happens to ground there), however, based on what I have done so far, I'm not so sure. I have researched how to disable the immobilizer, with may be my next step just to truly rule that out, however, I figured I would ask for help here first. I will, hopefully this weekend, look more into the ignition/main relay side of the things.
At this point, I have been dealing with this for about 3 months and it's kicking my ass. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance guys!
I've been browsing the forums for years while waiting to buy my s2000. I finally got one back in June and have run in to a problem with her. I have had the problem since I've had the car. It started a few days after I got her home.
The problem, well several problems, I'm having is that when I'm driving the engine will stall out for a split second. If I disengage the clutch during this time the engine will completely die until I engage the clutch again or push the start button. This was my original problem and I believe it has been getting worse and worse because I'm now getting slightly different scenarios.
1. The engine will die completely, with the clutch engaged, and not restart for several seconds. During this time, all the gauges are still functioning and the immobilizer light is NOT on.
2. The engine will die, with the clutch engaged, the dash and everything will go out, and the immobilizer light will blink. This only happened one time and I waited several seconds, then the light went away, and everything came back on, including the engine.
3. The engine will die for just a split second and come right back on assuming I haven't disengaged the clutch during this time. The cluster is normal, no immobilizer light, etc.
4. The engine will die, cluster is normal, and even with the clutch engaged, the engine will not restart. I have to turn the key off, then back to on, and the engine will finally restart via engaging the clutch.
5. The engine has died at idle a small amount of times. I believe it may be due to the same problem since I have done the MAP whack and cleaned the IAC valve and throttle body.
And I have had this problem happen under wide open throttle three times. However, it doesn't seem to correlate to any RPM, temperature, day, night, anything.
The car is not getting a CEL code nor running in an abnormal matter other than the stalling. The idle is a little funny to me, but it may just be s2000s in general. My troubleshooting so far is as follows:
I have started the car, in neutral, at idle, I unplug the immobilizer receiver and the car will run and operate as usual. I assume the immobilizer is only needed for startup. And according the wiring diagram, I believe I am correct. I have removed and cleaned all the major grounding points except the G101 ground and one end of the ground that is accessed from the engine bay by the ABS system, I can't see where it goes under the intake manifold. The G101 ground, I tugged on while the car was idling and the engine did not stall out. I have checked for proper voltage/continuity of the immobilizer. I have tapped/pulled on the main (PGM-FI) relay and surrounding wires with the car was idling. Hell, I have tugged and pulled on just about every wire under the dash while the car was idling hoping it would cut out when I did, but it didn't. I have read several forums involving my symptoms verbatim, however, no one has reported back as to what the direct cause was. My initial thought was the G101 ground or immobilizer (which happens to ground there), however, based on what I have done so far, I'm not so sure. I have researched how to disable the immobilizer, with may be my next step just to truly rule that out, however, I figured I would ask for help here first. I will, hopefully this weekend, look more into the ignition/main relay side of the things.
At this point, I have been dealing with this for about 3 months and it's kicking my ass. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance guys!
09-13-2013, 10:38 AM
#3
Finicky ignition switch? It happened to me before (on my NSX). Had to remove it, clean the contacts, and then it worked. It was a pretty easy thing to do, but I'm not sure how it might be on this car.
09-13-2013, 01:53 PM
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I've never researched how the immobilizer system works, is it a chip of sorts in the key fob that links with the ECM?? If so, you might have a problem between your fob and ECM communications. Just a thought
I think it would be easy enough to remove the immobilizer and a good place to start. It's essentially just an on/off switch installed between the wiring of your battery and starter. Just make sure if you remove it from the loop that you use good, heavy duty connectors and the right gauge jumper wire. If it turns out to be fine, you'll be able to snap it right back in.
That's just me thinking out loud, never really studied this car's ignition wiring.
On the other post you referred to, did you try and pm the op to see if they might have found a resolve?
I think it would be easy enough to remove the immobilizer and a good place to start. It's essentially just an on/off switch installed between the wiring of your battery and starter. Just make sure if you remove it from the loop that you use good, heavy duty connectors and the right gauge jumper wire. If it turns out to be fine, you'll be able to snap it right back in.
That's just me thinking out loud, never really studied this car's ignition wiring.
On the other post you referred to, did you try and pm the op to see if they might have found a resolve?
09-14-2013, 01:35 PM
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I read a thread about that on the NSX and I actually just did that today. The contacts looked great. It seems to me that when It dies, and won't restart until I turn ignition off an on, that it isn't getting fuel before I do that. So I feel like it has something to do with the main relay aka PGM-FI relay. So I'm trying to bypass the immobilizer so I don't have to have that factor in. But I don't think that's the only problem considering that I have had the gauges drop completely before. And not to mention when the car is running, you can completely unplug the immobilizer receiver and the car will run as it normally will. So that's throwing me off as well. I believe it only needs to recognize the key to start initially then it doesn't look for anything from the immobilizer.
Any other ideas?
Also, I didn't PM those member because the threads are 5 to 10 years old.
Any other ideas?
Also, I didn't PM those member because the threads are 5 to 10 years old.
09-16-2013, 05:10 PM
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Well, the members have not been active here for at least a year so not sure that's going to work out. I pulled the main relay out and put my eyes on the contacts, none of them are damaged or broken in any way. No abnormal things on it at all.
This is beginning to get depressing lol. Oh, the car is my DD too
This is beginning to get depressing lol. Oh, the car is my DD too
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09-16-2013, 08:25 PM
#8
Well, the members have not been active here for at least a year so not sure that's going to work out. I pulled the main relay out and put my eyes on the contacts, none of them are damaged or broken in any way. No abnormal things on it at all.
This is beginning to get depressing lol. Oh, the car is my DD too
This is beginning to get depressing lol. Oh, the car is my DD too
09-16-2013, 08:37 PM
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Replied!
I have thought about that and from what I have read and based off wrong diagrams, if the a15 pin of the ECM reads 12 volts you have a problem. Every case I have read it in isnt intermittent like mine. However, I'm going to connect a 12 volt lamp to that pin and see what happens next time I get this stutter. Happens every day so it won't be long lol.
I have thought about that and from what I have read and based off wrong diagrams, if the a15 pin of the ECM reads 12 volts you have a problem. Every case I have read it in isnt intermittent like mine. However, I'm going to connect a 12 volt lamp to that pin and see what happens next time I get this stutter. Happens every day so it won't be long lol.
09-16-2013, 09:38 PM
#10
Replied!
I have thought about that and from what I have read and based off wrong diagrams, if the a12 pin of the ECM reads 12 volts you have a problem. Every case I have read it in isnt intermittent like mine. However, I'm going to connect a 12 volt lamp to that pin and see what happens next time I get this stutter. Happens every day so it won't be long lol.
I have thought about that and from what I have read and based off wrong diagrams, if the a12 pin of the ECM reads 12 volts you have a problem. Every case I have read it in isnt intermittent like mine. However, I'm going to connect a 12 volt lamp to that pin and see what happens next time I get this stutter. Happens every day so it won't be long lol.