This started happening several weeks ago, but it was very rare. I kept say I was going to look into it, but its starting to happen more often, and seems to only be when the car is warmed up... It will usually start then immediately die, then just crank and crank. If I let it sit for a while it will usually start, but often I have to rev it as soon as it does or it will die again, but so far it always eventually starts and runs fine, with the usual slightly rough idle of a 150k mile mid eighties GM...
I need to check the codes, and see if there's anything there, but no I haven't yet... and I'm too lazy to go down to the garage right now... Just thought maybe someone might have an idea...
I haven't researched this much, and right now my only thought is possibly a bad coil, but I wouldn't think it would eventually start running again until maybe it cooled down... I remember testing the coil not long after I got the car, just to see, and it checked out okay. Maybe I need to try again?
thoughts?
Sorry, guess I should have mentioned this is on my '85 Skyhawk 1.8L TBI...
sounds like you might have a compression problem. BTW that car is sharp and your lucky to have it.
Beautiful car - I may have mentioned that before.
I had a similiar problem on mine and it turned out to be battery cables that worked themselves loose. Check codes, air / fuel / spark, the usual suspects. If you have idle issues, they can be fixed. I have around 150K and a nice 900 RPM idle...
Uh the FIRST thing I would check is the EGR valve! Being this part works in conjuction with the eng/exhaust on temp.Once the engine warms up the egr normally tends to stick in the vacumm mode of the diaprham inside and it will cause the car to idle weird,choke or not even start until the eng temp cools down.I am not sure on how ur egr is exactly on the design but, here are some examples if 1 it has a vacumm line only pull it off and run car as u would normally and see if makes any change.2 Now I would remove the egr and clean it with a wire brush or sandpaper and use carb cleaner or brake cleaner and make sure if it has a metal pintal that looks like say a nail that moves up and down it moves FREELY.Now after cleaning if no change probably the rubber diaphram inside the metal housing has deteriated and is loosing vacumm and causing the car to act up choke,cut off,not start.This part will NOT set a code. Napa sells this part and to the best of my knowledge advance auto parts and auto zone do not at least for cavaliers/sunbird models.That is my book bc I myself delt with the exact issue just the idle wierd,choking but the start issue was not a problem.I do know the eng temps at normal would greatly affect the no start effect until the eng cooled below say 185 -195 depending.I am so way tired so I hope this makes sense and I would simply remove the egr first and clean it right off bc I have had this issue with my 87 mazda pu as well.Just a note I replaced the egr on my cav 85 due to the rubber diaprham inside he egr was sucking air causing issue and no codes and running issues.
I "think" I may have found the problem. The coil side clip on the coil/distributor wire was spread too far, and not letting it click. I've driven it twice since fixing this, and both times it fired right up, and seemed to run and idle better. I'll keep you guys updated on this...
If this doesn't fix it, I'll dig into the EGR, and such...
thanks, guys...
Oh, and thanks for the compliments. I do feel lucky to have it...
