N00b needs some help.

[FyreJunkee]

I have a 92 fwd L with 205k miles that is giving me fits. When the outside temp is cold the engine will turn over but not start. I end up having to turn the key off and on until I can hear a relay click twice, and then the car will start. This problem is usually in tandem with the engine just shutting itself off randomly. This will sometimes happen multiple times in a row usually when hitting bumps, with the engine finally deciding to stay running. Other times it will just die altogether, but if I put the car in neutral (auto tranny) turn the key off, and re-start it will start right up.

I have replaced what I thought was the fuel pump relay. It was a round metal relay way up under the dash on the driver side in a bracket with a square relay that I also replaced to stop continuously lighting brake and battery lights ( I replaced the square relay, then this problem started. The fuel pump relay replacement has not solved the cold starting and dieing issue.

Once the car is warm, or the temp outside is warm, this problem does not happen.

Anyone with any tips on this?

Thanks.

[Huffer]

How are the terminals on the battery? Are your connections tight? Does the battery move around at all?

[FyreJunkee]

I will double check, but the connections were clean, and tight and the battery was secured last time I checked it. I also checked connections under the dash, and all looked good. I think I'll check again though.

Thanks for the reply.

[Huffer]

My next suggestion will be the ignition switch where your car keys hang. Over time this will get loose and make a poor connection.
Based on the issue that you hit a bump, this is enough to maybe jolt it out enough for the switch to loose it's connect.

[FyreJunkee]

I'll check on that too, and report back on my findings.

[FyreJunkee]

Ok, time for an update. I checked all things I could think to check last night. I removed and reseated all connectors into the outside connector block, double checked the battery terminals and hold-down, and even went so far as to remove, clean and re-install all the ground connections in the engine bay. I then unplugged all connections from inside the car at both computers, and the connections just underneath the computers and re-seated those also.

While driving the car the last few days, I wiggled the key in the ignition switch to check this possibility, but nothing happened while doing this.

What I am seeing is that when the car won't start in the morning, and now at other times as well, the check engine light is not on with the rest of the idiot lights that normally come on when the key is turned on. I must turn the key off and on until the check engine light lights, and then the car will start. When the light comes on is when I can hear a relay click twice. Also, when the car dies, no check engine light comes on and as I explained earlier, I need to turn the key off, then
make sure the check engine light comes on to re-start it. Also, when I re-start it after it dies while driving, the green 'power' light flashes several times and then goes out.

I now have two questions. What is the possibility that one or both of the computers under the dash is bad or going bad? I also found three skinny black 4 blade relays in the connection block that is above the fuse block under the dash. What do these control? I am thinking of just replacing them, but don't want to spend the money if it won't do any good.

Thanks for all the help, I do appreciate it. :smile: