Damn varmints!

[Unavita]

This is the year of the mouse! No! I am not speaking of the Chinese Calendar! I am speaking of actual field mice finding a home in anything I own that contains a M119 engine- that being 2 cars.

My '91 500 SL had a nest but that has been dealt with. The only issue with that car I believe is a bad transmission pump. The car is very flary into R and there is no 3 and 4.

More importantly, and I almost commented on another thread but feel this is very different, my '95 S420 seems to have an electrical gremlin left over from winter visitors.

Symptoms:

It restarted right away initially but was VERY rough running. That was...February.

I cleaned the moisture from the caps. I believe GSXR stated the caps have different PN and there is a L and R???

I have doubly made sure it has enough battery power.


TODAY:

I began tracing wires last night. The car coughed. This morning I went back to it. I pulled the wires at the front of the firewall for inspection. I traced the wire going to the ezl. Nowhere is there a visible sign of a short.

I disconnected the MAF.

The dash was properly lit and a gave the ignition a turn. IT STARTED! IT PURRED. IT ran for 30 minutes without a hiccup. Then a quick loss of rpm with a quick recovery. I reconnected the MAF- no change to anything.

I put the car in gear and the RPM's dropped to 500 and the car stalled. No restart. I waited. I checked the wires again. Only a cough every so often.

- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION-

I noticed that the fuel gauge will not always show the amount of fuel in the car. The ABS and Limp mode flash alternative live after I try a failed re-start.

One of the solenoids at the MOI area (the tall one ) continues to run even after a half hour of not running.


I did find a wire (yellow with brown stripe/ white with black stripe) cut in the harness. (SHOWN) This is a part of the harness that goes along the firewall. It was found cut in the fuse box area. It runs to the ECU harness/area.

 

[gsxr]

It restarted right away initially but was VERY rough running. That was...February.

I cleaned the moisture from the caps. I believe GSXR stated the caps have different PN and there is a L and R???

No, the caps (and rotors) are the same part number for left and right.

I put the car in gear and the RPM's dropped to 500 and the car stalled. No restart. I waited. I checked the wires again. Only a cough every so often.

This kinda sounds like secondary ignition issues. Have you removed both caps to inspect for moisture, or severe corrosion?

I noticed that the fuel gauge will not always show the amount of fuel in the car.

This is unrelated... likely the sending unit needs to be removed & cleaned (assuming the 140 sending unit is similar to 124).

The ABS and Limp mode flash alternative live after I try a failed re-start.

Huh. That's odd.

One of the solenoids at the MOI area (the tall one ) continues to run even after a half hour of not running.

Is that the photo showing the wire removed from the connector? If so, that's the auxiliary coolant pump for the heater core.

I did find a wire (yellow with brown stripe/ white with black stripe) cut in the harness. (SHOWN) This is a part of the harness that goes along the firewall. It was found cut in the fuse box area. It runs to the ECU harness/area.

If the wire isn't severed, or shorted to something, it probably isn't causing problems. Tape or otherwise seal the damaged insulation.

 

[Unavita]

Is that the photo showing the wire removed from the connector? If so, that's the auxiliary coolant pump for the heater core.

AHHA! NOW WE KNOW why the heater isn't working very well!

This kinda sounds like secondary ignition issues. Have you removed both caps to inspect for moisture, or severe corrosion?

(I learn all kinds of things from you! Emoji's- stick multiple quotes!)

So the car just restarted. It is cold. The fuel gauge worked. I energized it twice for 30 seconds. Started, ran and I moved it. But once it was hot over 80 Celsius it will not restart. The fuel gauge does not operate correctly now once hot and the flashing lights start happening again- every time there is a no start issue.


Q: Could this be that the car needs a new ignition tumbler??

 

[gsxr]

Started, ran and I moved it. But once it was hot over 80 Celsius it will not restart.

Assuming the starter cranks but the engine will not fire... there's a chance you are dealing with a defective CKP (crank sensor, at the transmission bellhousing). Test CKP resistance when cold/cool, it's generally around 800-900 ohms. When hot it might be 900-1200 ohms, roughly. Now measure when the engine cranks but won't fire... if it measures thousands of ohms, or infinite, the CKP is defective.

The fuel gauge does not operate correctly now once hot and the flashing lights start happening again- every time there is a no start issue.

Q: Could this be that the car needs a new ignition tumbler??

Hmmm. Seems unlikely, but a bad ignition tumbler could cause some real weirdness. I'd start by twiddling every fuse to make sure all are making good contact. Don't forget the fuses in the BM/GM also (these are for the computer modules).

 

[Unavita]

Hmmm. Seems unlikely, but a bad ignition tumbler could cause some real weirdness. I'd start by twiddling every fuse to make sure all are making good contact. Don't forget the fuses in the BM/GM also (these are for the computer modules).

I'LL check them. I checked to make sure they are not blown but I will wiggle.

Assuming the starter cranks but the engine will not fire... there's a chance you are dealing with a defective CKP (crank sensor, at the transmission bellhousing). Test CKP resistance when cold/cool, it's generally around 800-900 ohms. When hot it might be 900-1200 ohms, roughly. Now measure when the engine cranks but won't fire... if it measures thousands of ohms, or infinite, the CKP is defective.

The CKP- I did wiggle that earlier too before restarted today. You're going to tell me to remove the magnet at the tranny bell housing aren't you!?! I do have the wire exposed at the firewall if I am able to test it there with the male/female adapter area? I'm betting these are NLA like the 126 are!

SO no chance we're looking at a bad Ezl at this point or fuel pump relay switch?

 

[gsxr]

The CKP- I did wiggle that earlier too before restarted today.

To test, disconnect the CKP from the EZL and use an ohm meter from the center hole to the outer ring. Might be some photos and more info if you search the forum.

You're going to tell me to remove the magnet at the tranny bell housing aren't you!?!

LOL, no, you shouldn't have to mess with the flywheel magnets.

I do have the wire exposed at the firewall if I am able to test it there with the male/female adapter area? I'm betting these are NLA like the 126 are!

Fortunately, the CKP's are still available new from the dealer! For now, anyway. (Knock sensors, OTOH... yep... NLA.)

SO no chance we're looking at a bad Ezl at this point...

It's unlikely. EZL's typically don't work when cold and fail when hot. When an EZL is dead, it's dead... either permanently losing 4 cylinders (one distributor), or losing 8 cylinders (will not start, period - no spark).

or fuel pump relay switch?

You can test pressure at the rail with a generic fuel pressure gauge. It's also unlikely the fuel pumps/relay would be ok when cold, but act up when warm.

 

[Unavita]

I have a FP tester (duh me)! I also did the "push it in and see how far it shoots test"!

@gsxr is my new favorite person. LOL

 

[Unavita]

I'LL check them. I checked to make sure they are not blown but I will wiggle.

The CKP- I did wiggle that earlier too before restarted today. You're going to tell me to remove the magnet at the tranny bell housing aren't you!?! I do have the wire exposed at the firewall if I am able to test it there with the male/female adapter area? I'm betting these are NLA like the 126 are!

SO no chance we're looking at a bad Ezl at this point or fuel pump relay switch?

830 ohms (originally typed "homes" as in 1988 "Colors" with Ice Cube)[ Now playing on my 5000watt system] cold at CKP. Cannot test warm until restart is capable. Sporadic.