car died- dis bad?

D

decipha

Registered User
I was driving my car day before yesterday like usually I turned off a major highway into mcdonalds to get something to eat. As I stopped at the drive thru my car started surging and bucking, it backfired a couple time and then it died. My fuel pressure was right at 42psi so I know its getting fuel. My tach was acting crazy right before it died. I'm pretty sure its the DIS that went bad but I wanted to know what other think.

The DIS was changed out 2 years ago but we all know these DIS modules are hit and miss. I'm going to swap it with the DIS from my other sc that I know works. Anyone think this won't fix the problem?
 
That would be my first pick but it also sounds like when a balancer falls off. With these cars you never know untill you get your hands dirty. Hope its DIS,easy to fix.
 
the balancer is still on intact and spins perfectly round.. i just removed the s/c belt and jackshaft belt to try to help figure out whats causing the problem.


I'm heading up to radioshack in a few moments to get some arctic silver #5 to swap the dis from my other s/c...i'll post back the results.
 
DIS replaced and problem still remains!

i got ansy and removed the cam sensor... first start attempt, failed
second start attempt... failed... third start attempt.... vroom

runs perfect no bad idle no miss and best of all I CAN HIT BOOST.. an ongoing problem for 2 1/2 years now finally resolved
 
not to sound like a total noob. what is the DIS?
still kinda new to the site, only had my car for a few months.
i love this car, and this site has been great help.
 
brandywine11297> what is the DIS?

'Distributorless Ignition System' module.

Sits above the AC compressor on early SCs and on the passenger side fenderwell on later models.

Instead of a traditional distributor, the SC engine uses various sensors, senders and transistorized components, which includes the DIS module, or simply 'DIS' as it is commonly referred to by many owners.
 
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ok, thanx. my buddy i got the car from said he replaced it about a year and half ago. this car is great. i traded a 14ft aluminum boat for it, that i got for free. so far i got about $1500 in the car, and $1000 of it was replacing the tranny. oh, i forgot to mention, the car only has 68,000 miles on it.
you can see it here http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2172271/5
 
brandywine11297> i traded a 14ft aluminum boat for it, that i got for free

Got rid of a boat and picked up a free SC??!! Way to go... :)
 
the better part of the deal is i sold my 1995 saturn sw2 for $1000, so that means i only got $500 in the car. and it is just repair. put in a battery, changed the alternator, iac, had tranny rebuilt, and a ignition control module (i think that is what its called). recharged the a/c in class yesterday, and it cools great. it was retrofitted about 3 years ago by my buddy.
 
decipha said:
DIS replaced and problem still remains!

i got ansy and removed the cam sensor... first start attempt, failed
second start attempt... failed... third start attempt.... vroom

runs perfect no bad idle no miss and best of all I CAN HIT BOOST.. an ongoing problem for 2 1/2 years now finally resolved
Click to expand...

so you removed your cam sensor and it ran perfect? am i missing something?
 
Fat Tony157> so you removed your cam sensor and it ran perfect? am i missing something?

The system can run with 3 or 4 sensors/senders disconnected due to the computer being able to substitute various logged/retained or default values.

In the case of the camshaft sensor, if it fails to supply the proper cylinder firing event, the system/computer will take a guess. It has a 1-in-3 chance in guessing correctly and when it finally does, the engine will start and run. How long it runs and how well depends on how long before an attempt is made to allow genuine signals to be checked/used (again) instead.

What decipha did was to disconnect the camshaft sensor to troubleshoot the issue (third start attempt.... vroom), and I assume replace it as part of the process.
 
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i finally figured out what was wrong.

my crank bolt snapped off inside the crank, it was the wrong bolt, it also had 7 washers holding the balancer on :eek:

the backyard mechanic that put this new ford engine in a couple years back was cutting corners and did this the backyard redneck way.

I'm glad I got it figured out but now i have a bigger dilemma trying to get the broken crank bolt out.
 
Be carefull and make shure you are dead on center when you drill it. Get the right easy out as well. I bought one where they tried to drill it out and they went off and messed up the threads. Had to replace short block. :rolleyes:
Glad you figured it out.
 
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