Jeramie Posted July 25, 2006 Report Share Posted July 25, 2006 I grew up working on cars but bring a sensor into the equation and I get lost pretty quick..... (Didnt see to many of those on 80's and early models of 302, 350, 351, etc). My Kia pooped out on me last Thursday with 65k on it. My inital thought was Fuel Filter. It had started to idle rough just a day or so before but never cut out, the light never came on, etc. I stopped in Tulsa to pick some stuff up and when I came out it went south on me. It sputtered, cut out, and died when I put torque on the engine (put it in reverse). I got it to start again and as long as I kept the tach at roughly 2.5-3 grand it would stay running. It was a rough run but it ran. As soon as it idles down it would cut out and die again. You would then Crank and crank and it would never start. Wait 10-minutes and it would start and run for just a few minutes with the same end result. We hauled it home and it sat from Wednesday to Yesterday. It fired right up but the idle was still a little rough. The check engine light was on too. I had a friend follow me the 15 or so miles to Autozone. As we got within eye sight it died and wouldnt start again (its getting fire but acts like it isnt getting gas). We towed it roughly a block. Autozone hooked it up and the computer showed three things. One was a vaccume hose. The engine looks brand new. An old couple had the car from the time it was new. They lived in Tulsa and all 50k were highway miles. I couldnt find a single cracked hose. We finally got it started again after it sat about 10-minutes. We couldnt hear a vaccume leak either. Typically that makes them run rough but to die like that? Never seen it. However with all the junk on them these days nothing surprises me. The other two options were a Mass Air Flow Sensor or a Cam Shaft Sensor (according to the computer). I have no idea but it will take several days (special order) and $100 each if I try to replace them. I could go through the steps of replacing both of them but if I can save $100 id prefer to. It has sat all night at Autozone because it wouldnt make it home. Now that its sat that long I will be able to drive it roughly 14 of the 15 miles back to the house. If I dont have a reason to stop and I can keep it above 2000rpm I can probably make it the whole way..... What say you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdvantageTimberLou Posted July 25, 2006 Report Share Posted July 25, 2006 Re: Alright Car Repair Guys..... Question. so if it restarts it rules out a faulty fuel pump, as for the sensors it could very well be as most cars today with all the computers and sensors they all are relaying information its amazing it even runs. Almost acts like its timing is off or its moving or slipping a bit. Timing off makes an engine run rough or it could be that cam shaft sensor as that would explain the timing issue. That car should have a timing chain or belt, not like the good old days with a distributor you can adjust. I would go with the Cam Shaft sensor but the thing that boggles me is that its ok to run after it cools down. So it's something getting hot, causing the computer to run erractic and causing the car to run rough or not at all. Good luck, I am not familiar with all the new things on cars, give me a small block Chevy from the 60's or 70's before smog was an issue!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted July 25, 2006 Report Share Posted July 25, 2006 Re: Alright Car Repair Guys..... Question. Think Lou is probably right Jeramie. Would try and replace the camshaft sensor first. The computers on these cars nowadays control so much and the camshaft sensor could possibly be causing the computer to do some weird stuff with the ignition causing your rough idle and shut down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeramie Posted July 25, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2006 Re: Alright Car Repair Guys..... Question. Id almost bet its not the timing due to the fact it will restart and run for a minute, die and then wont run again. My guess is a sensor too. I think its relaying info back to the computer and then it kills it. Perhaps its trying to run lean? I cant say...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckslayer Posted July 25, 2006 Report Share Posted July 25, 2006 Re: Alright Car Repair Guys..... Question. I know this sounds wierd Jeramie, but use some Berkebile carb cleaner or a good contact spray cleaner, and spray off your MAF sensor wire. Don't touch the wire though because it can break very easily, just hit it with a couple of good sprays. Its located inside the hose running to your air cleaner. I have seen this twice before, once on an Isuzu, and once on a Kia. One of the times, cleaning the MAF sensor wire worked. The Isuzu took a new crankshaft sensor... Thats the route I'd go... personally. I've had two years of mechanic experience, which isn't a lot I realize - but I hope this helps (it at least won't hurt to try before buying the crankshaft sensor). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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