Rhonda

I had major repairs done on my 87 nissan stanza. replaced pistons, head gasket, spark plugs, thermostat, themostat sensor, radiator sensor, new radiator. My car worked great for about a week now after it warms up or drives for about 15 minutes it cuts off. It seems as though we have to let it cool a little bit before it starts again and will run for about 5 -10 min. then cuts off again. I have been stuck in intersections and the side of the road a couple of times, We need help pin pointing the problem. We have changed the fuel filter, checked the distributor cap and made sure the idle was set right. Were wondering about the Electronic ignition module??? Suggestions or anyone else had this problem before. It has 2 modules $89.99 each, exhaust side and intake side. want to make sure we know the problem so we don't spend too much more time or money, I need my car fixed as I have 2 kids to take care of.

HELP PLEASE!!

Macc

Since the problem started one week after major repairs I would suspect it has something to do with that. In particular I would guess maybe an important wire was damaged or an electrical connector might not have been secured good enough. Often either condition can allow a car to start and run fine and then as your driving down the road the vibrations, heat, etc. can cause it to act up (and if its an important wire, stall the engine). Then, after some time, everything settles down and the car starts again. So, look over the wiring harness for any signs of damage and check to make sure all electrical connections are secure (mainly the sensors and including the grounding straps).

Here are some questions:
(1) What was the reason for all of the work (in particular the temperature sensor replacement)?
(2) When the engine quits on you does it immediately die or does it sputter and take some time to stop? Are there any signs before the engine quits (such as it starts choking etc.)
(3) Does it die only at slow idle (like at a stop sign) or does it happen when driving at a good speed, or both?

Here are a couple of tests you can do next time it quits on you:
(1) If it stalls and will not start, turn the key off and then turn it to on. You should be able to hear the fuel pump hum for a few seconds each time you do this. If you do not hear it there is likely a problem with the fuel pump. Sometimes the electric motor in the fuel pump can have dead spots. This can cause it to work (and not work) at various times. I believe your car has the pump in the tank. So, if the car quits, try tapping on the bottom of the gas tank. Sometimes this can revive a fuel pump to life.
(2)Try pressing the accelerator a little bit when trying to start it. Sometimes the throttle position sensor can have bad spots and the ECM does not receive a signal.
(3) Try spraying something into the intake such as carburator cleaner to see if the engine will fire. Also pull a plug wire and check for spark. This will help to narrow down whether the problem is fuel or spark.

Here are some other possibilities:
(1) A problem with the crankshaft position sensor (possibly getting fouled by oil getting on it).
(2) The ignition module can cause the problem you have described. I believe some auto stores (such as autozone) can check it for you.
(3) A bad coil.
(4) If a car runs good when it is cool, and gets worse as it warms up then it could be a problem with the coolant temperature sensor. The coolant temperature sensor can cause weird things to happen when it is not working properly. One problem that can happen with this sensor is that an air pocket can develop around it and cause engine problems. Since you just had a new radiator installed, check the coolant level and maybe bleed the system.
Good Luck and post back!