Car let me down for the first time in years

[jeff]

Sitting here waiting for tow truck at 11:30pm. Car starts, I turn on the headlights and it dies. Now it won't start...turning over but not firing :-(

[sdg3205]

Sounds like your car thought your relationship was a bit stale and is trying to spice things up.

[jeff]

LOL...I guess so. Home safe and sound, going to bed. I must admit those two little two hooks work like a damn.

If any of you have a suggestion or guess as to what it might be. Or something I should check, please say so. It doesn't get dark until after 11:00, and I'm old. So I'm not usually up that late I can't remember the last time I turned the headlights on. I'm guessing I blew a fuse, relay??

[Bitsyncmaster]

Head lights should not have affected the engine unless the alternator was not working. So since the headlight +12 is not a common engine problem my guess would be the ground at the back of the relay compartment. Since your engine is cranking it sounds like the battery is good. Hope it's a repeatable failure so you can find the problem.

[David T]

Head lights should not have affected the engine unless the alternator was not working. So since the headlight +12 is not a common engine problem my guess would be the ground at the back of the relay compartment. Since your engine is cranking it sounds like the battery is good. Hope it's a repeatable failure so you can find the problem.

Sounds like a dead alternator and a low battery. Without enough voltage the ignition ECU will not function. Fix the alternator and charge up the battery.
David Teitelbaum

[Ron]

If the engine would turn over right after it died, it wasn't the battery or alternator. It takes WAY more power to crank than it does to run the entire car with everything on...

Pull your coil wire and see if it sparks. If not, first check the connections at the resistor block, then fuses 1, 7, others.
Turning on the lights could be coincidental, probably not, but see if you have pressure at the air plate if you have spark.
Figuring out if it is a fuel or fire (spark) problem is the first step.

[jeff]

Thanks guys. The alternator is new last fall, battery at the same time. I turned the car over a LOT last night. Even this morning it turns over fine.

I agree with Ron that it could be coincidental that it happened when I turned the headlights on...but unlikely. I'm thinking I blew a fuse or something. Is it possible that the RPM relay could have been...altered?

[Bitsyncmaster]

Thanks guys. The alternator is new last fall, battery at the same time. I turned the car over a LOT last night. Even this morning it turns over fine.

I agree with Ron that it could be coincidental that it happened when I turned the headlights on...but unlikely. I'm thinking I blew a fuse or something. Is it possible that the RPM relay could have been...altered?

The OEM RPM relays do get sudden failures and then could work the next day. That is due to broken solder joints that tend to be intermittent. Try to start it with the RPM relay jumper. Every owner should carry a jumper or two to get home when a relay or switch fails. My jumper has two wires and three pins so it can power both the pump and lambda system replacing the RPM relay.

[jeff]

-Jumped the RPM relay, nothing.
-The car acts as it should, when I turn it on the fuel pump buzzes for a second or so then shuts off.
-I have spark, checked at the coil
-fuses and relays "seem" OK
-Connections at the resistor are good
-Checked the Intertia switch, appears to be OK

I've been driving the car every day, to and from work. In the evenings, hot/cold/wet weather. In traffic, on the highway...the car has been perfect, absolutely no issues. Last night I get in the car, it starts right up. As soon as I push the headlight switch...it quits. Now it won't run. Turns over like crazy but will not fire.

[Ron]

Confirm it still will not start, check for spark at a couple of easy plug wires, and that you have pressure at the air plate...