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Hello,

I have a 2000 SSEi with 150,000 miles on it, but the engine had been replaced and has about 60,000. Last night, I went to start the car and all it would do is crank, sputter, then stall. I couldn't get it to run by giving it more gas. There was a slight smell of gas; maybe from flooding. I had it towed to a dealership, and wouldn't you know it, the car started and ran normally this morning. No history codes... nothing. I'm thinking the crank sensor might be going bad, but what about the fuel pump or even a bad ignition coil? The car's been driving fine all afternoon, but I don't want to get stuck somewhere out of town.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

If it was flooded, it doesn't sound like a fuel pump.

Pumping the pedal doesn't give it more gas. The injectors spray a pre-determined amount during the start cycle. Pressing the pedal only adds more AIR. To clear out a flooded engine, hold the pedal to the floor. If the TPS sees 100% throttle on start, the fuel injector pulse is disabled allowing you to clear out any flooding.

If this happens again, check for spark first. Smell the vacuum line from the FPR after your next drive. Does it smell like fuel or not?

Well, it just happened again. I started the car at work and the engine was stumbling. Drove home, having to keep putting it in neutral and giving it gas to keep it running. No gas smell, but almost like a burnt smell of some sort. The car died one block from my home. Could not keep running. Waiting for AAA to tow back to dealership. This is starting to get me pi##ed off. You don't think the engine is bad, do you?

Oh great!! Now, it's blowing white smoke too.... might be time to buy a Honda!

Sounds like the LIM gaskets failed. Would explain a lot. Coolant in the cylinders would cause hard starting.

Yup. And the dealer is going to rape you on that.

For your reference, I recently had my LIM replaced at a (former) GM dealership shop. I provided the parts and negotaited the labor cost for replacing the LIM and valve cover gaskets as well as also injector o-rings, egr, vacuum lines & T's etc for a total of $450 labor. Ordered parts added up to a couple of hundred dollars.

That labor may be a better deal than you might usually find though.

double click - doh!

Honestly, LIM gaskets aren't that hard, if you have the time, tools and space to do it. Figure a full day, including clean up and any parts runs, lol.

mshipon wrote:Hello,

I have a 2000 SSEi with 150,000 miles on it, but the engine had been replaced and has about 60,000. Last night, I went to start the car and all it would do is crank, sputter, then stall. I couldn't get it to run by giving it more gas. There was a slight smell of gas; maybe from flooding. I had it towed to a dealership, and wouldn't you know it, the car started and ran normally this morning. No history codes... nothing. I'm thinking the crank sensor might be going bad, but what about the fuel pump or even a bad ignition coil? The car's been driving fine all afternoon, but I don't want to get stuck somewhere out of town.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

After re-reading your note it came to me that this sounds exactly like what happened to me when my fuel pump died - no codes either. Once towed and delivered to the shop she started right up, but they replaced the pump anyway because I insisted you couldn't hear the pump prime when turning the key to 'on'.
The only thing you have that doesn't match my situation is the white smoke. Maybe have the fuel pressure and the pump checked first before going on to way more expensive repairs. Just my two cents.

If you do the work yourself or even if you have someone else do it, CHANGE THE OIL IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE WORK IS DONE!!! I've seen almost a dozen of these that have come in that have recently had the gaskets replaced and withing a few months have spun a bearing or had other internal problems. When I tear them down, I find a lot of remnants of the old gaskets that have worked their way down into the bottom end.

Just got the car back from the dealership. Had history codes P0446: Evap, P0102: MAF, P0300, Misfire. They determined the problem to be with the mass airflow sensor. They replaced the sensor, cleared codes and test drove. The car is running fine.... so far. Cost me $312 after $80 employee discount. I hope that's the end of it.

WOW wish I could get paid $312 to remove an electrical plug, two screws, a sensor thats very visible, and reverse procedure. Oh wait I forgot the hour to do the diag....

mshipon, any updates on whether the MAF fixed the problem or not? I am working with a car that is doing the exact same thing, codes and all.

Hello... Yes, it's been about 4 weeks now and the car has been running better than ever since the sensor was replaced.

Martin

great Now Im all confused.. mine has done this three time now.. same symptoms except no white smoke.. I was all ready to buy a new fuel pump after ready today .. Now it could be a MAF??? ahhhh lol.

Im glad to hear yours is doing good. But this just adds to my confusion on what to replace.

So far .. it is either .. faulty wire harness from fuel pump.. bad fuel pressure regulator.. Bad Fuel pump with sparatic fail... maybe bad Fuel pump relay.. crank sensor... and now maf ..

I will try buying some cleaner for that today and see if that helps .. It is very worrying though to drive it when most of the time it will drive just fine and then all of a sudden with out warning just start to stall and some times die unless you let it set for a bit then it will run ok .. for a while ..

Thank you guys though for giving me some ideas of what it might be