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This spring I had shop do the timing chain and oil pan gasket - the car was pretty greasy so lots of high pressure cleaning was done in the area of the OptiSpark (I would not have done this, but it's been done).
You guessed it after the job was done the car would not run - a new Delphi distributor was installed and things seemed to be fine...until I got it out for a longer drive...I went about 140 miles to a local racetrack (BIR) to cheer on some friends racing Vintage MG's with no problems - turns out they had a "lunch time tour" - last year I had run this car in a hard charging driving school and have put over 5000 road miles on prior to this weekend, some in 100+ degree weather - I've had no engine running problems what-so-ever prior to this...car has 76,000 miles on it and runs strong, no smoke, oil use, etc.
You guessed it after the job was done the car would not run - a new Delphi distributor was installed and things seemed to be fine...until I got it out for a longer drive...I went about 140 miles to a local racetrack (BIR) to cheer on some friends racing Vintage MG's with no problems - turns out they had a "lunch time tour" - last year I had run this car in a hard charging driving school and have put over 5000 road miles on prior to this weekend, some in 100+ degree weather - I've had no engine running problems what-so-ever prior to this...car has 76,000 miles on it and runs strong, no smoke, oil use, etc.
We ended up on the grid for quite a while idling, but nothing was showing as over heating...after about 20 minutes of very mild track time the engine started cutting out - bad. The motor would drop out all at once, check engine light flash on - engine wasn't dead, but the tach dropped to "0"...If I gave it a little gas it would light back up and lurch forward.
I pulled off the track and onto the return road - then the car died...it would restart but then kill instantly. I got pushed out of the way and popped the hood...no indication of overheating, etc. - gauges all looked good except the flash of the check engine light when the engine would drop out. I turned off the master power switch I have (hood light drain) and left the hood up to cool. After about 20 minutes I started it up and drove it about a 1/4 miles to get it in some shade and let it cool further...after about two hours I went over and took a drive around the infield roads and things seemed fine...I cut the day short to be sure to get home in daylight.
The drive home went OK, I held a nice easy 65 MPH pace and took the freeway to keep things cool, plus stopped twice (about every hour) to let it cool - no indication that I needed too, but seemed to be prudent. I talked to Corvette racer Doug Rippie of Waverly, Mn at the track and he, without hesitation, thought my distributor was the problem - heat/moisture related, basically confirming what I thought must be the problem based on the tach dropping to zero with the motor still running - or at least not needing a "key" restart to refire. Adding in the new distributer.
Then we got to town and did some "City" driving...the problem hit again - hard! First an engine drop, then a lurching relight of the motor with a push of the gas pedal (tach at 0 - check engine light on) this got to be a big problem in traffic and I pulled over...let it cool and then jumped on a freeway to get better air flow and get my butt home. The problem became worse (weather was a mild 70-75 degrees all day) total engine drop out, then a lurching relight going down the freeway...I could keep it running, but from here on it got more and more frequent I just barely got home and coasted into my drive way with a dead car...after about 20 minutes it started right up and I parked it in the garage...of course this morning it fired right up and runs fine. As addtional info when I drove it home from the shop it ran fine, but I was in a very heavy thunderstorm...which added to my comfort that the new Delphi was "water tight".
The new Delphi distributer has a 12 month warrenty, I plan to demand a new distributer be installed, but I'm a bit concerned that this may be an ECM - heat related issue. I also noticed this morming that I have a wee bit of oil pooling above the distributer, which apears to be coming from that front of the manifold pan gasket, but I don't think this is reaching the distributer...at least not "in mass".
The new Delphi distributer has a 12 month warrenty, I plan to demand a new distributer be installed, but I'm a bit concerned that this may be an ECM - heat related issue. I also noticed this morming that I have a wee bit of oil pooling above the distributer, which apears to be coming from that front of the manifold pan gasket, but I don't think this is reaching the distributer...at least not "in mass".
I have not had a chance to check the fault codes, I may have lost some when I shut of the main power switch at the track, but I should have some stored form my drive home....
...looking for comments - suggestions of what else to consider.
Thank you
Thank you
Jim
Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. ~ T.S. Elliot
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Duncanville, TX - USA
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Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/
Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight"
#2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto
Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas
Pull codes first. My thought is a dist problem, also, but if you think the ECM is getting hot and causing it, put a hair dryer, or heat gun on the ECM with it running and see what happens.
Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56 
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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"
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Thank you Joel...I like that "heat" test idea 
Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. ~ T.S. Elliot
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If no codes are stored, its the distributor. The flashing CEL was caused by loss of ignition reference pulses, which is Code 12. So if the only code you see is 12, ie no codes stored, it was the distributor.
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Everything sure does point to the new Delphi distributer. I took a drive today (stayed close to home) and after about 30 miles the symptoms started again, it was much warmer today than Saturday. My street rod building neighbor loaned me his scanner a little while ago, I’ll hook it up Tuesday after work and hope to pull a code…I'll post what I find.
Thank you guys! JimOnly those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. ~ T.S. Elliot
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All you need is a bent paper clip to pull ECM codes in a 92.
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Paper clip? I had a 2002 Suzuki DL1000 motorcycle I could do that with, but I only had two pin connections on the plug-in...my neighbors scanner didn't have the proper plug in so I still have not pulled codes...can you give me a little more detail on where I would jump with a paper clip...makes me a bit nervous
I did a silly thing and tossed a new coil and ignition module on it only because it was easy...of course it did not solve anything...still toiling to get it figured out...
Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. ~ T.S. Elliot
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Cool Beans! I found a picture of teh two pins to jump over on digitalcovettes.
Thank you Dave!
Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. ~ T.S. Elliot
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Lifetime Member
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Duncanville, TX - USA
Joined: 11/8/2003
Posts: 22714
Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/
Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight"
#2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto
Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas
Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56
My Link
(click for Texas-sized view!) NCRS
"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"
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Seem to have the problem solved. The path...
Mechanic killed OEM original distributer by pressure washing engine prior to replacing timing cover/oil pan gasket.
Delphi Distributer #1 - crushed in box sent back
Delphi Distributer #2 - ran good, then with heat would simply drop out
I replaced coil and ignition module just becasue it was easy and to rule out.
No codes stored or able to be pulled.
Delphi Distributer #3 - car ran extremely rich and would not idle or run well enough to bother putting it in gear
AC Delco Distributer installed - seems to be fixed - 180 miles (cool day) no issues - I think I'm OK, but I want to get a really warm (85+) day and do my 60 mile close to home loop to be sure.
It would seem that Car Quest got a bad batch of Delphi distrubuters...shipping damage presumed...
Fingers crossed
Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. ~ T.S. Elliot
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in Forum: C4 Engines, Driveline and Handling
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