[eHowitzer]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for all your advice and ideas. After many times trying to induce the failure, we were able to. I checked the spark, and found there was none. I was pretty glad it was not a fuel problem.

Through diagnosis form the advice on this forum, I was able to narrow the cause to the ICM that is either on its last legs, or just temperature sensitive. My wife’s hairdryer came in handy in the troubleshooting. 🙂

We replaced it ($149 from AutoZone) and all looks good after about a week’s worth of driving. We’re keeping our fingers crossed, but I think we’ve got it.

I have a renewed appreciation for the difficulty in solving intermittent problems. It’s much easier to solve a problem when it stays in the failed state. 🙂

Thanks again!

[eHowitzer]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for all your advice and ideas. After many times trying to induce the failure, we were able to. I checked the spark, and found there was none. I was pretty glad it was not a fuel problem.

Through diagnosis form the advice on this forum, I was able to narrow the cause to the ICM that is either on its last legs, or just temperature sensitive. My wife’s hairdryer came in handy in the troubleshooting. 🙂

We replaced it ($149 from AutoZone) and all looks good after about a week’s worth of driving. We’re keeping our fingers crossed, but I think we’ve got it.

I have a renewed appreciation for the difficulty in solving intermittent problems. It’s much easier to solve a problem when it stays in the failed state. 🙂

Thanks again!

[eHowitzer]

This looks great. I’ll get the test items, and let you know how it goes.

Thanks again.

[eHowitzer]

This looks great. I’ll get the test items, and let you know how it goes.

Thanks again.

[eHowitzer]

Update: Since I don’t have all the tools I need to troubleshoot properly, I thought I’d take a chance and replace the crank position sensor. It’s an inexpensive part, so I thought I’d roll the dice.

No joy. 🙁

Behavior is the same, although this time it happened only 5 minutes after driving.

[eHowitzer]

Update: Since I don’t have all the tools I need to troubleshoot properly, I thought I’d take a chance and replace the crank position sensor. It’s an inexpensive part, so I thought I’d roll the dice.

No joy. 🙁

Behavior is the same, although this time it happened only 5 minutes after driving.

[eHowitzer]

This is all great advice. Thank you so much.

I replaced the fuel filter yesterday (just because it was cheap and easy), but the problem is still there.

More evidence:
It seems heat related, but not necessarily engine temperature related. There is some lag between the engine heating up and the problem occurring. For example, we can drive for about 15 minutes with no problems, stop the car and let it sit for 20 minutes, and the start it and have the problem occur within about 5 minutes of driving. Once the problem occurs, it can take a couple of hours for the problem to go away. I’m assuming the component that is causing the problem takes a while to heat, and subsequently cool.

In your experience, is one of the cranks sensor, coil packs, ICM more likely to exhibit this kind of behavior? I’m just curious.

Getting the problem to reoccur reliably is the difficult part. Once I get there, then I’ll follow the troubleshooting steps suggested here and update the topic.

Thanks, again! 🙂 Being a novice repair guy, this kind of advice is invaluable.

[eHowitzer]

This is all great advice. Thank you so much.

I replaced the fuel filter yesterday (just because it was cheap and easy), but the problem is still there.

More evidence:
It seems heat related, but not necessarily engine temperature related. There is some lag between the engine heating up and the problem occurring. For example, we can drive for about 15 minutes with no problems, stop the car and let it sit for 20 minutes, and the start it and have the problem occur within about 5 minutes of driving. Once the problem occurs, it can take a couple of hours for the problem to go away. I’m assuming the component that is causing the problem takes a while to heat, and subsequently cool.

In your experience, is one of the cranks sensor, coil packs, ICM more likely to exhibit this kind of behavior? I’m just curious.

Getting the problem to reoccur reliably is the difficult part. Once I get there, then I’ll follow the troubleshooting steps suggested here and update the topic.

Thanks, again! 🙂 Being a novice repair guy, this kind of advice is invaluable.

[eHowitzer]

So I just wanted to bring the thread up-to-date.

When the break dragging problem occurred after a few minutes of driving, I pulled it into the garage and loosened the bolts holding the master cylinder to the brake booster (effectively shortening the push rod). The breaks released immediately.

Since on this car the push rod is not adjustable, I replaced the brake booster and the problem is now fixed. My son has been driving the car for 6 months with no problems.

Thanks to all for the advice and patience!

[eHowitzer]

So I just wanted to bring the thread up-to-date.

When the break dragging problem occurred after a few minutes of driving, I pulled it into the garage and loosened the bolts holding the master cylinder to the brake booster (effectively shortening the push rod). The breaks released immediately.

Since on this car the push rod is not adjustable, I replaced the brake booster and the problem is now fixed. My son has been driving the car for 6 months with no problems.

Thanks to all for the advice and patience!

[eHowitzer]

So summer is over and we’re back working on the car. 🙂

The break issue is still there. After the car gets warm the front breaks will get hot (and when you slow down will actually stop the car without power), but only sometimes.

I have replaced the flex lines on both sides, the calipers on both sides, and just did the master cylinder today. After about 7 miles of driving the problem reappeared. 🙁

I think all that’s left is the booster and the proportioning block.

Any suggestions? Am I overlooking something obvious?

[eHowitzer]

So the problem returned.

[eHowitzer]

Woot!

[eHowitzer]

Great advice everyone.

[eHowitzer]

Thanks so much for all your input.

[Author]

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