my 86 n/a starts extremely easily but shuts off after about 4 seconds... In those 4 seconds the gas works and there are no buzzers or anything. when the four seconds ends the car dies and I can start it over (and over) again and it does the same thing.



The little electrical plug underneath the steering wheel used to unflood the car (fuel pump plug?) makes a clicking noise when I start the car....and then it clicks again and right after it does the car dies. I was thinking it's some kind of emergency shut off or something. Only had the car for like a month so I don't know much about it.



I've searched and someone said it was a vacuum leak, but it doesn't seem like I have one, I've looked at most of the lines and they are still good.



Any help would be appreciated. I want to get this thing going again tonight.

 

Umm... help, please.



Bump.

 

Check the AFM and see if its working and connected, then check the inlet tube and see if the O-ring aroung the throttle body is worn out. Check the inlet tube itself for cracks.



I had the same problem with my car a few weeks ago, i tightened up the nuts on the TB and it ran fine.





PS its saturday night, nobody is going to respond that has a life

 

it's still connected...not sure how to tell if it is working or not... but I can hear it sucking in air. I adjusted the screw on the intake manifold and it idles higher and lower as I set it so it must be getting some air.



the thing I'm really thinking about is the click on the plug under the dash. I pulled it apart and it seems to be all in tact and looks brand new. Definetly wierd.





Also I know most people are out on sat., my girlfriend is bugging me to death about going out but she doesn't understand "my car doesn't run".



I also checked the BAC and coolant is flowing through it good if that means anything.



Thanks for your help.

 

bump

 

have your girl buy a nice reliable brand new hyundai with a 10 year warranty so she can drive you around

 

she has a mx-3 but she doesn't have insurance.



btw I changed the fuel filter and still no luck.

 

have you checked the AFM yet though?

 

If you're sure there are no vac leaks and the only thing that has changed is this fuel cut off thing clicking, can't you bypass it? I'm thinking fuel issue if it happened out of the blue like this. Fuel filter?

 

I checked the afm...the little door in it is swinging fine and the wires are connected fine.



One of my friends did suggest the idea of bypassing that plug and making it a constant line from the bat to the fuel pump with a kill switch in it...doesn't sound like a bad idea, but I'd rather fix it, so this is last resort.



I changed the 20 dollar (WTF??) fuel filter last night at 2 am and after I did it ran for like 8 seconds and then died. After the first time it was back to normal.



Now it seems like the car is smoking white or offwhite but it reeks of fuel.



The car definetly has exhaust leaks but last time I checked exhaust leaks can't mess up cars like this. so smoke comes from the exhaust pipes.



Oil still looks good.. just changed it the day after I got the car.