Reader Question: While driving my 1992 Buick LeSabre down the highway at 60 MPH or whatever speed, my car sometimes just dies. This happens no matter where I fill my gas tank or how much gas I have.

Also, it sometimes happens when I just am traveling in the city or when I wait for a stop light and then proceed to go it dies. It does not matter the speed or the distance. Once in while it will make a loud bang and sometimes not this does not happen all the time but more than not.

I am just scared so someone will not rear-end me when I am on the highway or in the city any ideas what it causing this.

Hey Bob,

You need to determine if the engine is dying because of lack of fuel or lack of a spark. It could be either. If you do not have a spark to the spark plugs when the engine dies, I would suspect a problem with the ignition module or ignition coil pack, crankshaft, or camshaft position sensors (depending on which engine you have) which supply and control spark timing to the spark plugs.

Usually when the engine looses spark it feels as though someone just turns off the ignition key. There is usually no warning sign it just happens immediately. Also, ignition modules can overheat and fail, and not work correctly again until they are given time to cool off.

If you have spark, then you need to check the fuel pressure at the engine with a manual fuel pressure gauge. You could have a fuel pump that is weak or is overheating and shutting down. Usually when an engine runs out of fuel it sputters and bogs down before it totally shuts off.

So, in most cases there is some warning sign or delay before total engine shut down, if there is a lack of fuel pressure issue.

Blessings,
Austin Davis

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Filed under: Running Problems

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