The engine stopped running while driving.
All lights on the dash came on, car went dead silent.
Tried starting the car, can hear the engine trying to crank, but nothing.
Battery is strong.
Just got some heavy rain, not sure if related.
Alternator?
Fuses?

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'89 244DL M47 192K miles

Car stopped last weekend after heavy rain

Today after 2 days of dry weather
Went back to the car, turn the key to the on position
Hear a click and air sound by the ÉCU and the fuel relay, decide to give it another try
The car starts right up
During the entire week whenever I tried starting the car, no click or air sound by the ÉCU

Seems like it was related to something being wet after the heavy rain

Ideas?
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'89 244DL M47 192K miles

Hi,

Tell us what you mean by an air sound?
There is no small fan around there that I know of.

Editing: Could you be hearing the main pump for the first time?
The ECU turns on the relay for a second to prime the fuel rail for quicker start ups in position one.
I was not sure if the 1989’s had that feature right off with the EZ systems.
Apparently it comes with them or you have a upgraded ECU.
I remember you saying something about an ECU or was it another poster?

It helps us some to know this as before and now confirmed, it means, it is definitely a rain water connected problem.
There are at least three places that this can affect things.

In most case that is a good sign and can be very related to ignition woes.
Since it’s running I suggest you spray with a squirt bottle all the ignition wires with water.

You want to Do this at night, with engine running.
Start with the coil wire from the ignition coil and work you way towards the distributor slowly with a fine mist. Slowly get the wire wetter and move along progressively.
All the while looking for sparks jumping out to meet metal or running down and around the wires.

Listen for any crackle at the plugs ends because as water seeps into a connection in one of the plugin towers and might arc faintly but louder that you think.
If the engine suddenly stops, you found it!

Same goes for the CPS and ignition power relay be hind the battery.
There will not be any sparks it just might die.

Give yourself time to slowly work the water mist around to prone areas.
Don’t do too many at once, let each area soak.

Good luck in the war games!

Phil

Any other suggestions?
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'89 244DL M47 192K miles

Hi,

What’s going on?
What are you experiencing?
Did you get spark?

I read you are familiar with the system relay and peeked inside. A two relay bargain, huh! Ah huh, right?
You can bypass the system of closing that relay with putting a rubber band around the contact levers to close them down temporarily.
When you do turn the key to position One the pumps will or should start running. If not you have a fuel problem for sure!
At the same time, the AMM will receive power on the orange wire under its rubber boot.
Don’t unplug anything, just back probe the connection of the orange wire to see voltage is on a meter or test light to tell you it’s got power! No bad fuse or bad wiring.
The ECU normally turns on that system relay. With the rubber band you are in a manual bypass.

At this point you go and try to start it. It might start or not, depending on the Crank Position Sensor.
It has to send a signal out to fire the Ignition Control module or unit!
The ICU makes a spark through a middleman hiding behind the battery.
It’s A Coil Firing relay or to some will say, it’s an amplifier ... to carry more current than the small sized transistors can on the ICU board.
It kept the cost of making or replacing an ECU cheaper and simpler depending on how you look at the way they experimented making this stuff.

An occasional spark or no no spark at all means it’s the CPS or the relay connections to the relay might be corroded. This component is very reliable. Pull the connector and clean and put it back on and try again.
Caution:
Do not crank the car more than normal because you might be flooding the engine.
If you smell gas or pull a spark plug you will know the injectors are working.

If nothing happens we can get deeper with more suggestions!

Phil

Hi Machine Man

Excuse my ignorance...

How do I do bypass the relay, can you provide more details, how do I 'close' the relay with a rubber band? What are the contact levers?

"You can bypass the system of closing that relay with putting a rubber band around the contact levers to close them down temporarily."

I'd like to give that a try. And check on that fuel pump.

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'89 244DL M47 192K miles

Hi,

You said you had the white cover off to look at the relay for water intrusion.
I assumed that you knew more about a mechanical relay.

If and when you open the cover again you will notice a tiny metal finger. They are on top and has a spring attached to one end.
On the other end you will see a little round button that will hit another round button below it.
These are contacts that connect a circuit together.
These levers will wiggle up and down by touching them.
A magnetic coil pulls them down when energized while going down the road!

The rubber band trick will push both of these down when wrapped tightly.
You can even use a piece of popsicle stick laid over the top and tighten with the rubber band.
I have even used a shoestring.
Just as long as you tighten them squarely as you can with anything non conductive.

You will leave the cover off! That’s because you cannot put it back on while it’s wrapped in rubber bands.
Put it back in the socket and let it dangle in mid air.

Oh by the way, while you have that relay out to wrap it ... check the “socket” terminals for any overheating, corrosion or loosening up of any wires on their respective spades on the relay.

Yes, you are doing what the system does through using three other components.
The CPS, ICU, and the ECU.
You want to know if the pumps are getting power from one side of the relay.
You want to know that the injectors are getting power from the other relay inside!

These are all in that white plastic can, under the glove compartment.
Just want to confirm you know what relay and where it’s located, OK!
Are we on the same page of instructions?

We are trying to find a bad guy by turning on that safety device, called the System relay.
If it loses power for any reason the car is suppose to shut down!
The relay can fail all by itself and at the same time the other one half of it can still work.
This confuses people when they hear it click and think it’s fine!
Or I hear the pumps and don’t know about the injector power and will not hear them to boot, even when they are working.
It takes a stethoscope to hear the buzz and if you ever get one its sounds more like tiny jack hammers ringing and busting concrete.

We want the engine to tell us what has it shut down. You have pay attention to what you are not seeing, hearing or smelling!
It is either fuel or spark, as both systems are divided here.
Each system, fuel or spark, have components of which are making them work or have other components that use what they produce.
We are jumping right in the middle and want to think going both ways from this point.

Depending on what the engine tell us it needs, in order to run, we will think in that direction.
Break into whatever system that controls that function. Being a hunter gaining and using talents of deduction! A safari of sorts!

Are you ready, with screwdriver in hand, to go chase the beast!

Phil

Rain, did you say Rain?

did you check the 25AMP Fuse under the hood...Blade fuse mounted on that Alum rail on the fender by the battery...just trace the wires from the Positive Term. Where it sits can expose it to the elements/corrosion. When it goes or fails to pass Current the Car Dies and won't restart

Still had them in 1989...in the US

I did, replaced it for good measure.
Still no start.
Thank you CB.
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'89 244DL M47 192K miles

Hi guYom,

Yes, I do. With the key out, take out fuse 4. Use a paperclip, or any wire, and connect one end to fuse 6 and the other end to the left side of fuse 4's holder.
While doing this you should hear the main fuel pump run.

Generally speaking, if your spark plugs are dry after lengthy cranking, it indicates a fuel problem. If they're wet it suggests no spark.

My wiring diagram for an 89 240 shows fuse 5 being not used and fuse 7 being brake lights. What country are you in and what model is your car ? Perhaps you have the wrong fuse panel cover.


peter

Update

Thank you for the suggestions on the timing belt.
Timing belt appears to be Ok.

When I try to start the car, if I slowly release the clutch while in first or second gear, the car will move forward slightly without the engine starting.
It feels like the car is not getting gas.
The tank is 3/4 full.

Fuse?
Computer unit?
--
'89 244DL M47 192K miles

Cranking the car with in it gear will always cause it to move forward.
Do you have spark? If so try starting fluid. If no spark, are the plugs wet?
Narrow down whether fuel or ignition.
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Post Back. That's whats makes this forum work.

Thank you @aleekat
I don't believe I have spark, and the plugs are not wet
So let us go down the ignition path
What should I check next?
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'89 244DL M47 192K miles

The first thing that comes to mind is the Fuel Pump Relay.

RonJ

Thank you Ron.

I removed the fuel pump relay, nothing wet there.
I removed the white plastic cover on it, it appears intact underneath the cover.
It is an aftermarket. I replaced it a few years ago.

How can I test the fuel relay? Should I just get another one?

While I was there I swapped the computer with another good one I have, still no start.

I replaced the fuel pump fuses (number 5 and 7 on my 89)

There was heavy rain before this happened.

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'89 244DL M47 192K miles

Hi,

Check for timing belt breakage by looking down into the oil fill cap.
You want to see that if the overhead valve camshaft is turning when you have someone crank the engine over.

If you don’t have someone ...... available,

You can pull the spark plug wire out of the top of distributor cap and mount the tip of it near the strut mount studs to see if a spark jumps there.
A 1/4 inch space is good and can be seen from the drivers seat.
The seat works best, You don’t want to be holding the tip of that thing!
If you don’t see a spark you have an ignition issue.

While You are at it, you can also lift the distributor cap off and set it aside. This way you might see if the rotor is turning when cranking.

Phil