Car quits while driving

Tiny
TLPIL68
  • MEMBER
  • 1997 BUICK PARK AVENUE
  • 6 CYL
  • AUTOMATIC
What causes a 1997 Buick to cut off while driving and restart after sitting for a while
Thursday, May 12th, 2011 AT 1:18 AM

4 Replies

Tiny
GIZMOGUY
  • MEMBER
  • 56 POSTS
It sounds to me like a thermal intermittent component or connection (a temperature induced electrical disconnection or failure). Are you seeing a "check engine" light or warning anywhere on the dash?
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Thursday, May 12th, 2011 AT 2:45 AM
Tiny
GGSELLS
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Just went through the same thing, changed the fuel pump and filter and took care of it. Fuel pump was bad, problem is these things have so many electrical issues with age we automatically think it is a electrical failure or computer problem. May want to check it out, fuel pumps are not cheap anymore.
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Thursday, May 12th, 2011 AT 8:14 PM
Tiny
GIZMOGUY
  • MEMBER
  • 56 POSTS
Once I bought an almost new fuel pump at a "you pull it" salvage yard. I took a chance because new electric fuel pumps can be very expensive! I got it for five bucks, I think. When I took it out of the tank, I was shocked at how new it looked, and the same with the pick-up sock (filter). But I now know why that car was junked! One of the wires (attached by female spade clip) was loose on the terminal because the spring tension on the female spade was gone, since the installer of the new fuel pump had apparently crushed the spring member with pliers! That fuel pump worked great! Imagine junking a car because of a damaged spade clip! I could have put 10 of those clips inside a sewing thimble! Perhaps your fuel pump had a bad connection as well! Lots of electrical components and assemblies get replaced because of bad connections, and many times all it needs is a new terminal! Bad connections tend to self-heat because of the resistive connecton. The heat causes thermal expansion, further reducing contact pressure, which makes the connection worse!
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+3
Thursday, May 12th, 2011 AT 10:26 PM
Tiny
FIXITMR
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,990 POSTS
Did you solve the problem yet?
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Wednesday, August 10th, 2011 AT 4:16 PM

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