Thread: Car died after leaving a light. Won't Start

Basic details first: 93 B13 Sr20de, manual transmission, stock engine except header and cone filter.

Car started up fine, drove to the freeway, cruised at 60-65 down the freeway 5 miles, pulled off, stopped at the light, turned right and stopped at the next light. everything going well. Temp is fine, idle is fine, quarter tank of gas. Go to take off from the next light after a total of 10 minutes of driving and I get about 10 feet out of the intersection and the car dies. I attempt to start it again and it will not turn over. The starter and everything cranks but no attempt from the engine. I can hear the fuel pump turn on. When the car died the stereo and all the lights were powered just fine.

I didn't hear anything crazy, it just seemed to lose power as it died. I got it towed home and its been sitting for 12 hours and will not crank over. After i attempt to start it, a loud pop or "puff" of air comes from the exhaust.

Thoughts on where to start here?

I'd check and see if it actually has gas.I know,it says it's got some,but fuel gauges are fairly quirky.Couldn't hurt to dump a couple gallons in it,just to rule it out.Or pull a spark plug after cranking,to see if it's wet with fuel.That eliminates a fuel issue.

Check the big 3, fuel, spark, compression.

Spark is where I'd start since it's usually easiest to do. Making sure all your connectors on the dizzy and plugs are good, and cranking it with the plugs out on the intake manifold just to see if they are sparking. While you got the plugs out you can easily see if you're getting some fuel or not like bucky said. But my gut here is electrical somewhere. Just gonna take some poking around.

As a side note, you keep saying it won't crank over, but attempt to start it a few times. I assume you mean it turns over but wont fire? "Wont crank over" means the engine doesn't turn, at all, in which case you'd be looking at something mechanical.

thanks guys

ever get it figured out?
i know when my nx gets to a 1/4th tank of gas it dies on me also.
sounds to me like you ran out of gas.
but that would be just a guess from what you have posted.
hope you find the problem out man.
good luck!

did you get it running again?

If you do in fact have fuel, maybe the alternator seized up?

check inside the dizzy for oil on the pickup sensor.

my old dizzy rotor screw came out while driving....just a thought...