Sudden death ('90 Excel GL)

Please read all the symptoms:

Great running 1990 Hyundai with fuel injection
and an automatic transmission. I've had it since
brand new, keep it tuned and oiled, etc.

Driving to work three weeks ago and *suddenly* it
just died taking off from a red light. No warning
and no gradual death, just died and I had to put
it in neutral and coast to a side street.

No gasoline smell. Nothing disconnected from the
distributor to the ignition coil. All wires look
good.

Cranked great, plenty of juice to the coil and
distributor cap, but *no* spark at all. So, I
replaced the ignition coil, the connector to the
distributor cap, the distributor cap itself.

Started right up.

Drove for two days, then it died *suddenly* again.
Exact same symptoms. To make a long story short,
it has happened inumerable times since then: runs
for an hour or five minutes or half a day, and then
*suddenly* stops running, even though it cranks
fine: *zero* spark. Again, it cranks fine, but
no firing.

Test for bad fuel pump by spraying starter fluid
into the large hose from the air cleaner to the
fuel receptacle: nothing. This tells me it's not
the (new) fuel pump. Must be electrical, but where?
Computer?

I'm hoping that anybody reading this will look at
all the facts I'm posting before responding: cranks
fast and furious.. but no spark. Then, after replacing
the coil and wires (wire from coil to cap replaced
three times) it'll start and run for a while. Why
does it run for a while on a new cable then die again??

Help with this would be greatly appreciated as this is
my only car (I'm poor). :O)

 

I'm not familiar with Hyundais yet as I just bought my first one a
couple of months ago, but this sounds like a sensor problem. My first
guess would be a crank position sensor which most cars (again, I'm not
sure about Hyundai in particular) have to use to time the spark. No CPS
signal, no spark. Often sensor failures can be temperature related
which is why the car will run for a while when cold and then die at
random times later.

You may have to take it to a dealer or competent private garage or at
last invest in a factory service manual which well provide
troubleshooting tables and procedures to check the various sensors
involved with the ignition system.


Matt

 

Does that year of car use a Hall Effect transducer in the distributor? I'm
not sure if you're saying it has no high voltage spark from the coil or if
you're saying it has no spark at the plug when removed and grounded.

If it's not getting any spark out of the coil itself then I'd be looking for
a crankshaft or camshaft sensor.

I'm sorry - but I'm not familiar with this year of car, but these are
thoughts that are simply based on the way things typically work. I
certainly would not keep throwing coils and wires at it and I wouldn't be
looking a the fuel system at all.

 

Just had the same problems with our 1997 Exel, dealer worked it out to be
turned out to be a crank angle sensor as listed on his repair sheet, no
further problems.

GB

 

Your car has an optical crank/cam sensor in the distributor. Sounds like
the classic symptoms. You may want to see if there's anything you can do
to verify, since this is an expensive component.

 

there should be a small transistor (ignition power module) on the coil
bracket, be sure this to be tested and eventually replaced, before spending
money for more expensive issues. Also check (if there is any, i'm not sure
because of usa model difference) about anti-noise condensator, shoud be
located around intake manifold, it works for tachometer and many times
annoys ignition.

by, buzz