Car engine just died suddenly...please help

[CMF_oldboy40s]

As stated above, was driving fine for 15 mins till i got to the lights. When it turn green, 1st gear was fine but then when i put it to 2nd gear the engine just died. Feels like the piston is jamming. Everytime i start the car engine will die in 3 seconds. Parked car for 5 minutes then car starts and drive fine till another stop. then on 1st or 2nd gear it dies again. Happened about 5 times.
Manage to get home. Started car (not moving) for 20mins but engine runs fine. Then went for drive again but as soon as i had to stop and use 1st or 2nd gear engine would seized and die. Had to wait for 10 minutes and slowly drive back home.
Please help me solve this problem. Dont know where to start.

Thanks for reading.

 

[CMF_Tyrie]

Tried resoldering the throttle body/afm?

 

[CMF_Pierce]

In my experience, if the car has terrible idle and also dies whenever using low gears, the main suspect is the throttle body/afm. This should definitely be your first piece to inspect

Read this: https://micra.org.uk/cmf/message/51578

If that thread sounds similar to your problem try the re-soldering tip found in the articles page. If that doesn't help then try a new/ another throttlebody.

If that turns out to be a waste of money, I'm sorry
But beyond that, maybe your injectors or sparkplugs need a look at as well.

 

[CMF_oldboy40s]

Its not the slow idle, everything is fine until i have to slowdown and change gear then it feels like the piston is jammed and the engine dies.
5 - 10 mins later then car starts up and drives with no problems until i have to slow down or stop. when i engage the clutch to change 1st or 2nd gear the engine again feels like seizing and dies.

read some in the forum that it might be crank angle sensor.

## a mate of mine was asking is the micra OBD11. Dont know what he mean.

 

[CMF_oldboy40s]

By the way the micra had engine oil, oil filter and plugs changed a month ago.

 

[CMF_Pierce]

okay, for simplicity sake, check the plugs, make sure there is no water in the plug area and that the spark gap is correct and they look good visually. Though I wouldn't really expect the above to be the problem.

So if you're going along at say 60km and drop it to second gear, high revs don't happen and it starts puttering instead, until the throttle breaks through to high rpm, or alternatively the engine shuts down?

If this sounds familiar to you, I would put my money on the tb. 20 dollars will get you solder and an iron, and you can try the resoldering trick (but it's never worked for me). Buying new fixed my problem, as described one para above. However mine was so bad it was also stuttering a nice 200 rpm idle every now and then.

 

[CMF_Doom]

I have a good engine with about 160,000kms on it you can have for $100 plus postage

 

[CMF_oldboy40s]

Hi Pierce,

Its like starts up fine...doing 100kmh on freeway then slow down to stop at the traffic lights after about 10 mins...engine piston will feel like jammed then engine shut down. No burning smell. Wait for 10 minutes the car will start up and drive normal. Can drive it hard with no problems but will happen again in about 15 mins.

thanks for trying to help mate..

will try resoldering in the weekend..

 

[CMF_frank2]

sounds like the dizzy die-ing to me ?

 

[CMF_oldboy40s]

is dizzy the distributer??

 

[CMF_frank2]

oldboy40s WROTE:

"

is dizzy the distributer??

yes, pretty common fault, where the electronics break down when hot
yom water cooled his https://micra.org.uk/cmf/message/30127

 

[CMF_oldboy40s]

hi frank2,

is the crank angle sensor in the dizzy?? i read somewhere in the
forum that it could be the CAS problem too.

cheers

 

[CMF_frank2]

oldboy40s WROTE:

"

hi frank2,

is the crank angle sensor in the dizzy?? i read somewhere in the

forum that it could be the CAS problem too.

cheers

yes mate, an optical sensor inside the dizzy, or else the coil breaking down when hot eh

 

[CMF_Tyrie]

When you say piston jams, I assume you mean it locks one front wheel and skids until you put the clutch in?

I have a throttle body/afm that I resoldered a couple of years ago which I can send you for the price of an express post bag.

 

[CMF_oldboy40s]

Hi Tyrie,

I said it feels like piston is jamming and engine cuts off. The wheel didnt lock up. As i slows down to engage my clutch the engine cuts off. Got RAC to drop by, he says 90% sure its the ignition module in the distributor.

 

[CMF_Tyrie]

A piston jamming will lock the drivetrain from the piston to the road, unless the clutch is in. Exactly the same symptoms mine had. I resoldered the tb (took 10min) and it was fine afterwards.