# Help diagnose my car problem

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-diagnose-my-car-problem/779869>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 15, 2017, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-diagnose-my-car-problem/779869 "2017-02-15T00:55:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mrdeals](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ea666f/32.png) [@Mrdeals](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrdeals)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-diagnose-my-car-problem/779869/1 "2017-02-15T00:55:27Z")

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I have an old beater 93(?) Oldsmobile.

I will be driving down the road and the engine will just die completely. Car comes to a standstill, and upon turning the key fires right back up.

This could happen after driving a block or some trips it doesn’t happen even once.

All electrical components in the car remain functional during the engine stalling process.

Any idea of the culprit?

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**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-diagnose-my-car-problem/779869/2 "2017-02-15T01:16:37Z")

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Has the fuel system been inspected? Could something be cutting off fuel supply while driving?

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**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-diagnose-my-car-problem/779869/3 "2017-02-15T01:38:53Z")

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> [@Mrdeals](#):
>
> All electrical components in the car remain functional during the engine stalling process.
> 
> Any idea of the culprit?

I am way far from a mechanic, but that last statement seems to indicate that the problem would be be in the fuel supply area – something like a momentary failure in the fuel pump, or something like that?

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**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-diagnose-my-car-problem/779869/4 "2017-02-15T02:02:41Z")

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This sort of thing is almost always an ignition problem, like a bad crank-angle sensor, bad cam-position sensor, or bad ignition module.

Get a code scanner, and read any stored error codes.

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**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-diagnose-my-car-problem/779869/5 "2017-02-15T08:03:33Z")

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> [@beowulff](#):
>
> This sort of thing is almost always an ignition problem, like a bad crank-angle sensor, bad cam-position sensor, or bad ignition module.
> 
> Get a code scanner, and read any stored error codes.

It’s a '93, it’s pre-OBD-II. OP would need one which can connect/read the old GM ALDL.

Besides, that’s not needed; if you short two pins on the ALDL connector it’ll flash the check engine/malfunction light and give you any two-digit codes present.