I let the car warm-up and then pulled out onto the road and after a block or two it stalls and dies. Then it will start up and run in short bursts, and stop. It was like it couldn't get the gas to the motor. Replaced the fuel filter thinking (hoping) that was the problem but it happened again this morning. I am disabled and fairly poor so I am hoping there is a simpler fix than a mechanic and a fuel filter. Please help. 1998 s70 turbo but more like a door stop lately.
Any suggestions are welcome.

 

Good Morning,

Well, it could be one of several things causing it. It could be fuel related or spark related. Is the check engine light on the instrument panel on? If so it would help if your mechanic read the codes as that would point to the right direction. That said. the easiest way to start would be get the codes read if the light is on, otherwise I would start from a fuel starvation point. The two most probable causes for that would be the fuel pump relay, or the fuel pump itself. Without going into a ton of detail, the best thing I would suggest is use the search feature on the forum and read up on changing the fuel pump relay (easy) or the fuel pump itself (a little more involved but not too difficult). If it is spark related, it could be a bad coil, a bad camshaft position sensor, or a bad crankshaft position sensor. All of those are easy to change out if need be. Please keep us posted on how it is going....we will do our best to help you get this resolved.

 

The check engine light has been on since I got the car back in 2012. It was a gift from my parents and they were (up to that point) the only ones who had driven it and though he is no mechanic, my father was pretty solid with upkeep. So when the car was gifted to me and he told me the engine light is always on I didn't question it. Other than a couple of batteries, a mass air flow sensor and a radiator hose in the last ten years I have only had light bulb and tire issues. The car has been on a diagnostic machine a couple of times that I know of. Would the machine show all or most issues and would the mechanic need to be looking for specific things to notice them. I mean maybe they were looking for a spark issue on the machine but it was a pump and they didn't notice because they were looking for something different? Sorry for my ignorance. My car knowledge is obviously pretty limited.

 

It's pretty easy to troubleshoot the car with a scan tool and I also like to measure fuel pressure directly. There's just no reason to parts cannon. They're easy to fix for somebody that's used to them. They do have a bad design on the fuel rail pressure fitting, though. It's pointed at the throttle linkage and they shouldn't have done that. I don't necessarily think the fuel pump and relay would be on-and-off like that, but that's why you'd measure. You want to know.

I had one here that got to where it wouldn't run at all with the MAF plugged in. It ran pretty well without the MAF using backup estimating. You could try that for free. It wasn't a turbo, but I don't think it would brain too much differently.

 

Ok, looking at the big picture, the best way to start would be to get all of the codes cleared and then see which ones (if any) come back. This is easily done as firebirdparts has said with an OBD II scan tool that you can pick up at your favorite auto parts store or Amazon. To use it just follow the directions that come with it. Usually you just plug it into your diagnostic port (inside the center armrest console on the 98 S70), turn the key to on (Not start) read the codes, write them down, clear them, drive the car and see if any come back. As for a fuel pump or relay not acting like that, I agree usually not the pump itself, but I have had two different relays on two different cars act intermittently like that in the past. Please don't think I suggested just throwing parts at it to fix it in my previous post. I was simply throwing out a short list of items that could possibly cause your problem.

 

I know exactly what it is.. your dash has a alert that looks like a tire skid mark right? Well that has something to with your traction.. it prevents your breaks from over heating so what it does, it looses power to not distribute more energy( or should I say) movement. Theirs something going on with your tires, are they too big? Or maybe u need new brakes but nevertheless theres a button right on your dash that says sct or something like that PRESS AND HOLD IT AND WATCH THAT JOINT TAKE OFF!! Please respond back because I really want to know if that was the same issue I was having with my 2000 s70 that had me baffle!!