[Miata] 1991 Miata Running/Starting/ Check engine light?

[Charlie (Kwik Kopy)]

Hey.. you guys are pretty smart!

Turns out my fuel pump relay had one of the plastic clasps broken off an the
other was bent (which I promptly broke trying to bend it back into shape).
So, the relay was losing contact.
Neither my local auto parts store nor local Mazda dealer had one.. so I had
AutoZone buy on for $90!!  Ouch!

Anyway.. it's cheaper than replacing the fuel pump.. which is what I was
going to do next.  Next step is to hold the current relay down with duct
tape to get home from work.  Wish me luck!

THANK YOU!!

Charlie:







-----Original Message-----
From: cheapsportscar at gmail.com [mailto:cheapsportscar at gmail.com]On
Behalf Of Keith Tanner
Sent: Thursday, August 30, 2007 5:00 PM
To: Charlie (Kwik Kopy)
Cc: miata at realbig.com
Subject: Re: [Miata] 1991 Miata Running/Starting/ Check engine light?


>From your description, I suspect you have trouble getting power to
your ECU. It could be a dodgy main relay (in the fusebox under the
hood) or it could be a wiring problem. I'd start by popping the cover
off the relay and seeing if it's flipping over when you don't get the
light.

Keith

On 8/30/07, Charlie (Kwik Kopy) <charlie at kwikbusiness.com> wrote:
>
>
> Hi everyone:  I'm new to the list.  I really would appreciate any help you
> can give me on this weird problem I'm dealing with.
>
> I have a 1991 Miata with 58K I purchased this year.  The previous owner
> turned it into a kit car and added larger tires/rims and racing
suspension..
> so I'm not totally sure what is original or not... but I think my problem
> should be fairly basic.
>
> I'll give more description below.. but the bottom line is:  My car starts
> nicely when the check engine light is on when I turn the key.  If the
check
> engine light does not come on, it turns over fine but it just cranks and
> cranks and sounds like it gets no fuel.
>
> More detail:
> The car did this about 2 months ago and I checked all electrical
> connections.  After I did so it ran flawlessly for 2 months.  I did not
> start the car for about 10 days and the problem is back again.  When it
does
> start it runs nice for 1 - 20 minutes and then shuts down with no warning.
> I mean just goes dead at any speed.  Also.. it may be my imagination.. but
> I could swear I hear a bit of a hum when the check ignition light come on
> with the starter and I don't hear it when the car does not start.  So, I'm
> thinking fuel pump.  But.. if it's the fuel pump why is it I could not
start
> this thing for two weeks, then it runs flawlessly for 2 months?  Is there
an
> electrical connection in the engine area I that could be loose?  Because
> that is where I checked connections to get it working the first time.
>
> I don't have an owner's manual so I don't know what exactly the check
engine
> light represents during the ignition process.  They Haynes manual does not
> tell me either.
>
> THANKS!!!!!!!!!!
>
>
>
>
>
> Charlie
> 1991 Miata: 58K
> Crystal Lake, IL
> _______________________________________________
> Miata mailing list
> Miata at list.realbig.com
> http://list.realbig.com/mailman/listinfo/miata
>
>

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