My 87 740 Wagon left me stranded for the first time last night, in a driving rain storm! Actually, it has shut down three times in the last week but has started back up after 15-20 minutes. Here is what happens. I will be driving a long (can be rain or shine) and it will suddenly lose power i.e. like it is out of gas. Dash lights don't come on until it finally stalls. On two occassions after leaving it sit 15-20 minutes it starts and runs normally...for a couple of days. Has anyone else experienced this phenomenon? Fuel filter?? Thanks! TPW

Thanks for all the suggestions! It turns out to be neither the fuel pump relay, nor the fuel filter, but rather water in the coil wire boot. Of all things! when I pulled the wire from the bootom of the distributor, a good teaspoonful of water ran out. I dried the boot out and it fired right up. However, the distributor cap has not been replaced for quite a while so I plan to also replace that and install a new set of wires. Thanks again! TPW

Chech tach needle while cranking - it should move. If dead, suspect the hall sensor in the dist (common fault). If tach moves, listen for fuel pump as key is released - should hum for a second. If not, check the fuel pump relay, as others have suggested (common fault). If OK so far check the power stage and radio suppression relay on a turbo. After that see FAQ. Regards.
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BillB

The fuel pump relay is a source of trouble, if in fact yours is old. They're easy to replace, or it can be popped open and resoldered inside if you want to save the old one, for free.

But with this car, this age, I'd expect it's about time to need a distributor. That can be a couple hundred dollars for a new one- the chances of finding a good used one are fairly low. All of them have problems with insulation breaking down at the hall sensor.

I put a new dist in our 88 2 years ago for similar symptoms.

Good luck!
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Rob Bareiss, New London CT ::: '87 244DL/M47- 229K, 88 744GLE- 218K, 82 245T-181K Also responsible for the care and feeding of: 88 745GLE, 231K, 87 244DL, 239K, 88 245DL, 246K

Resolder the fuel pump relay.

$0, 15 minutes, no risk, clean 'n easy work.

If it helps nothing, you're out nothing.

If your car has the radio suppression relay, resolder it also.

Hell, do every relay in the car -- sooner or later they'll all need it.

A plugging fuel filter usually becomes first noticeable at higher speeds. As it plugs more, the problem becomes noticeable at increasingly lower speeds (as it becomes more flow restricted).

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Don Foster (near Cape Cod, MA)

speaking of relays,
would you have a map of which relays go to what on a 87 765?

Nope, sorry. But I think it's all in the FAQs somewhere...

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Don Foster (near Cape Cod, MA)

I'd change the fuel filter before I looked farther

Thom,

Could be the infamous "Fuel Pump Relay" Problem ... check that and the power stage and\or radio interferance suppression relay (Fuel Injection Relay) lots more on these common trouble spots in the 700/900 FAQ. Good Luck.