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Sudden power loss while driving 200 1985

How should I diagnose a sudden power loss while driving?
My '85 240 sedan (146 kmi) suddenly went dead after driving about 3 miles --- electrical stuff on, but the engine I think cut out -- at least no acceleration. I coasted to a stop off the road, where I was unable to restart the engine (starter turned fine, but engine wouldn't go).

This was in a cold weather condition (around 5 F), nearly as cold as I've driven this in a few years.

What should I look for?








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    Sudden power loss while driving 200 1985

    I've had this problem and it was a bad fuse for the fuel pump. It was a very quick fix since I had spare fuses in the glovebox.








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    Sudden power loss while driving 200 1985

    Pull the distributor cap off, and hit the starter. Make sure you see the rotor spinning as you crank. If it doesn't spin, then your timing belt has broken and it needs to be replaced.

    If that's not it, check your fuel pump fuses, and also the fuel pump relay. There's a good chance your pumps are not getting power.

    I know I sound like a broken record on this, but there's a chance that you have frozen water somewhere in your fuel system. In that case, your car won't start until it gets above freezing. Then start using dry gas frequently, and keep the tank filled as much as possible.








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      Sudden power loss while driving 200 1985

      The distributor rotor spins, so I guess the timing belt is OK. Fuel pump fuses are visibly OK, but I can't be sure at this point that power is getting to the fuel pumps. If I'm lucky, and if the weather warms up, maybe it's just ice in the fuel line.








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        Sudden power loss while driving 200 1985

        Try a jumper wire from the Left Side of fuse 6 (always hot) to the Left Side of fuse 4 (voltage will go to both pumps).

        Pumps should run immediately.

        Try starting. If it starts, the jumper bypassed a fuel problem (25A fuse/wires, fuel relay)

        If still no start, suspect an ignition problem (which also prevents fuel operation). m
        --
        Bruce Young
        '93 940-NA (current) — 240s (one V8) — 140s — 122s — since '63.








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      All good suggestions ... I hope we get feedback. 200 1985

      All good suggestions, and I think you covered all the most likely ones:

      timing belt: most likely, IMHO

      ice in the fuel line, and bad fuse:

      For these latter two, somewhat less likely. I've found that if there's ice in the fuel line, it's blocking the line from the get go, and the car wouldn't have been driven so far. Ditto for the fuse ... if it's apt to blow, it will more likely do so when it's first turned on (when you're starting), less likely (although not impossible) while you've already been driving a while.

      It would be nice if he gets back to us about what he found -- too many times, people ask for help, and we all offer all sorts of possibilities, and we rarely hear about it again, leaving us wondering what was the answer. With feedback, we'd find out which were the better (or right) guesses and we'd then all benefit from the learning experience. So I hope he informs us.








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        All good suggestions ... I hope we get feedback. 200 1985

        Thanks all for the suggestions. The problem (as posted in a separate message thread) turned out to be melted and cracked solder joints on the circuit board of the fuel pump relay. I repaired the board to get me running until a new relay arrived from FCP Groton.







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