90 3.1 Lumina dies then starts when cool

My Lumina died on my way home last night. It acted like I just turned the key off. I went back about 1 hour later, and it started for a moment, ran very rough, and then died. Cranked again, but no start. I went back after another hour and it started and ran just fine. I am thinking something got warm, and quit, and then after cooling off it worked just fine. I know this same thing happened to the previous owner a couple of times. Any ideas on what to check, or replace? I have done a search, and some problems are similar, but after 2 hours mine starts and runs fine. Any help would be appreciated!!

My Lumina died on my way home last night. It acted like I just turned the key off. I went back about 1 hour later, and it started for a moment, ran very rough, and then died. Cranked again, but no start. I went back after another hour and it started and ran just fine. I am thinking something got warm, and quit, and then after cooling off it worked just fine. I know this same thing happened to the previous owner a couple of times. Any ideas on what to check, or replace? I have done a search, and some problems are similar, but after 2 hours mine starts and runs fine. Any help would be appreciated!!
this could be fuel pump or electrical system problems including the pcm. make sure your fuel pressure is correct check all electrical wiring and connectors and grounds. check hoses for vac leaks and intake connections are secure. any rodent damage.......if it dies again give gas tank a hit and if it starts fuel pump is probably going...........

Real typical of ICM or crank position sensor going out too...both like to fail when heat-soaked, then work once cooled down...

If you have a can of starting fluid, hit it with a shot when it stalls...if it starts on it and dies again, investigate fuel delivery, if not, it's probably one of the aforementioned.

Real typical of ICM or crank position sensor going out too...both like to fail when heat-soaked, then work once cooled down...

If you have a can of starting fluid, hit it with a shot when it stalls...if it starts on it and dies again, investigate fuel delivery, if not, it's probably one of the aforementioned.

Newbie here!! Sorry-What and where is the ICM? And how hard is the crank position sensor to change? It is on the bottom side of the motor correct?

Thanks for all the great help!!

http://www.autozone.com/az/cds/en_us/0900823d/80/0e/d2/13/0900823d800ed213/repairInfoPages.htm

http://www.autozone.com/az/cds/en_us/0900823d/80/0e/c7/03/0900823d800ec703/repairInfoPages.htm

Here's info on both...if yours has the CKP sensor mounted around the crank pulley rather than in the middle of the block, make sure the wiring is not sagging and rubbing the crank pulley...will cause weird stalling and no-starts also...

It says you have to idle relearn after replacement with a scan tool...you don't actually, but it will hunt up and down for proper idle speed and may even die at idle a couple of times until it's driven for a while...the idle will relearn as you drive it...or you can block the wheels and let it sit and idle in gear with the e-brake on for about 15 minutes and they usually settle down and relearn too..

I have not hooked up a scan tool yet because the SES light is not on. Will this car have codes if the SES light is not on? Another symptom is when I turn the key on the tach jumps, but then when it starts the tach goes as far as it will go and stays there. Way above 8000 rpm mark, and the speedometer is about 20 mph off at highway speeds. Are these a symptom of another problem, or maybe part of the same problem? Thanks again for all of the great info, and help!! My Dad gave me this old car, and I really like driving it, I just have to work out the bugs.:grinyes:

I have not hooked up a scan tool yet because the SES light is not on. Will this car have codes if the SES light is not on? Another symptom is when I turn the key on the tach jumps, but then when it starts the tach goes as far as it will go and stays there. Way above 8000 rpm mark, and the speedometer is about 20 mph off at highway speeds. Are these a symptom of another problem, or maybe part of the same problem? Thanks again for all of the great info, and help!! My Dad gave me this old car, and I really like driving it, I just have to work out the bugs.:grinyes:

Could be related...check engine and ECM grounds like cAT said in the second post...bad ground will make sensors read wrong and cause all kinds of confusion.

There could be soft codes set that don't make the light stay on.

I replaced my crank position sensor, and drove the car for awhile. It died on me as I was pulling in my driveway. At least it did not leave me stranded again.:iceslolan While I was trying to troubleshoot, I noticed when I would turn the key to the on position the fuel pump did not sound quite right. I dropped the tank, and installed a new fuel pump, and hoses. So far so good!! I have driven about 100 miles since then and no problems. Thanks to everyone for the great advice!!