HELP!!! My MSP is dieing! going crazy!

[MP3Architect]

mk so i just got home and on the way as i was almost here my msp started going bonkers. the CEL kept going on and off and the battery light kept going on and off with it and my tach started going compltely nuts and jumped all over the place as my car sputtered and was trying to die. I gun it around a corner in an effort to get aways from traffic and steer the car to my subdivision and i get full power without problem, then once again it goes crazy and i just let the car die on the road as i cruised into my subdivision and into my driveway. ive never seen my tach jump up and down like crazy like that before!!! any ideas? i did hit a bump right before all this happened but it was no bigger than a normal bump. i checked for vacume hoses and battery connection (since the battery light was blinking even though i know that obviously the car was running on the alt.). any ideas?!?! clues??!?! i wanna drive to autozone to get a cel check but im woried i wont make it. (shrug)

[Shane5425]

check the altenator charge lines and connectors on the altenator.. put a load test on it... should see about 13-14 volts....

[MP3Architect]

i fucking baby my car all the way to autozone feeling like i was gonna explode it just to find out they changed thier hours and now close at 9! fuck me. yeah....alternator sounds like a good place to start.

also i noticed that i could keep the ar alive as long as i never let off the clutch and held it to at least 3k rpm at all times. the car would still sputter, backfire, and the tach would go nutz but it woudln't die. i dont like this. the second i let off the clutch i loose the car though.

[ChopstickHero]

what CEL is on? if there is no CEL... try resetting the ECU and then take it for an easy drive

[MP3Architect]

im getting a CEL. I went to autozone so they could tell me the code but they were closed when i got there.

[orng1]

Try the relays under the hood (fuse box), I went crazy one day after I hit a huge bump. It'sll sometimes wiggle out after yrs of hittinmg bumps, never happend to me then it did and now happens every once in a while.

[ForceFed]

MAF sensor.

[MP3Architect]

MAF sensor.
thats what i was thinking at first. mainly cuz i disconnected it to replace a headlight 2 nights ago and i was thinking the cable came loose.

[kamon8404]

Sounded like the same thing was happening to me but i wasn't throwing a CEL .... my abs light kept coming on ... and then my car died. I needed a new battery and after that no problems. I don't think that its the battery or anything then.

[MP3Architect]

Try the relays under the hood (fuse box), I went crazy one day after I hit a huge bump. It'sll sometimes wiggle out after yrs of hittinmg bumps, never happend to me then it did and now happens every once in a while.
THANK YOU SIR! checked the fuses and the Main was a tad loose for some damn reason (awr motor mount + tein springs + 225/35/18 tires = always a bumpy ass ride). put it in tight and the car runs liek a speed again. man....i was scared i was gonna have to demod for dealer take in again.

[ForceFed]

Good Deal..Glad you got it fixed!

[MP3Architect]

yeah me too. i was freakin out. wasn't sure how i was gonna be at the dealer at 7am and then to work on the other side of town by 730 in case it was something i couldn't/didn't wanna fix.

[fr0st]

*takes note of the problem for futur references*

:)

[mazpro]

happened to me too, i was driving and hit a big bump the car started acting crazy, it tried to shut off and all the dash lights were acting crazy. I started checking around and the main fuse was a little loose, pushed it back in and the car ran perfect again :)

[JRTritsch]

happened to me too, i was driving and hit a big bump the car started acting crazy, it tried to shut off and all the dash lights were acting crazy. I started checking around and the main fuse was a little loose, pushed it back in and the car ran perfect again :)


I had to stick foam under the fuse box to keep the things from rattling loose on my P5