runs fine one minute and then the next it will die and act like the timing is off i step on the gas and it will bog and if i try to put it in gear then it dies like the points are fried. I know these cars don't have points but for those of you who know what i am talking about that is what it is like. it will rev if i give it gas but has no power? what could it be? I know there are a thousand combinatins but if anyone has had anything similar I would appreciate the help.
After it cools off overnight it runs fine just tired of being stranded. help please.

 

Sounds like your preload on the lifters is too much and it is hanging the valves open.

Did you just get the engine in the car?

 

engine was put in by va speed recently yes. The funy thing is it ran fine for a week and then after a 2 hr drive back from nc it died same way, had it towed and then it ran fine the next morning. last night had not driven long and then stopped at a restraunt for dinner come out it starts up fine roll out of the parking lot and it dies. have it towed to th e shop and it starts fine this morning have had issues having enough fuel up top but it runs like a champ. this is a gremlin.

 

NO SES?

Sounds like exactly what a bad/failing Crank Shaft Position sensor does. Your's is doing exactly what mine did. Runs perfect one minute, then runs like *** the next, then stalls suddenly, hard starts, etc....

I never got an SES code either, took a real OBDII scanner to see it. Not the cheesy orange scanners at the auto parts stores.

 

would your start after it sat all night? no ses

 

how do you tell if the crank sensor is bad?

 

You need to get a real scanner, the OBDII scanners that the dealerships use. They will pick up a bad/failing CSP sensor.

NOt saying thats it, but your symptoms are an exact match. Dirty MAF, bad 02's, fuel pressure issues, etc...can all cause some of those things.

You can swap your sensor with a friends, or buy a new one and if its not it, return it.

 

Just an update to let you guys know what happened. The fuel pump was dropping pressure when it got hot. new pump no more problems.