I have a friend with a '97 T/A with a problem. When they start the car up, it will run for anywhere from 2-5 minutes, but then it just shuts down. When the car is running, it runs good, no missing or jumping around, but just shuts off like you turned the key off. Now the problem didn't happen until they ran through a puddle that was about 6 inches deep. The opti is the probably the original, and has 220k miles on it (they bought the car with 90k and has never changed it). I told them they needed a new opti but any other ideas on what may be causing this? Is it possible that the crank position sensor has gone bad, or the reluctor ring on the crank?

Thanks for any help.

 

if it were the opti, i think it would run rough and miss in higher rpms and such. Did u check the fuel pressure?

 

Fuel pressure is the one thing that's not been checked, although the fuel filter has been changed on the car. I thought it might be VATS but the amount of time the car runs varies so I'm pretty much sure it isn't that. I'm starting to wonder about the ignition control module heating up and breaking down causing it as well.

Any more ideas out there?