1996 Eclipse GS engine dies

1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse GS Auto 2.0

I just got my car back after a year and a half in the body shop. I think those guys fried my PCM. My car will start and will run for about 15 minutes and then turn off. I tested and measured the impedence of the coil and it checks good. Now, when I compare the readings on the harness when it runs and when it doesn't, I find that I do not see me pulses on cylinders 1 and 4. To verify my findings I attach a spark plug to each ignition cable individually and sure enough 1 and 4 do not fire. The engine schematics show that the harness is directly coming from the PCM. The strange thing is that after about 15 minutes with everything off the engine will fire right back up with no problems. Then 15 minutes later it dies.

I need help with the following questions:
1. My manual shows that the PCM is located in the engine bay next to the fuse box for 1996 turbo models. It shows that the ECM is located under the dash behind the center console. Well I have both pictured items so what is what?

2. Does my problem sound typical of a bad computer? Running the check engine diagnostics I get the following codes. 11, 12, 43, 53.

3. Can anyone offer any more help in troubleshooting that I may have missed?

I appreciate everyone's help with this.

Thanks,
Robert

Sorry I don't have an answer, just my recent experiance....I just bought a 1995 eclipse non turbo 5 speed.....3 days ago driving along at 60 miles an hour the engine just starts dying for a second then restarting...then it died and I had to pull off the road, then restarted and drove home fine......next two days no problem then today I get half way to work(about 25 miles), stop at a gas station, then when I start to drive away the engine dies and won't restart..call in sick ...call my wife....about 40 minutes later it starts and runs fine all the way home.....any help????????????

not sure, try the fuel filter, does it sputter and die or just die........

In my case it seems to die instantly, I really think the pcm is cutting off the spark and or fuel supply...when it runs it runs great.....I'm thinking it's the pcm , or the camshaft position sensor....but why does it only do it once in a while

i ahve a simaler problem but mine used to spuder as well i replaced my camshaft pos sensor. it fixed the spudder. but now i have the dieing problem and when it dies the speed and rpm gages look like they have turned off. most of the time i can turn the key to the off pos and then start it back up no problems. but every once in a while i have to reset the computer and then it starts. i have noticed that the fuel injection dose not prime itself or whatever the technical term for it is. but when i reset it it wont start until it dose prime itself.

you say you reset the computer...how do you do that.....I bought a car chip that monitors the computer and when it dies and won't start back up the computer seems to not be working......thanks....

i know what will solve your problem you guys. you should try to replace your Crankshaft sensor not your camshaft. had the same problem thats what fixed it.

Thank you and others for your help....It may well be the crankshaft sensor.....did your car do what mine is doing...it always starts fine...runs for a half hour or so ....then dies........is it common for the crankshaft sensor to act like that ...or does it just go out and the car won't start again.....also as sugested i've started to disconnect battery to reset computer after it dies.....then it always restarts and run well....is it normal for the computer to shut down like that..........thanks alot

when the computer is overloaded with information that it cannot interpret, such as a camshaft pos. sensor sending normal then abnormal information it is basically causing the PCM to shut down. )Sort of like your home PC recieving too many commands and trying to perform too many processes at once, it with lock up.) If you are getting a check engine light, find out what its causing it, where may be 1 or more codes resulting in multiple sensor malfunctions. I used to see this problem quite a bit with my old nissans. but have yet to see it with my mitsu

Thanks all.....today I drove the car and it only ran for about a mile then died...it would not restart.....unhooked battery ....still no restart........pushed ....coasted.....pulled it back home......camshaft pos sensor feed voltage was 2.9.....should be around 9.......signal voltage was also 2.9....should be around 5..........not testing sensor but testing wiring going to sensor.....no spark....almost 9 hours later still testing off then suddenly it tests right where it should be and car starts....I was hoping it wouldn't start so I would have a better chance of finding out what was wrong..........thanks all....for any help

is it normal for the crankshaft position sensor to be oily.....I pull mine and it had oil on it......just wondering.....also another thing I wanted to add is that when the engine dies the check engine light does not come on.....when it won't restart the check engine light does not come one......cycle the key on and off and the check engine code reader does not work.....when the engine won't restart I get improper voltage reading from the wiring to the cam position sensor and the crankshaft position sensor.....then the reading become good and the check engine light comes on when I turn the key before starting...and the thing will start.....then no trouble codes......thanks again

where is it located on a gs?

I guess it makes sense that it's oily.......its right above the oil filter into the block.......you get to it from underneath the car...........................................I've owned this car about three weeks and its driving me crazy..........great car when it runs..................I hope I get this resolved and then I can enjoy it.............the catch 22 is that when its running it runs great and things seem to check out okay.....when it's down it's obvisious that the computer has shut down............but is it the computer itself or some sensor..........

I had the same problem with my eclipse stalling with no check engine light, the gauges would just slowly fall to 0, and then i could turn the ignition key and the car would start. Well I let it sit for about an hour and it would not restart. I had no spark at the plugs and no power to the fuel pump and the only thing i could think of that links those two together is the ecm. I replaced it and the car started and i drove it about 300 ft and it died again. I was told that i have a bad crank position sensor and it was shorting out my ecm.