89 VN turning off by itself while driving.

[calum_gill]

Hey im fairly new to the forums and fairly new to cars aswell. I have an 1989 VN commodore and its been sitting in my yard for 2 months. ive turned the engine over every 2 weeks but when i took it around the block today i had it in drive (blue D, with a box around it. Not sure if that's what i should have it in or not) and i was speeding up and it just shut off. i stopped the car and tryed to start it and nothing happened. no engine sound or anything. Mind you i was in drive. I put it into park and it started. it now sometimes has a coughing sound when it idles and shakes allot. Am i supposed to have it in Blue drive or the white drive? the blue drive has a blue box around it and under it is the white drive.


Help will be very appreciated! need it asap!


cheers, Calum

[calum_gill]

Just took it for a drive around the block again in white drive this time. Same thing happened. and it sounds like fluttering while im speeding up. happened twice when i was driving around the block. stopped, put it in park started it and drove off again.

[calum_gill]

bump.bump.

[Adds_05]

the D below the N so P,R,N,D <--- leave it in that

[calum_gill]

k thanks. Still need help as to whats wrong with the car :S

[Adds_05]

could be a miss? leads or plugs may need replacing if its shaking at idle

[orinoko]

Give her a good service mate, maybe the old girl is looking for it? I'd strongly recommend changing oil + oil filter, coolant, spark plugs, transmission service and maybe even new leads.

[1vngal]

Am i supposed to have it in Blue drive or the white drive? the blue drive has a blue box around it and under it is the white drive.

The Blue [D] is over-drive. As a general rule of thumb I drive in D at under 80kph. Once I'm in an 80kph or over zone, I use over-drive. It's basically an extra gear, a little more complex than that, but it's the general idea.

[Vr929]

could be ignition module or CAS (crank angle sensor) or needs plugs and leads

[calum_gill]

ill take it in for a service when i can. Thanks for the replies guys.

[cruizin]

sitting for a few months could be the fuel or dirty clogged fuel pump.
just a guess hope ya get it sorted

i got a hsv clubsport and every now and then when i turned it on it would turn straight off i was told so many different things then mate told me to look at the silver part that the key hits when turning car on see if it was damaged turned out it had a kink in it so was losing contact