Quits after ~30 seconds

[msgt van]

2006 Apex - Starts right up, and on a cold start after about 20 - 30 seconds it quits like you hit the kill switch. Gauge cluster remains active. Doesn't seem to be temperature related. It happen and the end of this season in the cold, and does it in my shop at 68 F. It'll start right up again, although after repeated cycling/start cycles the time it takes to shut off drops; about 10 seconds on last attempt.
Can anybody point me in the right direction on this?

 

[RobX-1]

Any chance the starter relay was replaced with an incorrect one (ie. still OEM but for a 3 cyl as they look identical) or the wires are reversed where it is only powering the fuel injection at startup and then once running, once the float bowls run dry, it dies?

 

[msgt van]

I installed a solid state relay years ago. It's been running fine until it learned this new trick. I tried the original relay and had the same results.

 

[maim]

check what robX-1 said 1st to make sure power stays on to fuel pump while running.

i had an issue on my wr250x where that if it got low on fuel, the module in the tank mounted with the fuel pump would overheat and the fuel pump would shut off. when it cooled off, it would run until it got hot. happened to me on my truck before as well. ended up replacing the pump assembly as i was told by guys that did them regularly that you could keep it full on a vehicle and get a few more months but eventually they would just fail.

 

[steiner]

If he had the wrong starter relay the sled will not start.
I would look at the stator or pick up coil.
Apex does not have " fuel bowls"

 

[HighSpeedLowDrag]

Lack of oil pressure will do that.

 

[earthling]

could be starving of fuel. Could be the pickup coil being intermittent although starting at all becomes more of a problem then.

 

[Teamblue4]

Any chance the starter relay was replaced with an incorrect one (ie. still OEM but for a 3 cyl as they look identical) or the wires are reversed where it is only powering the fuel injection at startup and then once running, once the float bowls run dry, it dies?

Float bowls on a fuel injected 06 Apex ? they have a fuel rail with injectors.

 

[RobX-1]

I just thought I recalled reading a post where the person could start the engine and it would run but then it would eventually die. Maybe my memory of the exact the details aren't the greatest but I believe the issue was that somehow or other, the fuel pump was only being powered when turning the key to start. Once started, the power to the fuel injectors was cut and the engine eventually died.

 

[RobX-1]

This post

Turns out that I installed the cables to the wrong posts when I replaced the starter relay.

I had been on an RX1 forever and changed the starter relays on it several times. But since it has a mechanical fuel pump, it doesn't matter which cable goes to which post on the starter relay.

On the Apex, the electric fuel pump is fed by the starter relay, so if you have the cables on the wrong posts, you only feed power to the fuel pump when you are turning the starter over. So it will run when you are turning it over, and for a few seconds after you release the key, then die.

Had I known that the fuel pump was on that circuit, it would have been easy to figure out. I assumed the fuel pump was on a designated circuit and it was stumping me.

Easy fix (other than it was windy and 35 degrees with heavy rain when I fixed it), just switched the cables to the opposite posts on the starter relay. Now that I know that it matters which cable goes to which post on the Apex, it won't be a problem again.

 

[Rtbo]

Stator, mine did the same thing

 

[RobX-1]

When the stator went out in my 08, it was more of a no-start issue than quiting after running but the stator is easy enough to test.

 

[hibshman25]

sometimes codes don't display on the dash but are stored in memory. When diagnosing I first always go in and clear all the stored codes. Make a note of what codes it has in memory. If never cleared they will remain for years. Once cleared run the sled until it acts up. If no code displays go into diagnostic mode and see if any came back.

 

[sideshowBob]

I had a similar problem with my Attak but it only showed up randomly and would not start after it quit until sled sat for a while then would run normal.
My issue ended up being the oil pressure sender/switch located adjacent to the oil filter.