What causes a car to shut off after spark plugs have been changed and battery re-charged??

Question

I have a 2004 Mitsu Lancer, the start up has began to become slow- so I was told to change the spark plugs so the starting of the car would be faster, after changing the spark plugs- i turned the car on, car fired up, then after staying in idle for 5min or so, car shuts off- i fire back up- car seems to be just dead- i try to restart and nothing at all- I recharged the battery, after that car fires back up- but again after a few minutes in idle- car shuts off - what else should i be looking for? i've check all the plugs and wires to make sure i put everything back in it's place- not sure what else to look for

I have a 2004 Mitsu Lancer, the start up has began to become slow- so I was told to change the spark plugs so the starting of the car would be faster, after changing the spark plugs- i turned the car on, car fired up, then after staying in idle for 5min or so, car shuts off- i fire back up- car seems to be just dead- i try to restart and nothing at all- I recharged the battery, after that car fires back up- but again after a few minutes in idle- car shuts off - what else should i be looking for? i've check all the plugs and wires to make sure i put everything back in it's place- not sure what else to look for

UPDATE, thanks for the input guys- to answer some questions, the battery is 3yrs old as well, it did have corrosion on it and i did clean that off- if spark plugs are pre-gapped do i need to gap again? my battery charge came with a built in alternator check- and that checked out and the battery charge is at 14.2- gas is full and is Exxon gas-

Answer 1

Sounds to me like you have a bad battery and that the battery was probably the culprit in the first place. Three years on a stock battery isn't bad, especially if you live in an area of extreme heat.

Answer 2

Spark Plugs On A Car

Answer 3

From your description it sounds like a battery problem. Check the alternator with it running, is it charging the battery? With the engine running a volt meter should show almost 14 volts.

What about the battery terminals? Are they clean and tight? If they are dirty it causes a resistance, and if not tight it can interrupt the flow causing the ignition to shut down just like turning off the key.

If the alternator is working, and the terminals are clean and tight, it may be time for a new battery. You can pull it out and take it to the parts store. They will test it and sell you a new one if needed.

Answer 4

Did you place the correct gaping on the spark plugs? you know you just cant pull them out of the box and throw them in? maybe you're not getting a good spark. Sounds more like an electrical problem because the engine IS running but it stalls. Pull the air filter cap off, remove the filter, try to idle it with the intake opened up with no filter, try and listen for any sputtering strange noises when its idle. could alse be that you used some cheap gas and is plugging you injectors.. shees; there's too many probabilities, I defently try and have checked out by a GOOD mechanic. whatever you do, DO NOT TAKE IT TO THE STEALERSHIP! yes, stealership not dealership, they'll rape you on pricing.

Answer 5

It could be a number of things.I would recommend a major tune up---plugs, wires, distributor cap, rotor, air/fuel filter, fuel injector cleaner and etc. You do not say how old your battery is. Is there corrosion on the post, are the cables tight and in good shape.

You might also have either a bad alternator/starter.

Answer 6

Battery could be a problem (or alternator) or the fuel delivery system. Start with a fully charged battery and check the bat. terminals with the engine running with a volt meter to see if you have at least 13.5v. Also make sure you have enough fuel in the vehicle.

Answer 7

When you get a crank but no start situation (starter motor turns the engine over ok, but the engine won't fire and run), then immediately use the spark tester below to see if you've lost your ignition spark. If you still have good ignition spark, then you'll know it might be a fuel related problem, so you then check for the proper fuel pressure with a fuel pressure gauge.

http://www.napaonline.com/MasterPages/NOLMaster.aspx?PageId=470&LineCode=BK&PartNumber=7002456&Description=Electronic+Ignition+Spark+Tester

Answer 8

Well the problem is you haven't determined why the car is shutting off.

However, from your description it sounds potentially like a fuel delivery problem. Try changing the fuel filter out. It maybe clogged (or clogging), allowing enough fuel pressure to start the car, but not allowing enough pressure to keep the car going.

Answer 9

Perhaps a bad battery....Did you check the alternator output? Battery voltage should be around 14.5+Volts while engine is running.