02 Pontiac Sunfire Build.

[backpacker3]

Ok here's the start of updates for this weekend first Daox here are your pics as requested

Before:


After:




I started fixing my fender too I got the bondo done and the first coat of primer which I hope will be the only one I'll need. I'm letting it dry over night since it's too dark to paint anyway now. Hopefully I'll get it painted and cleared tomorrow. The bondo did have me nervous as I'd never used it before but it was actually really easy. It dried fully in about 45 minutes and I sanded it smooth with 80 grit first and then bit it with some 150 grit to finish it. Pretty easy overall though I still hope I'll never need to do it again lol. Here's the pics,

After sanding the bondo:


Primed:


That's all for now I'm hoping to have more tomorrow.

[backpacker3]

I did forget one thing yesterday but it's not a good thing. I'm having a weird problem when my car is fully stopped it's only happened twice now but I'm a bit worried about it this is what happened though about a week ago I was in a parking lot fully stopped waiting for a spot when all of a sudden I realized the engine was really quiet so I let my foot off the brake to see if it would crawl forward because it was in drive, nothing I look at the gauges RPM is at 0 but the check engine and oil pressure lights aren't on just the DRL indicator. The radio is still on and the car never shuddered or shook the engine just died nothing electrical was interrupted the radio never flickered other than the RPM gauge dropping nothing on the cluster changed either. It it started right back up with no issues and was fine after.

Skip to yesterday afternoon I was in the car with my dad and I'm stopped at a light waiting to turn left. The blinker is on radio is on DRL indicator is on the car is in drive fully stopped. I glanced down at my gas gauge to check where it was at and notice out of the corner of my eye that the tachometer and it's at 0. The engine is dead again. There was no indication it died again no shudder no misfire. The radio is still on never interrupted blinker is on DRL is on still. But again the CEL ISN'T on the oil light ISN'T on and nothing indicated the engine died or stalled or anything.

I won't complain if the engine shuts off at red lights it's like a automatic kill switch lol. But I'm worried that it will progress to dying while I'm moving which would be pretty dicey. I'm going to swap the air filter for an extra I have in my glovebox and check the fuses and electrical connections today because I think it might be electrical. Any other thoughts are appreciated though.

[backpacker3]

I had the engine thing happen again twice yesterday as well. I was telling a friend about it and he suggested the ignition switch because he though the sunfire was also involved in the cobalt recall. Well it's not involved in the recall but I think that the ignition switch would make sense as to what the car is doing.

I watched it gauges as I rolled up the a red light yesterday and it doesn't slowly drop or bog down it just hits idle and then drops to 0 and the engine cuts off. My wheels have been straight whenever it happens so that's not an issue either.

[Daox]

So, it acts identically to keying off?

[backpacker3]

Pretty much. That's why I'm thinking the ignition switch is probably the culprit.

[roosterk0031]

I had a 03 Malibu that at times wouldn't idle, it ended up being a idle air control valve. It was pretty random for a long time. I'd try to clean it first, some video's on youtube.

[backpacker3]

I'll look at that too. Thanks for the advice.

[ecoTex]

If it has an automatic transmission, it could be low on fluid.

[Daox]

Why would that cause the engine to die?

[ecoTex]

It will stall the torque converter