89 si. Now I use it once every week for 10-20miles (often less than 100 mi per month). Last night engine did not start, after leaving the car still for one week. Start motor is running well, enough engine oil/fuel/battery. Over 3 hours I ran the start motor about 6 times. Eventually it came on. THEN engine rpm gradually went down and stopped over 5 secords period. Tried starting twice more and finally came and ran ok.

This problem (start motor running but no start) happens 2-3 times a year. In 2005 @115k, spark plug, distribution cap, ignition rotor were replaced to fix this issue ($160). But every now end then the problem comes back. Don't think it is a fuel filter since this problem does not occur all the time.

Maybe related? If I stop at traffic, the rpm drops to 500 or something (though rpm comes back and never stops the engine) but only on hot weather.

Thanks,

 

The main relay is often the culprit in these cases of "sometimes cranks but won't start, other times runs fine".

 

Generally when the relay is bad it may not always start, but once started it does almost always stay running. So that is consistent with what you're seeing.

You can pull the relay out and resolder all the connections in it, you don't have to buy a new one.

 

i think its the distrubitor cap