hillpc

Wow, bummer. I can't speak to heating up and going out. You need to be methodical and narrow it down to spark or fuel first before you can go any further. If you suspect POS's, I would peel back the rubber wiring boot on one of the coils (leaving everything connected) and put a test lamp across the outside 2 (out of 3) terminals from the backside (constant 12 volts, terminal 15, and on/off ground from the POS, terminal 1). Need pointy ends to get in there, or maybe use straightened paper clips to get in there and hook test lamp to those? A test lamp used in this position does not need to be an LED test lamp, as opposed to testing between the ECM and the POS. With the engine running or cranking, the lamp should flash if the POS is grounding and ungrounding the coil each time the POS tries try to make the coil spark. (I don't know how to check for actual spark with the car running; I assume one needs to put a lamp-like device of some sort between the spark plug and the spark plug boot on an unbolted, moved out of the way coil.) Maybe even leave the test lamp connected while the car is warming up at idle. When it dies, crank the engine and see if the lamp flashes. To be methodical, do the same for the rest of the coils. That will test the POS's and everything upstream. If there are flashes on all 8, the POS's are working and the problem is then either the coils are dead and don't fire when the POS grounds and ungrounds them (though it seems unlikely to me that they'd all die at once), the spark plugs are all fouled (also unlikey, IMO), or it's a fuel issue. Maybe have a noid light on an injector as well at the same time, though that also tests only 1 injector drive pulse at a time. Please report back with your findings.

fsrowsell

hillpc, I got around to going your test you suggested this morning and this is what I found. #1 coil is dead and when I pulled it. The tube was broken. I'm assuming that a dead coil will cause her to go into limp mode, witch was causing her to run rough and die.

hillpc

I can't see one dead cylinder making the car die.

fsrowsell

Sorry been out of town on business. while away my coil arrived in the post, so I installed that. The engine starts right up, but after 5 mins or so she starts to idle rough and CEL came on. The engine did not stall like before but continued to run rough. I took another scan and this is what I got...

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Address 02: Auto Trans Labels: 01L-927-156.lbl
Part No: 4D0 927 156 BG
Component: AG5 01L 4.2l4V S8RdW D02
Coding: 00101
Shop #: WSC 00000
VCID: 6FEDF3E12DC89246BF-5104

2 Faults Found:
18258 - Powertrain Data Bus
P1850 - 35-10 - Missing Message from ECU - Intermittent
17087 - Brake Switch (F)
P0703 - 35-00 - Electrical Malfunction

hillpc

I can't explain the rough idle with those 2 codes. I've read that the brake switch code is often seen simply because the brake pedal was not applied at some point before running the scan. The other ECM code can set because of low voltage (sure you have good voltage?), as well as actual ECM and ECM connector problems.

I'd go back and check the ignition (POS outputs flashing)before and after rough running.

The warming up and getting rough must be a clue.