I have a Z-28 Camaro 1997 model with a 5.7 liter engine. When driving the engine will shut off. Let is sit for 5 or 10 minutes it will start back up. Gives no warning. Doesn't miss, just shuts off like cutting the key off. It might shut down 2 or 3 times one day and then goes for weeks before doing it again. Any advice?

It might be the crank sensor.

Doesn't make any difference which car you have.....

Try spraying carb cleaner into the intake to see if the car starts or almost starts, to determine if it'* a fuel problem(injectors not firing or fuel pressure)....

Check for spark? This an Opti-Spark system?

Scan for "P" and "B" codes?

97 is lt1 so it is optispark. if you test for spark and find none, icm test;


Start with the ign control signal on the white wire of the ICM pin B and at the PCM is on the black connector pin 5. The first thing to do is disconnect both connectors and check continuity from pin B of ICM to pin 5 of the PCM connector. You may need a second wire to reach it with meter. Obviously if there is no continuity, you have a wire to fix.

If ok, connect both ends and put the meter on AC Volts. While cranking the engine, look at the signal on the white wire of the PCM. It should have between 1 and 4 volts AC on it. Remember to ground the black lead.

If no AC signal, pull the connector at the PCM (black connector) and check the signal coming out of pin 5. If there is no signal coming out of pin 5 then most likely (notice I said most likely), the PCM is bad.

If the AC signal is getting to the PCM on the white wire, you must now look at the signals from the ICM to the coil. Ignition off. Meter set to DC Volts. First check for a good ground to the ICM. Put a meter lead on the + battery terminal and probe the black wire pin C on the ICM with the other lead. It should show a full battery voltage (12 or more volts).

If not you have a bad ground.

Ignition on. Meter set to DC Volts. Now check the pink/black wire on pin A of the ICM and the white/ black wire on pin D of the ICM for battery voltage (12 or more volts) remember to ground the other lead.

If the voltage is there, the problem is the coil. If it is not on those 2 pins, you have to determine if the wire from the coil to the ICM is broken, or if the connectors are bad or the coil is bad.

Also if the voltage is not on those 2 pins, check the #11 fuse (10 amp) the supplies the ignition. If blown, no voltage either.

If the AC signal is getting to the ICM and the ICM has 12 volts on pins A and D, the ground is good to the ICM, and you still have no spark the ICM is probably bad.

If no AC signal, pull the connector at the PCM (black connector) and check the signal coming out of pin 5. If there is no signal coming out of pin 5 then most likely (notice I said most likely), the PCM is bad.

But JW, what if you have no HI/LO resolution from the optispark?
there will be no spark and no injector pulse.....

Forgot to mention, the crank sensor is not used for starting the vehicle, it is there only for misfire diagnosis......the optispark system did not use a crank sensor before OBD II...

i just cut and pasted that procedure, never had one or worked on one

Ha-ha, then consider yourself lucky JW....

When customers came in for 100 K maintenance/tuneup/driveability(misfire) problems with Firebirds, they almost passed out when they received a quote...

The time it took to replace wires, the time to replace plugs, we recommended new w/p'* even if the old one wasn't leaking at the time(if that sucka started to leak at the weep hole, kiss the optispark goodbye), replacing the cap and rotor, air and fuel filter....the price was insane.....most couldn't believe that you had to remove the w/p to replace the cap and rotor......more often than not, the flow though air system may not have been working and moisture and ozone built up in there would be corroding everything.....

Optispark was a great idea......car would start much quicker, and the PCM knew exactly where the pistons were for precise fuel injection......but tres costly to repair.....and a lot of guys had trouble diagnosing it....

Tech II it is a 97 so it is OBD2.

OBD2 indeed yes. But. The 1997 Z28 Camaro came with a 5.7. Not like our regular 5.7 some of us have, but the LT4 330HP engine version which I'm wondering if the OP has.