SMA SEL ENG QUITE CAUSING PVT PLT TO MAKE AN OFF ARPT LNDG ON A MAJOR HWY.

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ON APCH TO FXE RWY 8 I WAS REQUESTED (BY THE TWR CTLR) TO EXTEND MY BASE LEG AND SQUARE MY TURN TO FINAL TO ALLOW SEVERAL OTHER PLANES TO TKOF. ALTHOUGH A SMALL RAIN SHOWER WAS APCHING THE ARPT FROM THE N. I COMPLIED WITH THE TWR'S REQUEST. AS I CAME IN ON SHORT APCH TO FLARE- OUT; I EXPERIENCED SOME TURB THAT WAS RUNNING AHEAD OF THE RAIN SHOWER. I DECIDED TO ABORT THE LNDG AND GAR. ALTHOUGH I HAD STARTED MY GAR; AT FIRST I WAS UNABLE TO TELL THE TWR DUE TO THE CTLR'S MOTOR-MOUTHING ON THE RADIO. SEVERAL SECONDS AFTER STARTING MY GAR; THE TWR OPERATOR SAID 'I SEE YOU ARE DOING A GAR.' AT THAT POINT I REQUESTED R TFC TO AVOID THE APCHING RAIN SHOWER. HE SAID THAT I HAD TO MAINTAIN RWY HDG. SEVERAL SECONDS LATER I WAS IN HVY RAIN. I AGAIN REQUESTED R TFC AND WAS TOLD TO MAKE CLOSE R TFC; WHICH I DID. THIS TOOK ME OUT OF THE WORST RAIN BUT I WAS STILL IN A LIGHT SHOWER. THE TWR CTLR SAID THAT I COULD SET UP FOR ANOTHER LNDG. I TOLD HIM THAT I WANTED TO LEAVE THE AREA AND COME BACK AFTER THE SHOWER WAS GONE. HE AGREED. I TURNED 45 DEGS AWAY FROM THE DOWNWIND AND PROCEEDED W-S-W TO AVOID THE ILS APCH. I FLEW APPROX 4-5 MI AND THE ENG SPUTTERED SEVERAL TIMES AND QUIT. I TRIED TO RESTART TWICE AND CALLED MAYDAY 3 TIMES. THE TWR CTLR WAS STILL MOTOR- MOUTHING AND DIDN'T HEAR ME UNTIL ANOTHER ACFT TOLD HIM I WAS CALLING MAYDAY. I RPTED MY SIT AND SQUAWKED 7700. I SET UP A GLIDE AND LANDED ON 1-75 WBOUND WITHOUT FURTHER PROB. AFTER LNDG I FOUND WHAT APPEARED TO BE A SHORT IN THE IGNITION (PROBABLY CAUSED BY WATER). I SWITCHED TO THE BACK-UP IGNITION AND THE ENG RE-STARTED AND RAN FINE. THE POLICE CONTACTED THE FAA. HE SAID THAT IF THE POLICE WOULD ALLOW ME TO TAKE OFF OF I-75 THAT IT WAS OK WITH HIM. I DID AND RETURNED TO FXE WITH NO FURTHER PROBS. I BELIEVE THAT THE FAA CTLRS SHOULD BE TRAINED NOT TO SEND VFR ACFT INTO SITS THAT COULD EASILY BECOME IFR WITHIN SECONDS.