Hello, I have 86 firebird with a 2.8l v6, automatic, I just bought the car for $500 a few days ago and was taking it for a spin, when I start it, it idles high and sound great after it takes a min for it to turnover. After it warms up or I put it in gear it drops to an idle of about 300-500 rps and if I stop quickly it dies on me and takes about 5 minutes in the middle of an intersection for it to start back up. If you have any tips or advice I would appreciate it. Thank you in advance.

how high is it idling prior to warm up? it *may* be something as simple as adjusting the idle screw to raise up the idle a bit, since you should be around 500-600 rpm when warmed up. 300's definitely on the low side. does the bounce around when warmed up (before it dies)?

BEING AN 86 2.8 IT MUST BE TPI,IS THE CHECH ENGINE LIGHT ON,IF SO CHECK THE CODES, IF NOT CHECK FOR VACUM LEAKS.

I just bought and 86 camaro 2.8l V6 and it did the same thing. Every time I came to a stop just about I would the engine start sputtering around like it was idling to low then it would die. It keep shutting off when I was in traffic so I had to figure it out. I bought new spark plugs and wires and changed them and it hasn't die since. But I think what the main problem was who ever changed the spark plugs last had the gap set at half of what it should have been. The manual says the gap should be set at .045 I think, so you might what to check that.

So I purchased new spark plugs for it which im going to change tonight, hopefully that does the trick the only thing on the rpm reading is that I no longer have any gauges, they all shut off on me and my interior lights so I have no idea what my idle is at now, before they shut off it would turn over and idle at light 1300 rpm's then then slowly drop down to about 300-500, I can really feel my car just shimmy and try to die, and like I said if I hit a yellow light im pretty much screwed cuz me slamming the breaks or even slowing down quickly is a garauntee of my car dying.

When my gauges did work as well my check engine light was on but I no longer have any power to my gauges so I doubt I can even read a code since I heard you have to read the code off the flashing of the lights on the dash? not sure if thats true but I know I cant just plug it in at auto zone and have them tell me.

Unfortunately our cars are so old that the code checkers don't do much good. I've tried it everywhere and most places don't check them at all anymore

I'm having the same problem and it came on quickly. This is an '89 with a 3 year old crate 3.1 V6 in it. I put a new distributor cap and rotor in, faked me out and ran nicely then started doing the same things once it warmed up: sputtering on acceleration (especially 1000 to 3000 rpm), fluctuating tach, lack of power. When I come to a fast stop it will drop idle to <500 rpm and sometimes stall.

I need some theories on this! Can anybody help? Fuel? Vacuum? Plugs?

turned out when my car did this it was the timing. putting it back to tdc wasn't the fix either. The dealership had to advance or retard it a bit. they said sometimes the engines get worked over so that they don't operate on exactly the same standards as they did off the manufacturing line so sometimes you have to tweak it a little. So my timing is off by a few degrees. I guess they just played with it till it stopped dying. Worth trying before dumping more money into it.

I'm having the same problem with my 92 Formula 350. New oxygen sensor, idle air control valve, coolant temp sensor, distributor cap, plug wires, plugs it still does the same thing. Runs fine until it gets warm, when it does it's just like you said low rpm's, dies at stop lights, etc. I would like to hear from someone who might know what's going on. Any ideas?