My '87 SC has a fuel starvation problem. Falls on its' face at WOT with a brand new fuel filer. Take the filter out and it runs like a champ! I put a new mechanical pump on and it didn't change anything. So my questions are:


1. Did all '87 Camaros come with an electric pump in the tank, and if so, could it be bad and causing my WOT problem?

2. Would installing a low pressure electric pump back by the tank solve my problem? The one Carter sells is 100 bucks, is there a cheaper alternative?

 

This is a carbd car right? Drop the tank, take out the electric pump, modify the pickup (so it reaches bottom), and install a 14 dollar sbc fuel pump at the block. A lot cheaper than a 100 dollar aftermarket, though a little more work.

 

It's a Rochester Carb.


The guys at Advance Auto keep telling me there is not an electric pump in my tank. They couldn't bring one up on the computer either. Are you positive that I have one?

 

I believe it was 1986 that the carb'd 305 got the intake "helper pump" to assist the on-block mechanical pump. This electric pump was installed to help reduce vapor lock and all those good fuel delivery issues.

 

You replaced the fuel filter in the nose of the carb and it falls on it's face? But you take it out and it runs fine?

You have a fuel filter issue of some kind. That fuel filter should only provide the slightest restriction to fuel flow.

The filter in the nose of a QJet is not a very high flowing unit, however, you really need to be making over about 300HP before it becomes restrictive. If the filter is old it will look just fine, but in fact may be completely clogged. Fuel flows from the inside to the outside on them so all the dirt gets trapped on the insides of the pleats where you can't see them.

I assume you installed it correctly, not flipped over the wrong way. The end with the opening has to point towards the fule line.

Also, I take out the stock check-valve that comes in the nose of those filters. Just pop the rubber part off the end of the filter, take out the plastic valve and spring and reinstall the rubber part back in the end of the filter. The check valves cause more problems than they fix, in my opinion.

 

Carb'd 87's had the electric pump in the tank as well as a mechanical on the engine. Earlier models only had the electric as a dealer installed kit to solve customer vapor lock complaints.

A weak fuel system may fall on its face with just the filter restriction. A healthy fuel system won't be fazed by the filter. A weak in-tank electric is enough to make the whole system weak.

 

For reference, this page came up on partsamerica for '87 carb'd Camaro application:

http://www.partsamerica.com/SelectPa...hFor=Fuel+Pump

You may have to enter a zip code to see it (don't worry, no reprocussions from entering it).

Personally, I think the electric pusher/engine mechanical is the best combo you can have.

 

Slightly off topic how do I find out with out dropping my tank if I have an intank fuel pump. I have the mechanical one on the motor, but I am not the original owner and the car has had a 350 swap among other things done. look at sig. I am mostly curious because the car is fast but not as fast as I was expecting with current mods. If you can look at the sig. it tells you everythign I have done and the next big step.

 

There should be a fuel pump relay in the fuse box, and more wires than needed for the fuel gage sender going to the tank.