Hello Everyone,
I recently bought a used 87 IrocZ (5.0 l) and took it for smog. It failed the first time and then the guy calls me back about 2 hours later saying he had to change spark plugs for 3, 5, and 7.

It passed smog and while at the red light, it started to hesitate and died. I put it into neutral and it caught back up but when i gave gas it would start to choke real bad.
I got it home and checked all the plug and they seem alright.
Now it just cranks over and does not start at all.
Any advice on what could be wrong.
I also found that ignition wire for plug #1 was resting on the header and on the passenger side between plug 6 and 8 is some kind of a bolt. There was this sensor (or something)attached to it and when i pulled it out, the plastic covering broke; si just put it back on (i.e. it does not have any hold on the bolt , just sitting on it).

Is there some relation between this and the engine not starting.

Thanks Sean

 

thats just the fan switch in the head, it shouldnt affect starting.

a burnt ignition wire is not a good thing make sure u dont have any more and fix them first.

 

Thanks a lot for your help. I ended up taking it back to the shop who did the smog.
It turned out to be burnt fuel pump. My odometer says 58+k miles but i am guessing it's 158+k miles, and the OEM pump is burnt out.
They quoted me a price of $500 for labour, pump and strenum and i said go ahead. Don't have the knowhow to drop the rear shabang and get the tank to get to the pump.
Is that a fair deal!!

I also have a 03 BMW Zed4 and had a E36 328i and a E46 325ci. Now both of my previous bimmers had a neat way to access the intank pump and senders.
To unclip rear seat and two fuel access covers are seen. To unbolt access cover and the supply, return lines, pump plug and sender plug are seen. The right side has a sender and pump plug whereas the left access has only the sender plug. To unplug the sender and pump plugs.
There is then a vapor seal on each of the access holes to prevent fuel vapours from escaping. The vapour seal is screwed onto each of the two holes. There is a special BMW tool to unscrew the vapour seals. Once they are out of the way the pump and sender can be pulled out from the right access hole.
The entire operation of replacing the pump with the special tool would take me about 45 minutes.
I wish GM had designed this into the Iroc.

Now some food for thought. I have read about cutting a hole on the rear pan to gain access. I think if done right it will not affect structural rigidity. The bimmer has the two access holes right on the unibody pan, i.e. the under the passenger seat. To retain the structural rigidity, they had strengthened the two slightly oval shaped holes doubling the sheet metal around the circumference.

The strength of a sheet metal with punched holes is more than continous metal. This is simliar in concept to a hollow tube of same material being stronger than a solid rod. A consequence of greater elasticity or increase in modulus of elasticity.
I think a circular or oval hole with strengthened circumference will retain if not strengthen the rigidity of the floor pan and thus a access hole can be formed for the Iroc as well.
I will do some more research on this and post my findings.

Yet again thanks and yes this is a fun car to drive

 

Before i forget. The pump and strenum they put in is AirTex Model E3210 and AirTex FS30 respectively. The shop would'nt wait for me to get a pump of my choice. Is this a good brand.

I would rather have gotten in a AC Delco, Walbro or some other good brand I have read in this forum.

The old pump is an OEM pump, part #:
6442646 1752-2 286. Under the numbers the letters AC appears ( it may be AC Delco). I am going to check the pump to see how voltage drop is there.
The filter is FRAM G3727 G201.