Hey everyone,

I'm in need of a little assistance if possible. I recently bought at 1990 RS that had a 350 dropped in her from a 1985 Chevy 1/2 ton pick-up. I am having problems keeping here running. I have replaced the starter, fuel pump, spark-plug wires, spark plugs, battery, and distributor cap. Since the engine is out of an older model pick-up the computer is not being utilized in her as it was with the original engine. I'm beginning to think that I have a problem with something electrical or with the overall ignition system. I have been able to start her up and drive her a short distance but she will die on me and won't start, or even attempt to. After she cools down she starts up again.

Can anyone suggest anything that might be going on with my car? I would really like to resolve this issue once and for all.

-Gabe

 

Where was the fuel pump you replaced?

 

Fuel pump is located on the block on this year of engine

 

i would guess fuel issue as well-

 

The car has an in-tank electric fuel pump. When switching to carb, the in-tank is often forgotten about. The mechanical pump on the engine can't efficiently pull through a non-operating in-tank electric. And, if the in-tank is operating, it will put out more pressure than the carb can handle without a proper return-style pressure regulator. So, you may have a fuel starvation or flooding issue.

On the other hand, you might have a weak ignition component such as the ignition control module or coil that have a circuit that opens up when the component warms up.

Pretty hard to tell sitting in front of a computer which problem it is.

 

same problem here, but i replaced it all also but there is no fuel coming from the mechanical fuel pump. the original owner has no idea what car the motor came from, so when i took the old pump to the store teh gave me 1 that looked identical... but still wont stay running. and i have a fuel regulator

 

Hey thanks for the advice. I'll have to check into those things. I don't know if this would maybe be leading to the issue of the fuel pump IN the tank, but this last time she broke down I took the fuel line off of the carb in order to check my filter (filter is in the carb body) and there was actually ALOT of pressure in that line when I took it off? Is there supposed to be so much pressure in the line that would make the fuel spray out? After removing the filter, the car still wouldn't start up for about 30 minutes.

Any thoughts on this?

 

There should be somewhere between 4-7 psi at the carb. That is plenty to spray fuel around when you loosen the nut.

Sounds like you've got a failing ignition component.

 

 

I agree, too. I had an 83 sport coupe that would do that sort of thing. At first I thought it was vapor lock, but then it turned out that the ignition control module was the problem the whole time.

 

Hey

Thanks for the advice. I'll be replacing the control module this weekend and hopefully that will solve the problem. If now, I'll check the ignition switch that sits on top of the steer column and then I guess i'll just go from there. I'll keep you all posted

 

When you replace the module in your HEI, make sure you use the little tube of grease that should come in the box with it. The grease will help to conduct heat away from the module and onto the mounting surface in the distributor.

 

Hey guys,

I replaced the rotor and the ignition control module today and she started right up. I've started her up a few different times today and I had no problems. I"m crossing my fingers that this will resolve the issue

 

Sounds like you nailed that one! Congrats!

 

I am very hopeful that I hit the nail on the head with this one, but I also thought that when I replaced the fuel pump, spark plugs, and wires that I had resolved the issue as well. I'll keep you all updated as to how it goes this time.

 

Hey everyone, it seems that replacing the ignition control module seemed to have fixed my problem, but now I want to know if any of you can tell me why there are three lines running from the gas tank to the engine compartment. As you may remember the previous owner dropped at 350cu. in her from an 85 pick-up. I know that there weren't all these emissions and **** in that year of pick-up. He obviously took out some of the emissions from the Camaro but didn't remove the lines. There was about a one foot piece of tubing on the driver side of the compartment that i removed because I was tired of looking at all the **** that didn't belong. This piece was not capped off. After removing that piece I am having a serious gas leak from one of those lines (metal), still in the engine compartment. Should this line actually go to something? Should I just cap off the line, or would it be best to try and remove that line entirely? Thanks for the help!

-Gabe

 

Supply, return, vapor recovery.

 

Quadrajets don't like more than 4.5 psi, while a Holley is okay up to 7 psi.

 

If it's a small thin metal line on the drivers frame rail, it should go to the vapor canister. Cap it off for now but check out another car to see what should be there. Go to the j/yard, scavenge what you need, and put it back the to way it was built. Having the line capped will allow pressure to build in the tank instead of venting it to the canister.

 

That sounds like a good plan, but will I be able to hook everything up since the engine that it is in her now probably didn't have a vapor canister and the computer that is in the car is not even being used?