anyone in hawaii, wanna help me fix my car, 2 1/2 weeks on my own, i have replaced like 8 things, and cant figure out anything

even if you could help diagnose the problem a little more, i have alot of basic tools.

i dont own a multi meter, vac gauge, pressure gauge or nothing..

the problem is simple, the tranny and the engine are good.. i just cant figure it out... and im going insane...

let me know, i would appriciate the help.. at this point.. my battery is dead, because i tried starting it too much, but i know its something very simple, just exactly what im not sure..

at firs tthe car would stall at red lights, before that happened, the egr failure light would come on, before that the engine would not like to accelerate after about 70 mph...

now after a new coil dist cap and rotor plugs and wires, new vacuum hoses, new fuel filter, cleaned up the ground connections and battery terminals,

im not sure what my problem is, and would really appriciate some extra help from someone who knows what thier doing...

What model/year 3rd gen and what engine setup does it have? First I would start by charging the battery up, while doing that I would go over the symptoms again.

So first it had a problem going above 70mph. To be honest this sounds like a drivetrain problem to me but don't know for sure. Was it always in a certain gear when it wouldn't go above 70? Did you try it in both Drive and Overdrive? Because it could be something to do with RPM's too. Would it act weird when redlining in 1st or 2nd?

Next was the EGR error code, this can ause alot of problems because a faulty EGR can affect vaccum, which can affect idle and drivability. It also sucks because the EGR is a real pain in the butt to replace. I would verify the vaccum hoses to the EGR unit. Then I would pull the error codes off the ECM again.

Last problem was the stalling at a red light. Would this happen when the car first starts up or only when its warmed up? Temp affects the loop operation of the ECM. You can use a paperclip method to check if the ECM is running in closed or open loop while driving around. This will give you an idea if the problem is happening when the ECM begins to read the sensors, or if its happening before the sensors are being used (which means probably not a sensor problem).

Don't give up!!

ok im gonna break this down one at a time..

the original problem was.. one day i burnt the tires doing a u turn.. it was fun.. but now i think it was stupid..

the car would still drive for 1 1/2 more weeks... the problem was... i wasnt able to open the throttle all the way until the engine would make loud noise's instead of accelerating more.. it could go 65 mph down the H3 highway.. but if i wanted to romp on the gas pedal it would do nuttin but make noise's and crap... after a high rpm.. however it would turn off and start up fine.. and drive all day on the h1 no problems....... The SES light came on and the paper clip told me EGR failure

i took off the egr valve and cleaned it very thouroughly... i replaced all the vacuum hoses with new ones... i did not verify anything else (limited equipment)

I could throw the car in neautral and red line it and it sounded awsome.... in neautral or park the engine would roar like a lion...

The problem occurs on a hot and cold engine..

The car is a L98 1991 z28 tpi 350 5.7
That is the original problem i had.


The second problem i had was... After replacing the Vacuum hose's , fuel filter, ignition coil, distributor cap and rotor, spark plugs and wires, and ignition switch.. i havnt been able to start it. eneded up killing the battery,,, it would crank turn over, and sometimes catch.. but not all the way... to running /idle...

The install of the new ignition switch was sucessfull but didnt solve the problem of.. turning the key to start the car. (i still need to use my remote starter switch) but this isnt a problem.... or is it?

After 2 1/2 weeks and a bunch of hard earned money im at a loss.. and i dont have any much needed tools... and it wont start...

i inspected all the ground connections and cleaned them up real nice... even the battery terminals. inside and out.


Things i have not checked.
IAC Valve
TPS settings
TV cable
fuel pump
fuel pump relay
ignition module (cant locate)
anything below the cap and rotor.
egr solenoid not checked,,, (but i plan on trying to stat the car with the EGR valve capped to bypass.)

and maybe a few things other people have recommended..

My gas cap, relases alot of pressure when i open the cap.. fuel ump working? I hear the whining when key is turned forward...

I can answer alot more questions.. what do u think ?

the gear it was in didnt matter OD D or 2nd gear it was the same problem when i tried to accelerate harddd it would make more loud noise's than it would move forward and accelerate ... but if i just cruizzed gradually under 2 rpm stuf was normall..

im gonna bring this up again....

my tachj and speedo would jump around CRAZY.... when the problem occured.. and sometimes the radio would turn off randomly when the problem would happen.. but it would turn itself back on....

To be honest.. i felt strongly that if i could start the car up... i might have fixed the problem.. based on the CONDITION of the vacuum hose's and the ignition coil was in bad shape.... But it wont start now...

i will charge my battery fully tommorow and try starting again...


i feel that if i get it started it iwll stay running..

Stalling at red lights stop signs.... This didnt happen at first.. it just started becoming a problem slowly.. then before u knew it.. it became a bigger problem.. then a hge problem where i would roll down a slight hill/driveway and by the bottom it would stall byitself...

im going nuts without my car.. its my fav car since i was 8 years old.. and i finally have my favorite car and its killing me...

if someone wants to help me fix this.. i live near red hill.. and i would be more than generous to repay you or trade some stuff... basically i want this car running bad.. i consider myself a decent mechanic, who can fix more than the basics.. but this has got me realllly confussed.. and since i dont have a big wallet i cant afford all the nessicary equipment to give this car what it needs to fix it... Thanx for all your attention and patience... i been trying to read as much as i can on TG.ORG similar problems and such but nothing yet....

let me know what u guys think feel free to throw up ur adive... thanx again

Might be a good idea to go back to the beginning, isolate the possible causes of a No-Start. Check for spark, fuel delivery and fuel pressure. Often, diagnosis of a fuel injection problem can be confusing, because the symptoms are hard to pinpoint a particular sensor. And it's frustrating after spending a couple hundred $$ on extra parts to discover the problem is somewhere else. When my '92 5.7 TPI was being fixed at a Chevy dealer in Las Vegas three years ago, I had to wait two extra days to have it fixed 'cause they had to find a FI specialist to do the diagnosis. Your frustration is shared by many... When I'm stumped by not being able to fix it, I take the car to Performance Auto Care, John Pinero's shop near the H2 Costco, as he has a lot of hot rod and Camaro racing experience. It hurts to kick out the $, but sometimes it's necessary.

Was the distributor ever removed when you worked on it earlier? Also, what did the distributor look like under the cap, was it all rusty? I had a similar starting issue once, the reluctor in my distributor had gone bad but I misdiagnosed the problem as a bad EST/Ignition module. So I replaced the EST module and continued to have the problem, ended up eventually replacing the entire distributor and the problem was fixed. Having rust under the cap isn't an automatic indication that the distributor is bad, but it does mean its old and the possibility is there. If you didnt remove the distributor then its probably still set right (as far as the correct tooth relative to TDC) but its still possible its not working right. Having a known good spare is invaluable when testing these problems. And the same goes for the ECM. Your odd eletrical problems make me wonder if the ECM was damaged. They are kind of sensitive to stuff like that. Swapping in a known good spare would be an easy test. If you need to use a remote starter to start the car then I'd still say there is a problem there, its possible its the ECM, also possible its other things. Unfortunately you need to get the car started before you can diagnose the rest of the problems here. I would start with charging the battery up, then hook it up and put the ignition to the on position (but don't start the car), let the car sit like that and run all the ECM checks, watch the SES light. Then after 5 mins pull the ECM codes again, see if there are any errors. From there is will be fual/air/spark like Ed said. You can prove out air by removing the ducting in front of the TB. Fuel can be tested at the rail with a guage, should see it prime when you turn the ignition on (but dont start the car), I think its 45 psi or close, forget the exact number. Then fuel pressure should drop 2 or 3psi after it primes. This means fuel is good up to the rails, but does not test the injectors. Spark is probably the hardest thing to test. Not only does it need to happen, when it happens really matters. Replacing the cap/rotor/wires/plugs eliminates alot of possible problems, maybe individyally check each wire on the plug end to see if its getting spark. Might also want to consider running some mechanical tests like compression/leakdown to ensure there are no leaks inside. While troubleshooting my problem I was talking about earlier, not only did I have a bad distributor, I had also blown my headgasket.

Once you can get the car started then you can move on to troubleshooting the other problems. Good luck!!

Check for broken engine mounts and transmission mounts. Also, don't redline your engine in park or neutral. No load on the engine could damage parts. Small block Chevy is overhead valve not DOHC (could result in bent pushrods).

damn what a heapload of info you guys... the distributor cap and rotor points of connection were very corroded. which is why i think that was the problem with the high RPM NOISE"S.... the distributor was never removed just the cap and rotor.. i tried m y very best to point the rotor in the same direction as the one that came off.

i need to read ur posts more thourougly next time i log on...

i hope my ECM is not damaged, what could rule out the ECM as a problem?

i will try the turning the car to on.. but not the engine on.. so the computer can reset values.. etc..


im gonna try to buy a fuel gauge to test the psi..

how much of a PITA is the head gasket...


my oil pressure guage was bouncing around a lil bit and i had lost some oilm like 1 quart.. kinda random.. but i live my life in denial and try not to think of it as anything other thn a mystery....

i hope my head gasket isnt gone.. that just sounds like some serious work..

btw nice pictures of ur camaros

.. right now im leaving work, and i will give you guys more detailed answers the next time i can use the computer... sat or sun...

really appriciate ur help guys much mahalos!!

wat

damn what a heapload of info you guys... the distributor cap and rotor points of connection were very corroded. which is why i think that was the problem with the high RPM NOISE"S.... the distributor was never removed just the cap and rotor.. i tried m y very best to point the rotor in the same direction as the one that came off.

i need to read ur posts more thourougly next time i log on...

i hope my ECM is not damaged, what could rule out the ECM as a problem?

i will try the turning the car to on.. but not the engine on.. so the computer can reset values.. etc..


im gonna try to buy a fuel gauge to test the psi..

how much of a PITA is the head gasket...


my oil pressure guage was bouncing around a lil bit and i had lost some oilm like 1 quart.. kinda random.. but i live my life in denial and try not to think of it as anything other thn a mystery....

i hope my head gasket isnt gone.. that just sounds like some serious work..

btw nice pictures of ur camaros

.. right now im leaving work, and i will give you guys more detailed answers the next time i can use the computer... sat or sun...

really appriciate ur help guys much mahalos!!

wat do y

Did you loosen the distributor retaining nut by accident and moved the entire distributor? If the distributor moves, then the timing will be off. This could result in a no start situation.

Have you timed the ignition when the car was running? Use a timing light and disconnect the tan/black wire above the fan motor on the passenger side firewall. Disconnecting this wire when timing the engine is necessary.

Could the fuel pump fuse be blown? Does the fuel pump prime when the turned to the "on" position?

Your ignition module is mounted on the distributor under the cap and rotor.

Is your throttle body to plenum gasket leaking?

I know this sounds basic, but are your plug wires back in the correct location. It happens often that someone pulls all the wires off and then messes up how they go back on, thus no starting.

my firing order is perfect
i made that mistake a few years ago on m y truck

the throttle body to plenum the gasket with 2 golf bal sized holes is broken, but i put it back on as best as i could it broke into 3 pieces.. i didnt think this was such a big idea...

the retaining nut on the distributor has never been touched...

the gasket for the 2 tpi tubes on each side .. one of them gaskets broke into 2 parts also and i put it bak on as best as i could.. u think this is a big deal? the car ran.... after i broke them tho.... it ran for another week..... oh **** then i got 2 more warnings on my SES light... one was the MAF but just figured the car was messin up.... but put that aside.. what i want to fix is my "original problem" because im almost sure once i fix that everything else will fall into place, and the chances of that original problem being fixed, is highly likely becasuse of thr condition of the spark plug wires vacuum hoses spark plugs and dist cap and rotor and coil were ****ty looking...

but the distributor shaft and the nut were never touched my timing should be on point....

i will check all the fuse's in the next hour, last time i checked them they were all perfect... im also going to replace this wire that has been spliced like 4 times.. so im gonna cut both ends and really make it good. to cancel it out..

i cleaned up all the ground connections and battery terminals.


my ignition module had some oil scattered all around it... i didnt think much of it..
is there a way to test it?


back to the TB gasket to the plenum ... it was 100% working and intact when my original problem was occuring...

do you think this would stop my car from turning over..

and that firing order thing... i wish it was the problem, even tho its not.. because it was fixe don my truck and BAM Started right up... nice free FIX hehe...

appriciate everyones help.. and now im going to the store to buy a new can of starting fluid so i can rule out my ELECTRICAL .. and see if its fuel related... i just wish i owned a digital multi meter and fuel pressure gauge

If the car is a 91 TPI then it should be a Speed Density TPI with a MAP sensor, not a MAF. Gaskets are very important, broken ones might cause a vaccum leak. I would replace any known broken gaskets. When I did my headgaskets I also bought a TPI gasket set that came with everything, not sure if you can buy them individually. After replacing bad gaskets and getting the car to the point where it starts I would run a vaccum test to troubleshoot the initial stalling problem. But for now I would pull the ECM codes again just to see if there are any new ones. Then I would re-check timing like Blackbari said. Unplug the EST connector on the pass side by the fan motor, shoot the timing and make sure its 6BTDC and steady, and make sure it posts a code 42 SES light. Then re-connect the EST connector, clear the ECM codes by disconnecting the battery for a few minutes, re-connect it and pull the codes again. I had to barrow a fuel psi guage from a friend when I checked mine, not even sure where to buy em.

i just found a problem, with my power wires..

there is a black cylindar with 4 wires going into it, 2 on each end, its where the 2 small wires, the battery (+) terminal, and the alternator (+) wire.

They all meet in this little "junction box" does this little black circular thing have a diode in it ? when i move it wired ways, power flicks form on and off, then when i twist it, it gets more power, the points are corroded, and i realize i had a lil problem, "grounding out, and i also heard voltage noise's months ago, so i think this might be a problem, i am in the process of fixing it..

After i run all new power wires (for the most part)

keep in mind not to get these wires mixxed up with the fat 0 gauge wire running down to the starter

even thought they are connected..
let me know what you guys think, but this is major news if u ask me.

because for a while i didnt have a fully charged battery... and also... i thnk this might have something to do with the ACC POWER< and why my car doesnt turn over with my KEY.., becau7se the wires to the ACC or ECM had complete ****ty coonnections.. guys let me know, letys see this Camaro drive again!!!

Do you have any pictures of your engine bay? Although we know what you are talking about, pictures would be nice if possible.

Do you have any pictures of your engine bay? Although we know what you are talking about, pictures would be nice if possible.

Sounds like a fusible link, a common failure in old cars. Here's a visual aid...

exactly, picture worth a thousand words, i working on it right now, i gotta goto aiea to get my friends battery charger, then back to red hill. im gonna use basic butt connectors to get this working, when i twisted that black cylindar type thing,

(which is going to be replaced)
and the power would flicker on and off

its ufnny i think them wires probably were essential wires for my EMC ACC stereo etc... and i know im right, thanx for the help, now i know i can just fix it easily, instad of some sort of mess thinking it had a diode in it... thanx duck

Since you're selling...

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/paci...sale-oahu.html

Can we assume it's fixed? Care to share what you did to fix it?