84 Z28 H.O
 

Hello all, I recently got my 84 running after sitting about 18 years. It has always ran just has not been regularly driven, well I did everything you could think of tune up wise on it and it was running well enough to drive around with a temporary to sort out the other issues. Well it was running well for about 3 days and then I went out to drive and it started fine and the died right away. Then I tried again and it started and then died. So i tried messing with the carburetor and i noticed only 1 jet is spraying. My question is, if i mess with the fuel/air screws will that resolve the issue? or will i have to completely rebuild the carb? Anything I can do with it on the car still to try to get it unclogged? The fuel gauge does not work so I didn't know how much gas was in it. I put 5 gallons of fresh gas in it hoping it would clear itself out but now im at a wall wondering what to do. I have not replaced the ignition module, but i figured that it was probably that clogged jet. Any advise would be great thanks for reading!

Re: 84 Z28 H.O
 

No. Kinda like, "my driver's window won't roll up, if I mess with the tires will that fix it?"

Most likely, yes.

I'd recommend starting with the simple stuff first. Which would be, the fuel filter.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/atta...on-cc-carb.jpg

This is mine. You can see the word "filter"; amazingly enough, that's right where it is. To get to it, hold the big nut right next to the word "filter" with a 1" open-end wrench, and loosen the smaller nut that goes into it (the blue one, in my setup) with a 5/8" "crow's foot" aka "tubing" or "line" wrench. Might help to soak the nut threads for acoupla days with PB Blaster before attempting. Whatever you do, DO NOT attempt to just yank the nut off (hehehe) without supporting the bigger nut!!! You will only make yourself a VERY expensive and PITA mess that way. Use THE RIGHT tools. Then once the fuel line is clear of the big nut, unscrew the big nut. The filter is up inside it. You can take it down to the corner AZ or parts store or whatever you have and match it up.

When you put it back together, make sure you put the new filter in facing the same direction as the old one. (there's a check valve in it that will prevent ANY fuel from getting through if you put it in backwards) Be VERY careful to get the big nut in STRAIGHT, and DO NOT cross-thread it; you will basically lunch the carb if you do. Thread it in ALL THE WAY by hand BEFORE putting any tools on it. Then when the big nut is in, tighten it to maybe 10 ft-lbs or so with your 1" wrench, then put the fuel line back in it. Put a wrap or 2 of Teflon tape on its threads, no more than that. Not as a sealant, because the threads aren't the part that seals; but rather, to keep it from rusting together again. Tighten it with a regular 5/8" open-end while supporting the big nut with the 1" open-end.

See if that helps.

Re: 84 Z28 H.O
 

Well, just for the hell of it I did mess with the fuel and air screws. The passenger side was completely turned in so I fixed that and got it running. Too kit for a drive and while I was sitting at a light my car just turned off. Turned the key and nothing. Now when the key is in the on position my gauges don't work at all and the car will not start at all. Clock is ticking so the electrical is still working right? So could it be the ignition control module? But would that make none of my gauges work?

Re: 84 Z28 H.O
 

Also, when the key is in the on position I get no seat belt warning or anything anymore. Turn they key and not even a click from the battery.

Re: 84 Z28 H.O
 

Furthermore, there was absolutely no power in the pedal when it was driving that last time. Seemed like it was having trouble going. But idles fined. I'm alittle confused on that.

Re: 84 Z28 H.O
 

So someone had already messed with it. Kinda hard to predict what might happen, when that big nut that goes between the left front seat and the steering wheel, backs off and gets loose and starts banging around under the hood, eh?? ;)

Did the fuel filter help?

Your electrical problem sounds like a fusible link.

Re: 84 Z28 H.O
 

It does look like it's a fusible link. There are 2 wires connected to the starter solenoid and they are both connected to the same nut. Now my question is one of them is burned near the solenoid end and I can't find where the other end is to put a new link there. The other wire goes into a metal tube but how to I get to the wire to fix it?

Re: 84 Z28 H.O
 

Re: 84 Z28 H.O
 

Yup, those are the fusible links.

Remove all 3 wires from the starter (those 2, plus the purple Solenoid one); tie a pull string to em; pull em up out of there; replace the links (best to do both at once and get it over with; poke em back down through the tube using the string to pull em; and hook em back up.

How bout that filter? DId it make it run any better?

Re: 84 Z28 H.O
 

The filter did make it run smoother, thank you for you help. So are both the wires connected to each other in the tube normally? ill just pull on the one that is not burned and it should come out with the burned one? Thanks again.

Re: 84 Z28 H.O
 

Depends. Most cars from that time frame, but not necessarily all, had one ring terminal that both links went into. There's no connection between them inside the tube.

So yeah, pull the entire harness out, all 3 wires, with a string attached; change out both links; use the string to pull em all back in together.

Re: 84 Z28 H.O
 

I can pull it back through under the hood or do I need to go into my dash at all?

Re: 84 Z28 H.O
 

Strictly under the hood. The wires go across under the dist and down behind the pass side head.

Re: 84 Z28 H.O
 

I have not done much electrically, would it be best to solder it together or just use a butt connector?

Re: 84 Z28 H.O
 

Soldering would be best. And use heat shrinkable tubing.
Crimped connectors always fail - and at the worst possible times.
You don't want to knowingly add future gremlins to your car.


DO NOT use plumbers solder, you want the type for electronics.