Hi I just bought a 1988 305 TBI 5 speed manual IROC. I have already had to change the fuel pump. That did not fix the problem it still idle real fuuny. Like it idles at about 15 then it drops down to 10 then 6 then it cuts off and it won't start for like 20 or 30 min. What is normal idle? Where should the oil guage be at normal operating temp. What is normal operating temp. The car smoke on start up and it is leaking oil from the bottom somewhere. I am thinking about get a the engine rebuilt or overhauled. A friend of mine said that I should wait get a few preformance part have them put in while the motor is out because it would not make sence to open the motor change the seals and gasket he said it would be just as much to have them put in the parts while the motor was open. Remember this car is a daily driver and I am not really in to performance as much as I really want a car that will start all the time and want stop halfway to where i am tryin to go

 

Welcome to the boards. What is the state of tune of the car? Meaning, how many miles does it have and has it at least had a full tune-up or two somewhere in its lifetime. A bad 02 could cause your problem along with a bad CTS. I would find out where the oil is leaking from. It could be the rear of the intake manifold, valve covers, or the rear main seal. Smoke on start-up is typically worn valve seals. If your car still smokes after it is warmed up it could be much worse. normal operating temp is 195* (assuming you have a stock rated thermostat). However, the temp will rise until the fan kicks in and and vrongs it back down. This is normal.

 

the car has 130,000 mile on it looks like it has had at least one tune up because the wires are not in the litte barckets they are zip tied up

 

Well depending on when that was it may be time for another one. I would start with the basics first. I would pull a few plugs and check them out. This will tell you how the engine is running (rich lean broken plugs). I would look at the inside of the cap and make sure it is not too corroded in there. The rotor tip could also be corroded. Inspect your plugs wires and look for any arching (do when it is dark outside) or any cracks or slipts that ay be causing a missfire. I would also check all of your vacuum lines. Inspect them closly looking for slits or cracks that can cause vacuum leaks. Does your run bad only when it has warmed up or does it also do it when it is cold? These are all simple checks that won't cost more than a little time. You may want to start thinking about a full tune-up since you are unsure. It will also be preventative maintance that is probably needed.