Hey guys, Every now, and then my 305 will just die, for no apparent reason....It usually does this when I stop at a light, or put the car in gear....Its almost like the converter is locked up, but I kinda doubt that is the problem.....It does not do this often, maybe once a week, but it is more noticable since the ram air has been hooked up...Thanks, Tom

 

Do a full tune-up, bump up the timing, gut or replace the stock cat, and that shoudl fix your weekly problem.

 

I seem to recall an ignition module doing that crap when it was on it's way out. Does it allways start right back up?

 

I already have a full tune up new cap, rotor, and even new distributor, cleaned TBI unit, new plugs, new filter, breather, oil, and everything else.New exhaust..You could eat dinner under there, I am a freak about my car.......Yes, it starts right back up.....It is so weird, and like I said, it does not happen very often...Well thanks guys, Tom

 

Mine does this too man. It has happened a few times too me and it scares me each time. The last time it did it, I was going about 55mph in 5th gear just crusing down a highway and new thing I know, the steering is gone and the brakes are wierd and I almost get hit. I drifted to the side of the road and it started right back up and drove away. This has happened about twice in 4 months.

 

Well considering you live in Texas, vapor lock in the fuel system could be the culprit. High Temps = Vapor Lock

 

Hey, I had'nt thought of vapor lock.......Would that happen when you stop???? It has'nt been really warm right now....It just freaks me out when it happens, cuz it runs so damn good all the rest of the time...Smooth as a kitten...One other thing tho, when the motor is cold it idles pretty high...Perhaps, I need to adjust the TBI butterflys???? Ideas????Thanks, Tom

 

Vapor lock can happen at anytime, so probably this is your problem. I recommend getting a breathable gas cap if you don't already have one. Also make sure your fuel lines and fuel filter are not clogged up with junk. When the motor is cold it is sapposed to run at higher rpm's so that the engine heats up quicker to hit its operating temperature. When you first start your engine it is in open loop which does not take as much info from the engine to the ecm because the engine is cold and would send out bad info to the ecm causing the enigne to run bad. Once it hits the operating temp which is somewhere in the 170 degree mark for TBI engines, it goes into closed loop, which has the computer take over complete control of all the sesors, which affets idle speed.

 

Well lets see, new fuel filter, and new cap, but the cap is not vented, at least I dont think it is....I thought you wanted the tank to have positive pressure to aid with fuel flow.........1992camarors, thanks for the reply....Wasnt sure if it was supposed to be idled up so high at first.....What is the proper idle speed for a cold 305 TBI Automatic Car??? And a hot car????Thanks, Tom

 

For the gas cap. I would say just try one (test it out) and see if it helps, thats all I can really say without having my hands on the car. My 305 TBI is not stock so I don't know if I can compare to yours. But mine idles when cold around 1250. But when it hits operating the temperature it lopes at around 650-750 because I have a performacne cam in it. Plus my tune is different than yours. So it should be somewhere around their but not too far off.

 

Mine used to do the same thing. But it did it when i stopped or turned hard. The this was the gas gauge was off by about half of a tank and all the fuel would slosh to one side and the pick up would go dry the car would stumble then die but it would crank right back up.

 

An EGR valve that is sticking open can cause stalling, especially when coming to a stop. Try pushing the diaphram to see if it moves in and out freely.

 

I will check the EGR valve, dumb question...Where is it???? Dont think ive ever messed with one on a chevy, on my Dodge we used to block it off...Thanks, Tom

 

mine does this too. and it has nothing to do with a tuenup, mine is all current and stuff. I replaced the iac valve about 6 months ago and it didnt do it for awhile, it just started doing it again recently to me, damn me for puttin a used part on i had it lying around anyway but oh well.

 

The EGR valve is bolted to the intake manifold right under the air cleaner on the passenger side of the engine. It is round and gold colored with a vacuum line pluged in to it. Reach under it and push up on the diaphragm and make sure it moves freely up and back down. If it sticks then remove it and clean out the carbons in the exhaust passages in the EGR and the intake manifold and that should take care of it.

The EGR is controlled by a vacuum solenoid which opens it with manifold vacuum based on input from the computer. If the solenoid fails then it could be allowing vacuum when it is not supposed to and this will open the EGR when it should be closed, which would cause stumbling or stalling. If you have a vacuum pump and gauge apply 10 inches of vacuum to the soleniod and make sure it holds. If not, then the solenoid is bad.

A bad EGR valve or solenoid should throw a code 32 and turn on the service engine soon light, however, slight problems aren't always detected by the ECM.

Have you checked for trouble codes? If you're not sure of how to do that I'm pretty sure there are step by step instructions on this web site under 'Technical Articles' or you can do a search for ALDL codes. Good luck.

 

Well, I just went out and checked the EGR valve, it moves, but it is really hard to move......how much finger pressure should it take to move it????I have never had a check engine light come on....I guess I will take it out and clean it....It did it to me again today, when I was leaving work..So weird..I was just sitting there in gear and boom...Its like a giant hand stops the motor, its always starts back instantly, but about once, or twice a week, it does this...MOST ANNOYING..........Thanks to all for the replys, and Rod thanks for the heads up on the EGR valve, Tom

 

broken baffles in your gas tank will cause this too. when you stop your gas will go to the front of your tank and the pump will suck air for a second. usually happens only when your tank is under half.

 

Had'nt thought of broken baffles either...Well tomorrow, the EGR comes off, for a good cleaning.....

 

my car like cut out on me once while i was driving for like 8 seconds. i think i was out of gas or soemthin lol

 

Mine does this, but mine doesnt sputter and stall, it like STOPS. As if someone turns the key off. Fires back up asap, without trouble.. Hasnt done it in a while.. but still weird

 

mine does this aswell. but when it kills itll just spin over like it isnt getting any gas. i have to put it back in park and keep trying then itll finally start.

 

StingerRS, that is exactly what it does...Just like you turned it off.....then fires right back up...It idles PERFECT all the time..(Except when it does that...lol)..NEW everything, so weird...

 

Ya, I did new MSD cap/rotor, plugs, wires... air filter lol. I am going to do fuel filter next.. Only does it ONCE in a while though, hasn't in a bit Thought it was just me lol

 

this is my biggest problem with my camaro now also, it did it once in a while, and then we determined it was vapor lock and so i would simply take the gas cap the gas cap off and on between fill ups. Now, whenever my gas gets to half a tank it will drive horribly and die. as soon as i let off the gas it will die and will idle extremely low if it manages to stay on. my check engine light comes on frequently with code 36, but have replaced every single component of that code in the last 2 months. i have also had code 35 come up in the past, which is the error with the idle, which i think is the main problem but how do i even fix it if its the computers job? But definitely as soon as it gets to half a tank it drives like crap, any ideas?
thanks

 

Man, it did it twice today when I was backing in my drive way after work...Full tank of gas, motor was at temp...Pisses me off...Just cant figure it out...

 

I can't tell precisely from your response, but it sounds like
you've tried all the fuel related actions, to no avail.

Here's my experience.
Look for an ignition control module in the distributor.
It's reasonably easy to access, testable at most
O'Reilly's, and I believe comparable in cost to cap/rotor
replacement. Since the problem is intermittent, I'm
not sure if the testing will stess it enough to cause failure.

When this widget failed, it cost me a trailer tow (from Bastrop)
in miserable rain, then an exorbitant repair bill from the local
Pontiac dealer (Gay, in Dickinson).
Went when I saw the invoice, since I forgot about
a previous experience.

Good luck, & keep us posted on the final solution.

 

Well lets see...Cleaned TBI, new fuel filter, new cap, new rotor, new distributor, new module, new wires, new plugs, new PCV, new K&N airfilter, new breather element...Set timing, Hi octane fuel...Cold air intake with REAL ramair......Have not replaced the EGR valve, but im going to....It is so weird..It does it mostly, when I stop at redlights, like when I first stop, and yesterday when I backed up...Starts right back up tho....Perhaps, I will check the module as you say, and replace the coil...I may have done more than this, but im so tired right now, I cant think straight...Thanks, Tom

 

i would have said the same thing about gas tank being low, but if your at a full tank and it died....???? My sister TBI 350 had this issue, the gas gauge was off and she didnt know when she was low. The tbi injectors require a lot of pressure and one little millisecond of air makes it die, we fixed gas gauge and neverlet the car under half a tank, im thinking you need to flush your fuel system and replace the fuel filter, if all else fails maybe a bad fuel pump?

 

I try to keep my tank at least half, most of the time it is full....Yes, could be fuel pump, but why would it do it when I stop...Could it be the throtle blades are not adjusted right??? I did try to adjust them, but not sure I did it right....I have noticed tho lately the idle is not quite as smooth as it was...Think I will replace the coil just in case....Any other ideas guys????

 

check your idle adjustments, then make sure theres no carbon buildup in your lines, seafoam might do the trick. look into that!

 

Thanks, have already Seafoamed the hell out of it...You could eat dinner under the hood.....I am going to let someone who knows more than me do the adjustment...I dont think I did it right....

 

Just to update guys....I think I have solved the problem...I believe I had the TBI blades closed too much, and the computer could not compensate fast enough when I stopped..I opened the blades up a bit, and it has not done it for a good number of days now...We will see, I will post again to update....Sure hope this is the problem......Thanks to all for their input, Tom