I've got a 91' camaro and it wants to spray for a second when it starts, but after it does start, it stops spraying. when it starts to die it will spray for a second again. i have no idea what is going on. the car has been siting for about a year since it was last started.

 

anybody????

 

Have you checked if you are throwing any codes? Have you checked the fuel pressure? Any recent mods before this happened? How many miles are on the car? Answer all these questions, and people will be able to help you a lot easier.

 

If it consistently will start for a few seconds then die - you COULD have a defective ignition module. Sounds f'd I know, but....

The ECM counts on seeing reference pulses from the IM. I've seen several times where a portion of the module that sends those pulses burns out. It'll still fire the plugs though!

Anyhow, if you can, have someone start the engine, then you very slowly and carefully trickle some fuel into the TBI bores. If it keeps running, you know it's fuel related. I think NAPA offers module testing (they do around here anyhow) unless you know someone with a tester (I have one - but it's a 4000 mile drive each way).

 

yeah its throwing codes 52 & 53. I think it was the ECU and the anti-theft system codes, because the car wont start by the key. we're gonna try to replace the ECU and bypass the security system and see if that will fix the problem. the car has about 180,000 mi. on it. I also took apart the entire throttle body and completely cleaned it inside and out. it looks like brand new. and no mods at all. bone stock 305.

 

anybody else???? we really need some help on this one. we're stumped!!

 

have you checked the fuel pressure?

 

Does it run but not Idle well?? or even misfire? Only Idle in park? I had a similar problem with mine. Last year mine would only run if it was given some throttle to keep it running any sort of load and it would die. The culprit ended up being the Distributor. It seems it's common for the internals of the stock distributors to rust due to any type of moisture and an accelerated corrosion inhibitor due to high voltages being thrown around in there. My distributor had 3 of the 4 poles completely corroded away. After replacing sensors upon sensors and cleaning this and that, I went to a junk yard and got the matching distributor out of a conversion van and it started right up. Check your cap and rotor. If you do end up having to get a distributor make sure you get the right one for your car, over the entire 3rd generation there were a few different model number distributors. It took me a good full day at the junk yard to find one.

 

will that make the injectors not fire right? thats the main problem. then the other is the key wont start the car. everything comes on, just no start. but we've been bumping the starter and thats all it will do. spray, then stop spraying. idk.

 

yeah, actually it does cause some wierd things to go on with your injectors. If the engine is misfiring that badly the computer is going to try and keep the engine running so you may find some funky pattern to how the injectors fire. Take a look and see what your distributor looks like inside.

 

we did, and everything looks alright. no burnt electronics smell. all the contacts look ok. idk. the injectors will fire SOMTIMES when we bump the starter, but most of the time we have to pour fuel down the barrels to get it to start firing, then when it does, the injectors will stop spraying until the motor starts to die, then they spray again for about 2 seconds. i give up!

 

anybody????????

 

i'm assuming you're computer is throwing out some codes if it's really giving you that much trouble. What codes are you getting?

 

I have the GM service manual for the 1992 camaros. So if there is something you want me to look up for you I'll gladly do it. I know how frustrating it is.

 

I think you really need to look further into the PASS-Key system too. You could just as easily pull the column out of another car as long as it has the Key for that column and possibly be good to go. If yo have a Pull-a-Part salvage yard around you somewhere you can pick up an entire column with wheel and airbag for 30 bucks. I did that with mine when I rebuilt my steering column.
Also if you're not afraid to tear into the steering column you may want to pick it apart and check the wiring inside and make sure you don't have any pinched wires there by the key cylinder. It's rediculously tight in there and the PASS-Key harness is made out of about 26 gauge wire so it wouldn't be hard for that to get pinched and cut. just a thought.

 

ok, i will have to think about that. i bridged pins 5&6 in the DLC connector and it gave me codes 52 & 53. i think they're the ECM and anti-theft codes. idk. we're getting a new computer from o'riley auto parts for $77 and gonna see if that works. we might also try bypassing the security system. i have read some about other people having the same problem with the key not activating the starter. so we'll see what happens. GRRRRRRRRR!!

 

sounds like a fuel pump relay to me

 

Make sure you are reading your codes right because according to the manual, code 52 does not exist. But you have a '91 and my manual is for my '92 so there could be differences but I'm thinking it's not likely. You're code 53 is definitely the PASS-Key circuit. The only thing I can think of is you misread a code 52 for what was really code 42. Code 42 is the EST, Electronic Spark Timing; which is your HEI module. Now there is is a bypass circuit for the HEI. There is a brown connector on the left side of you engine bay by where the AC condenser would be. This is used to set base timing with it disconnected. If you disconnect this connector that will completely bypass the HEI system and you'll be running off of base timing as if the HEI system didn't exist. If you get normal operation or close to normal after running on base timing you may find your self closer to the answer that the problem lurks within the HEI circuit. It's a longshot but worth a try for you I think. And 1988-305-tbi may be right as well by thinking of the fuel pump relay. This is the problem with fuel injection, when something goes wrong there are sooooo many possibilities.

 

Or even the pump sounds Like the issue I was having new pump no more problem invest in a 30 dollar Fuel Pressure checker great investment.

Dan

 

well it has a brand new AeroMotive fuel pump. and I re-checked the codes and it flashed code 53, 3 times. I went to AutoZone and looked at the Hayne's manual and it said it was either the EGR system, anti-theft system, or a defective ECM. But the only thing I think will affect the injector's spray pattern would be the ECM. what do ya'll think????

 

yes the ECM controls the injectors but there are many factors that effect how the ECM controls them. When I had that faulty distributor in my car the injectors would operate very wierd. The engine would go into a chuggle or a stumble which was partly caused by a misfiring cylinder but the computer would try and keep the engine running which then caused to injectors to actually skip a fire as well. They actually fire twice per cylinder and mine were firing probably one for every other revolution. It was really wierd but again caused by something else not a faulty ECM. And your code 53 is the PASS-Key anti-theft circuit. So i think if you tap into that and fix that your problem could go away. Would be a real cheap fix.

 

ok, thanks ALOT for everybody's help.... do you know how to bypass the security system? i've read different ways to do it, but I want to find out how to do it the RIGHT way.