Background: I bought an 82 Trans Am with 38k, it is original. I didn't think that it ran very well and soon after driving it the cold starts became rough, rough idles and poor drivability, the idle was unbearable it shook the car good.

After research and using this board as a resource I learned that this system is problematic and its very rare that one has luck getting it to run well. I eventually got help and figured out that I needed to clean my IACs and my rough cold idle and rough street idle went away.

I still didn't think the car ran as good as it should, especially when hot, it had a slight hesitation at 1500 RPMS. I changed the spark plugs and cap/rotor and wires, all but the plugs were original. I also changed the oxygen sensor in that tune up. I also built a manometer and balanced the tb's.

I had repeatedly read that fuel pressure was very important, and that the stock pump would never be enough, I know the previous owner just replaced it and I figured if it was designed with the 9 to 14 pounds the pump he replaced should work.

I was driving across town low on fuel and had to return home to get my wallet that I forgot. I made a sharp turn on an onramp and the engine RPMs dropped. After the turn the RPMs returned to the previous revs. I knew I was low on gas, and for a the engine to cut out I only concluded one thing: the fuel pressure is to low.

I removed the rear tb and removed the regulator and turned it up all the way to the max and re-installed it. What a difference that made in the idle, acceleration, and best of all the hesitation at 1500 disappeared. The fuel pressure is the key to the system.

If the Corvette and F-car came with this setup as an option it should at least run good from the factory, I realize the design has limitations, all wet inductions have major limitations. The answer I came across over and over again was ditch the system and use a carburetor, I figured that if they ran good new I could make mine at least run 90% being used and 30 years old.

I would say that my car runs very well for being as old as it is and never having any mechanical attention, it starts good, idles good, accelerates good and over all its fun to drive.

There is enough information out there on this system so that anyone can fix it if he has the time and money. I really didn't put much into the Crossfire setup, I put more into detail work and new tires. Don't believe what you read or hear all the time, take your time and research. But above all learn to relax and realize that it may be a good idea to take a break and do something else when things are not going right.

Morgan

 

Good for you. None of these eighties engines are high performance anyway, so why ditch the FI for a carb? As time goes on, I see the crossfire as something to seek out rather than avoid.

The crossfire looks so cool, like the 60's engines that had 2 four barrel carbs.

Personally, I would love to have a crossfire and get it running nice just like you did.

Congrats.

 

I have had my Crossfire for 22 years, and it runs rather well. I have replaced the IACs, and fixed vacuum leaks, and it always starts and runs good. The only issue I have always had with it, is that it needs to start and idle a bit before driving. If you start it on a cold start and drive it right away, it will foul the plugs.

 

That is probably an over rich condition, maybe to much fuel pressure or bad o2 sensor.

I didn't think this car was that hard to fix, with the help of experienced people online it was actually easy.

It would be disappointing if I could not make the car run right, but I believe anything man made can be fixed.

Morgan

 

o2 sensor is fairly new. I have never adjusted the fuel pressure, so I don't think it is any higher then when it left the factory. I have always had that issue with the car. I just figure it is a primitive fuel injection system, and it is finicky. When the TPI systems first came out, they had a cold start injector to aid start ups, and then later on, engineers figured out how to do it without the extra injector. I figure it's the same thing with the Crossfire. It was one of the first electronic fuel injection systems, so it is not as sorted out as the later systems.