Hi guys, first post. Just got a 1989 Camaro RS TBI 5 speed today 6/5/2020. Ive had 4 3rd gens in the past all where 82-84's. The i bought it from "says" he had the TBI tuned and cleaned up at a shop.

Anyways this car lacks power, their is no torque. Idles and starts great. My Symptoms are:

• It has some popping or backfiring coming from the intake if i give it full throttle.
• Taking off in first gear feels like im a newbie on the clutch because its so slugish (clutch itself feels good and shifts between all gears smooth)
• No power in low rpms in any gear. ex: Driving it home on the i-5 multiple time id have to downshift into 4th sometimes 3rd because it wouldn't go above 2k rpms and it was still kinda slow doing so.

My first thoughts were fuel delivery. Injectors look to be spraying well (although i dont know what to compare them to). Fuel filter "looks" new but i went ahead and ordered one anyways. Maybe TPS?

Vacuum hoses on the tbi J and S are looped together, i guess bypassing the egr solenoid?

 

Sounds like timing might be off. Can you verify where it's at currently with a timing light?

 

I'll be working on it Monday, and imma rent a timing light if they are rentable. Never done it before but it can't be too hard. Any tips?

 

This video will explain the concept and show you how. Pretty easy, just take your time.

 

Verify fuel pressure.

Verify initial ignition timing, AND THAT IT ADVANCES when you plug the wire harness back together.

Connect a scan tool, look at short- and long-term fuel trims, coolant temperature, O2 voltage and cross-counts, MAP sensor reading, Knock Sensor readings, and anything else that looks goofy.

 

I dont have an OBD1 Scanner, nor do i know how to do all that, i mean i can ready them had i had a tool but i wouldnt know what the readings are exactly telling me. But i will look into getting one, seems like a good thing to have now.