1988 trans am 305TBI just bought this car couple weeks ago and it was running real rich and flooding itself out so I changed IAC,CTS,TPS,ATS,EGR,02, fuel filter. TPS was set to .60 idle and only getting 4.20 at wot, car will start up and idle at around 650 to 750rpms and sounds good. has an exhaust leak right header which i still need to fix. When i shut the car off and try and restart it, it idles and runs like **** for min or two then runs good, last night it seemed it was running good so I pulled it out of the garage and started to drive it around the block well I got 5 blocks down and it started acting up like it wasn't getting gas then it shut off on me, so I pulled off tried starting it and seen the injectors were not spraying so thought it was out of gas. Put 5 gal in it and turn the key and the fuel pump doesn't kick on and no check engine lights on and this thing has been throwing different codes change one thing then throws a different good but anyways waited there almost 2 hours with it trying to get it to do something same thing no fuel pump kicking on so call for tow get it towed to my house from a friend and get it in the garage and was like lets just see and well turn the key pump kicks on and starts right up. I am so puzzled at this car and lost, thinking the ecu is shot i was cleaning the other day and pulled the panel down where the ecu is and see where mice have been there once or twice, car only thrown 2 codes when i first got it one for egr and 02 for running lean replaced those and other sensors and now getting codes 33,22,23,35 and 45, which 45 could be the exhaust leak i guess, the code 23 seen the ats wire has been melted some up by the clip can see some of the wire so maybe that fix that but really tired of throwing money at it. Thinking about just going carb and be done with it anyways thanks for reading my story lol just ordered the wire to hook up my laptop and see live data

 

Yup...stop with the Parts Bukakke, and start diagnosing the problem using a scan tool.

It'd be worthwhile to verify fuel pressure; as well as all the usual "tune-up" items--plugs, plug wires, cap 'n' rotor, PCV valve, cranking compression of all eight, base timing, timing advance, etc.

 

Could be the pump is on its way out...mine did that...couldn't maintain fuel pressure, went in and out then finally died lol

At that age who knows how old the pump is....

 

Well intake started leaking around the front and back wall so torn it all down and on the distributor the ICM and pickup coil wires are melted so probably what the problem was, and since I have new headers to put on and already have the intake off going to go a head and replace the head gaskets and depending on how the cylinder walls and pistons are might just pull it and rebuild the whole thing.

 

oh that looks nasty !!!!!!

 

yea the injectors just weren't running right and it would stall and wouldnt start unless i let it sit for a while which looking up the pickup coil it controls the injectors so hoping once i get it all back together it will run right lol

 

keep us posted!!!

 

well got the heads off and cleaning them up. So far everything looks pretty good, when i go to put the heads back on i know the torque sequence but whats torque specs like 68lb and do we do the angle and all that or just torque it down in 3 steps like all to 25lb,45lb last 68lb and would it hurt if i added a little of the thread sealant to my bolts even though the new bolts have some already on it?

 

Id check a manual...68 seems like its too little??


Extra sealant can affect torque too i heard!!

 

Actually, just a bit too much.

For small-blocks:
My '97 C/K manual says 22 ft/lbs, plus 55 degrees for the short bolts, 65 degrees for the medium bolts, and 75 degrees for the long bolts.

However, my '88 C/K manual shows "65 ft/lbs" and "a little at a time" in the proper sequence. (i.e., three passes, perhaps 20 ft/lbs, 40 ft/lbs, and 65 ft/lbs) Considering that the bolts are only 7/16-14, 65 ft/lbs is fine.

In either instance, a torque wrench that's genuinely accurate is essential. Cheap-junk torque wrenches, or good torque wrenches that haven't been verified for accuracy in years (or ever) do not qualify.

Hugely. Again, the '97 C/K manual specifies 12346004 sealant. I think that crosses to Loctite 592.

The '88 service manual says to use 1052080 sealant. I'd still use Loctite 592.

Re-using bolts in good condition is fine, they're not Torque-to-Yield. As said, you do need to re-apply proper sealer after cleaning the threads on the bolts, and in the block.

 

so got the heads on and intake manifold back on put the rockers and push rods in, I am not sure how to setup the rockers and rods though. doesn't look the best but 1000 times better than when i first picked it up. Don't mind the covers lol just sitting there keep dust off.

 

There's a dozen ways to set lifter preload. Everyone has their favorite, and thinks all the others are inferior. And when dealing with solid lifters, some of those ways may genuinely be better. Hydraulic lifters are more forgiving. Some folks go cylinder-by-cylinder, some folks watch to see one valve open while another valve closes, some folks have a magic pattern--with the crank in this position, adjust these certain valves. Then move the crank to another position, adjust another group of valves. Get the instructions right, and all of these methods "work". Most of 'em are a pain in the ***.

What they all have in common is that you need to be able to find "zero lash"--the point where there's no free-play in the system, but no preload, either. This is ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL. Some folks recommend you find 'zero lash" by spinning the pushrod with your fingers--when you can't spin the pushrod, you're at zero lash. This is WRONG. A guy with strong, clean fingers can spin that pushrod until the lifter is totally collapsed, way beyond "zero lash". A guy with weak, oily fingers MIGHT get it right. Maybe. Instead, lift the pushrod end of the rocker arm up and down--the amount of free travel decreases as you get close to zero lash, at some point the only travel is by compressing the spring in the lifter--forcing the rocker to move. When you get to the point of "no free-play", you're at zero lash.

The simplest, easiest way to adjust hydraulic lifter preload:

With the crank in ANY position--it does not matter where the crank is turned--loosen ALL the rockers so they have some free play. Then tighten ALL the rockers to "zero lash" but no tighter.

Rotate the crank EXACTLY one full turn in the direction of normal engine rotation. No more, no less. IF you started with the crank at TDC, the timing mark on the damper aligned with the "0" on the timing pointer, so it's really easy to know when you've spun the crank one turn--just align the timing mark with the timing pointer again. Otherwise, you'd need to put your own mark on the damper, and re-align that mark one revolution later.

SOME of the rockers will now be loose. Tighten ONLY THE LOOSE ONES to zero lash. (Do not loosen any of the tight rockers.)

Now tighten ALL the rockers "your choice" of preload. Used to be that the factory recommendation was one full turn of the adjusting nut. Most guys put 1/2 turn on the nut. Some used even less than that. Take your pick, tighten all the adjuster nuts the same amount.

Put the valve covers back on, along with all the accessories and brackets and struts and wires. Have a celebratory beverage. You're done.

 

Thank you for the help when i first did it i tight all the rockers to where the push rods didnt go up or down but they did spin side to side between your fingers then i did a 90 degree then tightened any loose ones and did this for 2 full turns but what i didn't understand was when the ones that were tight i would loosing them up and all i did was go in a loop lol but a friend told me today that i was doing it right but to not loosing the ones i already tightened

 

So I have no ac or heater now and dont plan on using that stuff or using the cruise control can i just put a plug on the intake manifold port that gives vacuum to all those