Have a 1986 trans am, pulled up to my underground parkade gate at my residence to go in and while the gate was going up the engine just cut out. My fuel guage was on empty but i can usually drive for a while with it like that. Anyway started the car again, the engine started and i went to park and backed into my space and just as i was in my space the engine died again. Tried starting but would not start. the starter motor was working fine. So i went to a gas station to get gas in my gerry can, came back put a gallon of gas in the car, the fuel guage when up a bit above empty. Tried starting the car but got the same result, the starter motor works fine but car would not turnover, tried pumping gas pedal, could smell fuel in carburater and still the car would not start. Tried numerous times to get the car started but would not start. did not want to burn out my starter motor so i gave up. What could be causing this problem? Does this mean fuel is not getting to the engine. I could smell fuel in the carburater. I tried keeping the butterfly valve open on the carb. but the enging would still not turn over. I have a mechanical fuel pump right passenger side of the engine, could this be the problem? Could it be water in the tank? Please help anyone.

 

Later carbed engines do have a low pressure fuel pump in the gas tank but thats to prevent vapor lock during hot weather. Do you noticed any gas leaking around the mechanical pump on the engine? When the one popped on my 84 T/A is started "peeing" gas onto the ground.

With the air cleaner off and open the front choke blade, turn the throttle lever one time to full throttle and back. You should see a squirt of gas into the intake. If not then there is probably something wrong with the pump on the engine.

If you get gas at the carb, then I would look to see if you are getting spark.

If you have never done so, it would be a good idea replacing the fuel filter in the carb. Running the gas tank as low as you do can sometimes cause sediment to plug up the fuel filter.

 

I am getting gas into the carb as i checked and pulled back and fourth on the throttle and there were two good streams of gas. I did notice when starting the car with the hood up and my head outside of drivers side door a noise from the engine area. Sounded like a low hissing electricial noise. Any ideas what it could be. My starter is fine and there are no leaks from the fuel pump. Does the fuel pump make noise? As i had stated before the car just cut out when i was stopped but i could start it but eventually it cut out again. How would i check for spark and what tools would you need. thanks

 

Some people will say to have a friend crank the engine while you hold the plug against the cylinder head. I would advise against that because of past experiences(unless you are fond of electricusion). You said you just bought the car...you probably need new plugs and wires anyway. Replace them and go on from there.

 

thanks for the advice, but i have had the car for over 13 years and plug wires were changed couple years ago heavy duty wires, last tuneup was just over a year ago and these cars usually need tune ups every 2 years. I have had plug wires go on me, with the engine block burning on the plug wire but usually the car will run rough but still run, so i do not think it is that.

Does anyone out there think that it might be the distributor, rotor etc. this would be the orginal strock distrib. on the car, not sure how long they are good for. I have 165,000 kms or just over 105,000 miles on the car. Any more help or advice would be appreciated. thanks.

 

taking off the distributor cap wouldn't hurt. Check the contact points on the cap to see if there is any white corrosion or build up and the rotor too. If the middle of the rotor is really black then it could probably get replaced. SO pretty much go over all the contact points and check the lead on the coil because mine had build up and it would run kind of rough at idle

 

ticking from the head, hmmmm sounds like what mine did a few weeks ago. That was when my timing chain fell off.

Heres what ya do. Get a long dowel peice of wood. Palce it on the Timing cover, and firmly put your ear to the other end of the dowel. If you hear the clanking you heard outside the motor you have your problem. Now place the dowel, on the head, if you heard it on the cover,you wont hear it there.

If you didn't heard it, keep placing the dowel in different spots until you find the location its coming from.

This dowel, is now a mechanical stethescope.

Other then that, darn was gonan say ignitoon module, but yours it carb, hmmm...

Maybe a vacuum leak near the disturbor?



Things to check....





shane

 

problem is the car wont turn over the only thing that works is the starter motor. when the starter motor goes i could hear a low noise, not any clanking, more like electrical hum. starter motor is fine. my car engine just cut out on my when i was stopped and idling, no rough die, it just stopped, i could start it again but when i had parked the car still idling, it stopped again. now it wont start. anyway will have to find some troubleshooting books. thanks for your input.

 

First we gotta clarify terms. "Turning over" means that the starter engages and the engine begins to turn. Your engine is "turning over" but not starting.

Everything to me sounds like ignition problems. You really need to pull a spark plug and crank the engine to see if you are getting good spark. Hold the rubber boot of the spark plug wire when you are pressing the spark plug against the head for a ground. If you have a heart condition, have someone else do it. You can get a spark tester for the auto parts store which is basically just a sparkplug with a clip to attach it to a ground source.

The humming is probably just coming from the starter. It takes a lot of juice. Sometimes when the battery gets a little low they will hum. You may want attach it to a battery charger.

With the key in the ON position but the engine not started you should hear clicking/clacking from the carb. Thats the mixture solenoid.