Ok, basically, here's the deal...

I turn the key, and the car will crank for a second or two and turn over.. thats normal... although occasionally it'll be wierd and it almost seems like I'm cranking for two long and when I let the key go to start the car will just die (but start up two seconds later). And sometimes I'll experiment and just turn the key for a half a second (like every other normal car I've tried to start) and the car will sometimes not start, and other times will act like it's going to die, and then catch back up..

But here's the killer...

The other day I was getting ready to go home from being at my girl-friends house. I turn the key, crank, let go of the key, the engine catches, and then dies right out. It lights the CEL but doesn't throw any codes. So I turn the key and it cranks for a second or two and stays running...

Another reason why I think the pickup and/or the ignition coil is bad is because for the first 2 or 3 accelerations my car will hesitate, after that it's fine... I seems to remember that a dead or dieing pickup coil can cause a similar problem and will be gay until it warms up.

So can anyone help me? I'd be very grateful.

P.S. when checking your cat-converter... you tap on it to see if it's breaking apart... do you use your finger or something like a screw-driver? When I tap it with my finger nothing happens, but when I tap it with a screw-driver it rattles a little bit. A bad cat will also make exhaust smell very sulfurous? (rotten eggs)

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1985 Camaro SC - 2.8L, auto.

http://www.xenodrgn.f2s.com/Frontright.jpg

 

Not trying to confuse you more, but your module is more 'heat sensative' than the pick-up or ignition coil. Taking it to the parts store to have them test it won't always work. It'll be OK when you're there. Murpy's Law says so. (Happened to me that way.)

Check the two coils mentioned earlier yourself first. They're less likely to be your problem. But the nice thing is that they're cheaper to replace if they are the problem. Get a Haynes Repair Manual. It'll tell you exactly how to check them.

And your right on the money about the cat. Screwdriver part and the rotten egg part.
AJ

 

Also make sure your fuel pump relay is good. The pump should run for 2 secs when you turn the ign on but don't start it. 85 is FI right?

 

JeolOl: the relay is good, it does indeed run for a couple seconds when I turn the key to 'on'. And yes 85 2.8L are MPFI.

And AJ, theoretically, the ignition setup should be fine when cold, but then suck when it heats up, right? or is it the other way around?

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1985 Camaro SC - 2.8L, auto.

http://www.xenodrgn.f2s.com/Frontright.jpg

 

It should also probably be mentioned that after pulling some plugs today, I noticed they were carbon fouled... I also don't know what they are gapped at because I don't have a gapper tool that measures up to .45...

Also, aout of curiousity I stood behind my car while it was idling last night... it sounded like it had a definate miss....

Can someone help me out?

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1985 Camaro SC - 2.8L, auto.

http://www.xenodrgn.f2s.com/Frontright.jpg

 

The miss wasn't constant, it varied...

I went out and pulled the wires off the coil and put them all back on after I had cleaned them with emory cloth, I also straighted out some plug wires (they were all crossing and looked ugly, so I used plug wire separators and made them look better)... I noticed an improvement... my tranny mount now bangs when going into second... but it wasn't a world of difference... could it be the coil? Is the coil what you mean when you say 'module'? Is the coil the same thing as the 'ignition box'... Help me out here, and educate me at the same time...

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1985 Camaro SC - 2.8L, auto.

http://www.xenodrgn.f2s.com/Frontright.jpg

[EDIT]: typo

[This message has been edited by Xenodrgn (edited August 01, 2001).]

 

The module is the little black thing that's screwed onto the base of the distributor. It's not picky about the temp. It'll screw up whenever it feels like it. It does all the "brain work" of the ignition system. It tells the coil to give the rotor electricity if the engine is turning, or not to if it's not turning. It also sends info to the ECM. I guess it's really a type of computer chip. Sorta, kinda.

The ignition coil is the one that sends electricity to the cap. Then the spark goes to the rotor, then to the wires, then to the plugs. The ignition coil is the one that turns ~12 volts into 25K+ volts.

The pick up coil is the one that tells the ECM at what position the dist is at any given time. That's how it knows what the ignition timing is. It's mounted around the distributor shaft, just below the rotor.

Hope this helps.
AJ

 

Yes, it was very helpful... now I just need to figure out what has gone bad and replace it... I really don't want to have to take it to a shop again...

I think I'll go out to Radio Shack tonight and get a multimeter.... my Chiltons outlines pretty much what I need to do. If the pickup and ignition coil check out, I'll replace the module, otherwise I'll replace whatever is bad... I may just end up getting a Blaster coil anyway, as sort of a hop-up...

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1985 Camaro SC - 2.8L, auto.

http://www.xenodrgn.f2s.com/Frontright.jpg

[This message has been edited by Xenodrgn (edited August 02, 2001).]