Hi Guys,

I just got my 89 T/A out of the garage over the weekend. This is the first time I ran the car for probably 10 months. ( I know bad idea) I put the battery in and it fired right up. Drove it home, took it to get inspected ( passed) and then back home to wash it.

(Driving distance was maybe 5 or 6 miles from garage to home and home to inspection place and then back home)

After I washed it I was planning on going out with it, so starting driving and came to to a stop light and stalled. Fired it back up, started bucking, and stalling. Pulled into a store, service engine light came on. I was like what the heck. So fired it back up and it seemed to run so got on the highway, and it ran great, did 70-75 miles per hour for 20 miles or so. As soon as I got off the highway, it stalled as I pushed in clutch. It seems as soon as I come off the gas it stalls. Now, it is really running bad. Barely got it home. Now it is sputting and back firing when I start it. Seems like a real rich smell in gas now. Any ideas???

I checked the code. I could only get one reading off it cause it seems like it is blinking very fast and the shift light come on with it too. Very hard to read or interpet. The code I got was 36 which is MAF burn off?? what is this?

My dad thinks it might be a clogged fuel filter? I did have some old gas in the car but I did add some fresh to it.

Help

 

This is a very common occurance with any car that
has been washed or have been wet. Did you have your
engine washed??

When condensation builds inside a distributor cap,
it will cause a horrible running condition.. if at all

Also, a overly soaking a MAP sensor on a TPI engine
could also mess with its normal operation.. I see it all
the time, But yours is a MAF TPI setup.. no worry.

Of course this is a best case scenario, I dont want
to say its your MAF sensor, they are $300+ .. Id want
to be sure that is the problem.

Pull the cap off, check for condensation and ignition
module operation. Id start there before buying parts.

 

Well get this, I did not have the engine washed. So I can check for condensation. However, I did go to the local Autozone and bought a MAF sensor. Paid 200, put it on and no luck. Ran the same if not worse. So I took the MAF senor back and put my old one back on.

If the fuel filter was clogged, would it run?

 

It would possibly Idle, then stumble & fart like
you mentioned. Tuned port motors need 45-50psi
of fuel pressure at the rail for the injectors.

Since fuel filters are easy to remove/replace and
cheap, Id go ahead a replace it for peice of mind.

Its usually one or the other, Ignition or fuel.

 

I had forgot to add,

When I stored my car for a period of 10 months
building a new power plant, I also let the gas sit
and frement in my tank.

That led to my downfall, after starting the engine
no more than 4 times..the fuel pump seized, refused
to prime and it pretty much was garbage at that point

It was shot because the old gas was so sticky/varnishy
it wouldnt allow the pump to actuate.. So I had to drop
the tank.

Does your fuel pump prime before startup?

 

I bleleive it does prime, I can hear it when I turn the key to the on postion. If the fuel pump is working improperly, would it still run? Meaning it will run ( very badly) if I keep my foot on the gas. But it's not to happy about it
----------
the fuel filter in back by the tank correct?

 

Your fuel filter is actually more near the middle of the car on the drivers side. It is in line of the fuel line so it looks something like this.

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Definitly try replacing that. It is a very inexpensive item. Changing the fuel pump isn't exactly the easiest job so you may want to make sure you dont have any ignition problems first. That is if the filter doesn't fix the problem. (Check your rotor, cap, wires, and you can also have some parts stores test your ignition module.) Whatever you end up doing, dont end up sawing a hole through your back seat to get to the fuel pump!