Well first of all I bought this car a month or so ago, i haven't worked on third gens at all really, i've done some work on an 81 camaro ive had but nothing too extensive. but anyway since i bought it the only problem i've had is sometimes it will fire right up, and sometimes it will take about 7 seconds of turning over to fire up. when this happens for a couple seconds will fire slowly and sputter but then it will kick in and run normal, other than that it was running great until tonight.

So I was on my way home and i was stopping at a red light next to the gas station, and the car cut out completely. I sat for a second, turned off the ignition. then tried to start up, and it did its 7 second turn over then fired up again, i pulled into the gas station, got some gas, and started back up (fired up fine). then drove away about halfway home, cut out and died again. alot harder to get it to start back up, also while turning over the tailpipes were letting out alot of smoke with a heavy gas smell. so i drove a little bit more and it cut out one final time so i left it and walked home, and now i am making this post.

help!

 

sound like an ignition problem, bad wires or coil. check for spark.

 

^^ whut he said! My car did this 3 times, all 3 times = ignition control module :/

 

well I got car to my house after a couple tries (it was still running really bad)

and i opened up the distributor to get to the ICM. the ICM works fine, had it tested at autozone, but i think i found the problem, the 2 wires that run into it from the central part of the distributor (name?), the plug was all broken and corroded and the connection was very loose and corroded. Does anyone know where i can get a replacement plug fitting for the end of those wires? or should i just put new ends on them and electrical tape it up.
also the rotor didnt look too good so i got a new one. but yea once i get the connection fixed ill fire it up and see if that was indeed the problem.

 

Possibility it could be the injectors... Its a maybe. Mine did this twice, the first time it was blown out injectors, and this time it is spark and fuel issues.

 

ok well it wasnt the distributor although its probably a good thing i fixed that up since it would have been a problem soon if it wasnt already.

But I am now pretty sure its a fuel issue since we can get it to start but only when you pump the **** out if it

the pump primes correctly but tommorow were going to ramp it up and look at the filter i guess see whats up. also how do i go about Ohming the injectors and what resistance should they be?

could the pump still be bad even tho it primes correctly?

 

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Have you changed the inline fuel filter yet?
I may have missed that post.

There is a fuel filter that is on the driver's side of the car, just a little forward from the rear tire. When those things start to clog they can cause you all sorts of issues.

 

Ok i just changed the fuel filter, the old one looked pretty good anyway but i found some interesting things:

1) When fuel pump was disconnected, The car started pretty easy and idled fine (died when given gas obviously cause no pump)

2) when fuel pump was connected really hard to get to start, idled rough, died After giving gas and letting off

so im thinking its a bad fuel pump, can anyone confirm these symptoms?>

 

I am confused how your car would even start with the fuel pump disconnected since the injectors are expecting fuel under pressure.
I have seen mine start briefly and then shut right down after it burned the few seconds of fuel in the system.
So I guess I am assuming that you have a 350 TPI system with an electric fuel pump.
Is you setup different than this?
How did you disconnect your fuel pump? At the pump or somewhere else?
Did you disconnect only the feed line, or the return lines also?

Have you tested the fuel pressure yet?

 

yes it does die out shortly after running without the pump but its on ramps so it could be gravity feeding gas or something, yes 350 tpi with electric pump. Disconnected the fuel pump by pulling the plug above the rearend on the gas tank.

no i have not tested the fuel pressure, where can i rent a gauge? and how do i go about testing it?

 

i can also hear my pump running constantly on idle when its hooked up :O

 

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stumped

 

When I read your post I immidiatelly thought about the ignition control module. Every car that has ever died on me (that it seemed to be a fuel issue) was actually the stupid control module. I would replace it just to be on the safe side.

Other than that, from what you write, I am not sure if the pump is the culprit. Check the fuel pressure with a gauge to eliminate low pressure issue. Also do the bleeddown test, just turn the car off and watch the pressure guage. If it drops pressure immidiatelly you might have a faulty fuel injector or two.

Of course, make sure all your plug wires are going to the correct place, your timing is correct, your wiring for the starter looks ok, in other words just skim over it for any obvious problems.

it still sounds like an ignition problem to me.

Good luck.

 

I am not real familiar with the TPI cars but The issue with connecting and disconnecting the fuel pump may be coincidence. If that car has a Mass Air Flow sensor I'd check that. When a MAF is acting up, idle problems are usally the first sign, typically it sends a bad signal and the computer over riches the mix, making it stall when air speed slows down from lifting off the pedal, or not enriching when you get on the pedal, depending on what part of the integrated circuit is trying to fail.

 

I had the ICM tested at autozone and it cleared all the tests so i eliminated that.

I guess tommorow I will go and see if i can rent a fuel pressure gauge? do they do that?

I guess i will check my plugs tommorow also, i guess it could be a bad plug.

the timing and starter are fine i know for a fact. plug wires are correct cause it was running great before.
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any particular way to check if the MAF is working properly? dont know much about it

 

a fuel pressure guage is cheap. it screws on to the shradder valve on the right fuel rail. it should be between 41 - 43 psi.

 

Some auto parts stores do rent fuel pressure gages, but they are relatively cheep, and if you plan to own fuel injected vehicles, its definitely a worth while thing to pick up.

 

Alright heres the deal on whats happened since i last posted.

had a mechanic i know come over and he checked the fuel pressure with his gauge, it kicked to 45 like normal but slowly dropped, and right away he said it was the fuel pressure regulator, so we took that apart and indeed the gasket in there was shot, so replaced that put everything back together.

was hoping that was the only problem but apparently not.
went to start it, still took some pumping but it did start and it idled, alot of smoke, though im assuming from sitting and the flooding its been having. the idle sounded rougher than usual, but it did not stall , put some fresh gas in it and tried to start it again. this time couldnt get it to start at all

there is an electric crackling sound coming from somewhere around the fuel rail when the key is on or trying to start almost sound like its INSIDE the fuel rail? which i dont see how that could be, but if you touch the rail while its crackling you can feel a little vibration.

could it be something in the fuel injectors causing the crackling? anyone have any clue? still wont start.

 

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I've never taken one of those type fuel rail's apart, but if they are anything like some of the F.I. bikes I've worked on then that sound may be debris from that regulator in the rail, or pluging up one or more of the injectors.

 

I dont think there was any debris, the gasked around the spring was just corroded/not sealed but it was all there, no debris in the regulator or anything. is there an easy way to check the injectors?

 

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thinking about taking it to a shop i really need my car and im stumped

 

could this be a bad plug? i havent looked at them yet stupidly