Hi guys. I've got an '89 Camaro with a 5.0 TBI. Yesterday when I went to start it, it would start, idle for a couple seconds, and die. Over and over again. Sometimes it would idle for 10-15 seconds, other times it would die almost immediatley. When ever I would turn the ignition off then on again, the fuel pump would pressurize the fuel system like always. The fuel pump was replaced 4 years ago.

Later, some friends came over to help troubleshoot. We replaced the ignition module, but the problem persisted. We noticed that when the engine stalled, the fuel injectors would keep clicking, leaking a little gas into the throttle body, as if the ECU didn't realize it was stalled. To make it worse, it suddenly stopped dieing, and ran for 10 minutes. We turned it off, started it again, and it ran fine.

Today, I try it again, and the problem had returned. 2 hours later, it started, ran, and I even drove it around the block. An hour later, it wouldn't idle. Basically, I'm stumped. It almosts acts as if the car is running out of gas, but when you start it again it fires right up for a couple of seconds.

Anybody got any ideas?

 

Just a guess; but Id try the fuel filter. Simple, cheap and could prob use one anyway...

 

my car had the same problem. first what u have to do is knock out all the possibilities

do you have fuel pressure?
is fuel reaching the injectors?
did it start with starting fluid?

if it starts with starting fluid or you dont have any fuel pressure or fuel at the injectors it could be the fuel pump, fuel filter, fuel pump fuse, or the relay

so if all that above checked out then what you dont have is spark.

make sure all the wires are going to their correct spark, yes, it can be something simple like that next, check your ignition coil, rotor, distributor cap and points, and all your wires.

usually its not much to just change the cap and rotor all at once also check your battery for voltage to make sure its up to par, if youve done all this and it still doesnt want to stay on, check for vacuum leaks.

 

96 percent of the time it is a fuel pump. Check fuel pressure before doing anything else.

//RF