I have just about had it with this car. It is a 1989 Formula 350 TPI with 120k. I bought it almost 5 years ago and only drove it for a couple of months until it started having problems.

Back then it would stall on the expressway and not restart for roughly 20 minutes. So I replaced the Fuel Filter and Pump. At that point I had headers new dual high flow cats and an exhaust put on the vehicle.

It drove for a little while longer then really started to not be dependable.

That’s when it started having problems starting. It would only start if I sprayed starting fluid into the Throttle body. Then it would run under its own power until I shut it off. I really didn't drive it much more because I did not trust it.

So i started looking for answers and found a lot of potential problems:

Coolant temp Sensor
EGR Valve
Fuel Pressure regulator
PCV Valve
Ignition Coil
Dist cap
Dist Rotor
Plugs
Wires
MAF
IAC
Throttle Position Sensor

So I replaced them all one at a time hoping something would help. Every single time no change.

I have checked the Alternator, Battery and Fuel pressure. All good
I also checked the Ohms on the injectors they all range from 14.2 to 14.4 ohms

I can not find any vacuum leaks or questionable wires.

The timing was just set by following directions I found up here.

I am losing my nerve with this car. Does anyone have any Ideas besides ripping out this motor and starting fresh?

 

Welcome aboard thirdgen.org.

If it fires with starting fluid, it obviously isn't an engine problem and obviously is a fuel problem.

You say you don't drive it much - how fresh if the fuel? How well does it run after it starts?

 

The gas was very old this time, I did add 5 and half gallons of Premium BP a few days ago and let it Idle for like a half hour. The old gas was less than a quarter tank. It ran no different.

 

Same thing happened to my girlfriends 89 GTA turns out the computer went bad. She replaced it and the car ran like a champ.

 

I did replace the computer with a used one, from an identical car. It did not make a change. It is possible that both computers had the same problem, but I would hope not.

 

Have you checked the fusable links at the starter and the grounds on the back of the heads?

 

Not specifically, What should I be looking for? Just bad connections?

That would cause the hard start?

 

My friend's 89 GTA had a similar problem. The resistance on his injectors checked out, but they turned out to be the problem. Some of them were plugged to the point where it wouldn't cold start.

 

Yes, bad connections, and fusable links sometimes go bad.

 

You might want to try a healthy dose of gasoline detergent. Figure on needing to replace the fuel filter soon after, maybe even the pump pick-up sock.

Next time before it sits for a long time add gasoline stabilizer first.

 

Well, I put the new injectors in and fresh Plugs, Still no start on its own. But I did google the problem and came up with the IAC being the culprit.

So my own test for this was to try starting it and then tap the gas pedal to let air in. Yep it would start. I did not put the pedal all the way down (make the car think it was in Clear flood mode)

Sure enough i cleaned the old one and it still wouldn't start

So I bought a new one and and now it starts all by its self.

Thanks for all your help. Sorry to waste your time on such a stupid fix.

But now I have different problems with driving. The money pit continues...

 

10 years ago I bought a 1989 5.7 IROC. That car would break down every 30 days like clockwork...First it was a leaking water pump ($500), then it was a fuel pump ($500), then brakes ($500), a few others I dont remember ($2000) and finally 8 months after buying it the radiator decided to not cool the car. I took it to the shop, paid $500 and noticed the car now ran rough...Brought it back and was told I had a piston down and would need to replace the motor $3000. At this point I did the math and determined I was spending $850 A MONTH to drive an IROC! I started laughing at the people driving around in brand new BMW and Mercedes because I was paying wayyyy more then they could ever hope to pay.
I immediately traded the car in for a BMW..

10 years have now passed. I still have the BMW and a few other cars but the love of an IROC came back and bit me again! Just purchased my second 5.7 litre IROC (1988 this time). So far so good. Ive put 600 miles on it without one issue.

 

Your very first post says that you replaced the IAC and that didn't help.
That part is confusing.

 

If anyone has had it with their car, drop it off here and I'll give it a good home!

 

Did you ever replace the ingnition module. I had a 90 that would run for a while, after I shut it off it wouldn't start for about 20-30 mintues, it was the ingnition module.

 

Well last night i was getting very frustrated when all of a sudden the car wouldn'[t start at all. so got under the hood hoping to see if I had knocked a wire loose or something. Sure enought the Wire that goes from the Ignition Coil to the Ingnition control module was being pulled tight, so I took it off and looked at it closely. yep you guessed it, not only had someone before me "REPAIRED IT" but it was halfway through the wire itself with almost no connection left at the plug from rubbing because it was tight.

I will feel really stupid if this does it. Local dealer wants $50 for this stupid thing.

Per the IAC. I believe trying to run it with worn injectors and the car just not running well enough I had to go back through and check anything that was already done. Just like the spark plugs getting fouled.

 

i have a 89 formula 350 tpi....... i had the same problem, i changed everything... when the engine was hot the car would not start, i would have to use starting fluid to start it.... it turned out i had 4 bad fuel injectors.... check your injectors and make sure they are fine.