Hey guys, My T/A with the 305 TPI engine is giving me some weird problem. When it's been sitting for a little, it starts up instantly regardless of temperature. But when I run it for a little, shut it off, and try to restart it a few seconds afterwards, it turns over but refuses to start. It doesn't even sound like its trying... no pops, farts, etc. But if I let it sit for 10 seconds, it will start. I posted up a youtube vid with the problem:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9vTxNZiODU
(I just uploaded it so it might not be finished processing yet so give it a little time)

Mechanic is saying that bad vacuum lines or a short in the F.I. system might be the culprit. I doubt that the engine needs a rebuild. It only smokes when I rev it pretty high, but the smoke doesn't look blue... more like a grey or maybe even blackish so I'm assuming its running rich.

 

bump.... any ideas?

 

My first thought would be leaking injectors which flood the engine. You might want to put a pressure gauge on it and see if the pressure holds when you shut it off. Sometimes you can hear them leaking through the brake booter hose.

 

I wouldn't doubt it. How can I check the pressure like you mentioned?
And do you think it might be bad vacuum lines as well? I already began a thread on this:
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tech...uum-lines.html

 

It could be lots of things, but your vacuum lines are not any better after it sits a while. You need a fuel pressure gauge. Some auto parts stores lend them or harbor freight has them pretty cheap. Even a shop wouldn't charge you much to see if the pressure holds.

 

Here's an update: I changed 5 of the 8 plugs in the car (from cylinders 1, 2, 4, 6, & 8) and it's already running MUCH better and it restarts a lot easier. I have yet to replace the remaining plugs (I gotta jack up the other end now). What angered me when I was doing this was that the #4 cylinder's spark plug (hardest to get to) was so loose that I was able to remove it by hand without a wrench. That definitely didn't help the car. But I replaced it with a new one and tightened it firmly. But once I replace the last 3 the car should run like new. However it does smoke when I rev it high, like at 3500 rpm+. I have difficulty telling what color it is, but it seems like a grayish shade, doesn't look blue. The mechanic said that I just need to put the car on the road and run it, since it's probably gunked up from sitting so long before I got it (sat for a year with it only being ran shortly once a month).