91 T/A prefers starting fluid
08-16-2009, 03:38 PM
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Car: 91 Trans Am 'vert
Engine: LB9
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 3.45 9 bolt
91 T/A prefers starting fluid
Hey guys, here's my situation:
Yesterday, I was taking my (unregistered) 91 T/A convertible (with the 305 TPI) for a spin around the block, just to see how much better it runs with new plugs (which was pretty significant). Anyway, I was going up this hill toward my house and the engine started sputtering and bogging down (all I thought was "F**K F**K F**K!!!!") and died. It literally died 20 feet from a turn which would've led downhill and could've allowed me to simply coast the car to my house, but nooooooooo the car died and refused to start. At first I was getting pops and burps when trying to crank it but then it would just crank without anything happening (just a reminder, the car was facing uphill if it makes a difference). So I went and poured about 3 gallons of gas into it (guage said empty) and still nothing. No pops, farts, etc. So I had to beg the neighbors to help me push it up the hill and to my house. I got it home and parked it.
So Today I went and bought some starting fluid and sprayed some into the intake and it fired right up. Everything was going smoothly, so I tried to shut it off and restart it on its own. Nothing, but this time it was popping/farting etc. so it sounded like it was trying. I sprayed some more into the intake and it started, and afterwards it began starting on its own without fluid. I backed it onto a set of ramps since I'm suspecting that the fuel filter is crappy. I also tried running the car with the rear end raised about 7 inches and it was running fine and then it started bogging again when I was revving it and eventually stalled. Now it won't start on its own again.
Sorry about the long story but do you think it might be a bad fuel filter? Is three gallons of gas enough to start a car on its own?
Yesterday, I was taking my (unregistered) 91 T/A convertible (with the 305 TPI) for a spin around the block, just to see how much better it runs with new plugs (which was pretty significant). Anyway, I was going up this hill toward my house and the engine started sputtering and bogging down (all I thought was "F**K F**K F**K!!!!") and died. It literally died 20 feet from a turn which would've led downhill and could've allowed me to simply coast the car to my house, but nooooooooo the car died and refused to start. At first I was getting pops and burps when trying to crank it but then it would just crank without anything happening (just a reminder, the car was facing uphill if it makes a difference). So I went and poured about 3 gallons of gas into it (guage said empty) and still nothing. No pops, farts, etc. So I had to beg the neighbors to help me push it up the hill and to my house. I got it home and parked it.
So Today I went and bought some starting fluid and sprayed some into the intake and it fired right up. Everything was going smoothly, so I tried to shut it off and restart it on its own. Nothing, but this time it was popping/farting etc. so it sounded like it was trying. I sprayed some more into the intake and it started, and afterwards it began starting on its own without fluid. I backed it onto a set of ramps since I'm suspecting that the fuel filter is crappy. I also tried running the car with the rear end raised about 7 inches and it was running fine and then it started bogging again when I was revving it and eventually stalled. Now it won't start on its own again.
Sorry about the long story but do you think it might be a bad fuel filter? Is three gallons of gas enough to start a car on its own?
08-16-2009, 03:51 PM
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Car: 91 Trans Am 'vert
Engine: LB9
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 3.45 9 bolt
Re: 91 T/A prefers starting fluid
UPDATE:
The car still has its ***-end up on ramps and I tried starting it with and without fluid and its a no-go both ways. With fluid it'll run for half a second with the tach jumping to 1000 rpm then nothing. So its obviously not getting gas. I'm thinking it's a bad fuel filter. Or maybe weak pump? (the car sat for a year with very little gas in it before I bought it a week ago)
The car still has its ***-end up on ramps and I tried starting it with and without fluid and its a no-go both ways. With fluid it'll run for half a second with the tach jumping to 1000 rpm then nothing. So its obviously not getting gas. I'm thinking it's a bad fuel filter. Or maybe weak pump? (the car sat for a year with very little gas in it before I bought it a week ago)
08-18-2009, 01:19 AM
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Car: 86 T/A, 83 Z/28
Engine: 5.0 TPI, 350 2 X 4 bbl
Transmission: 4 speed auto, 5 speed manual
Axle/Gears: 3.23 posi, 3.73 std
Re: 91 T/A prefers starting fluid
Have you tried testing the fuel pressure?
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