My husband and I have just purchased an '88 Trans Am GTA (obviously) from his boss.. She hasn't been driven in probably under 2 years. And for the most part everything is either restored or replaced. The motor is practically brand new along with the manual transmission.

My husband just got it 'running' sorta. The TA will crank up and start, and even idle. The problem that he has run into at the present is.... if you depress the accelerator she dies.... The only thing that is not put back together, if you will, is the exhaust. And the distrubitor is loose.

Could either of these be a link to our problem?

We will take any comments/concerns/opinions/answers/leads/ anything that will help us get this car on the road again, and for the first time for our family.

 

Welcome aboard thirdgen.org. And, congrats on your new family member.

How much of the exhaust isn't installed? If the exhaust manifolds and pipes to the cat are there, then it probably isn't contributing to the problem.

Loose distributor is a problem. You need to get the timing set properly and the distributor tightened down.

Quite often with these cars after being dormant for an extended period of time is bad fuel and/or fuel deposits. If you've already put fresh fuel in, and the majority of the fuel is fresh (like 75%), then that probably isn't the problem. But, clogged fuel filter and gummed up works (throttle body, injectors, fuel pressure regulator) are often issues after not being run regularly.

 

GAS. AND TIMING.




That being said. Is it carb'd? What kind of motor?

Check the timing with a timing light and put it back to factory specs for the type of motor and adjust from there. If its carb make sure the fuel floats are adjusted and set right and the accel pumps are in working order. When the motor is off make sure the accel jets are working when you hit the throttle.

Dont touch the carb untill you have new gas and the timing is correct. Once those are done go ahead from there.

 

Thanks!!! We're excited...
Umm he told me that the exhaust is.. all the way off, starting at the headers, I think.. I could be mistaken, and what you say is done.. but I'll have to ask him when he get's some down time.
He tightened up the distributor, and we are still having the problem. The throttel body and injectors are cleaned. And theres a new fuel pressure regulator.
So I'm not sure. With this info.. any other insight?

 

She's not carbed, she has the TPI system. 5.0L 305 V8 MT

 

By "headers", around here, we are usually referring to aftermarket steel tubular units that replace the stock cast iron exhaust manifolds. While that in itself isn't important, what is important is having the oxygen sensor (commonly referred to as "O2 sensor") hooked up. The factory put it in the driver side exhaust manifold, just above the connection to the exhaust pipe or "Y" pipe. If the car has aftermarket headers, most of them for our cars have a place for the O2 sensor, but not all do. Without this sensor, the computer won't have the information it needs to properly operate the engine. However, this doesn't come into play until the engine warms up a bit, so if the problems you are describing are happening as soon as you start the car, the O2 sensor isn't the cause.

 

Just because you tighten a distributor doesn't mean that it is timed right. You can run a distributor loose as long as its timed correctly. Loosen it back up rent a timing gun from auto-zone or advanced auto and time it correctly before you touch anything.
If the timing chain was never replaced it could be stretched and the timing could be off and that could be why the distributor bracket was loose. The owner could have been playing with the timing and its a PITA to loosen and tighten every time.

Get rid of all the old gas and get new old gas isn't doing you any favors.
Change the fuel lines and fuel filters

 

Like all these other guys have said, CHANGE THE FUEL FILTER, I had a really similar problem in my tuck and that was it. A tune up kit wouldn't hurt either.

 

I figured I'd give an update to my husbands... journey in to the TA.. the fuel filter and lines have been replaced, in-fact that was done before we got it. the old fuel was drained, and she has new fuel. the new fuel line was clogged up, it is now unclogged. (the idiot that was working on it before we bought it didn't dump the old fuel when he replaced the filter and lines, caused a problem.. maybe)
I got one for ya, are you supposed to get shocked when you tough the distributor?? if your not, then why would you?
The timing has been fixed. C-foam (or whatever it is) has been run through it. The plugs and wires are in the process of being replaced.
There still aren't any exhaust pipes, she's really loud..

I'm really excited about this car because when we get her home, then my family can go out and do something as a family. There's three of us and I only have a 2 seater, it sucks. He gets to bring her home when he can get her on the road and go... (according to his boss)

If any of you have any other suggestions or anything please let us know. All of your comments have been very helpful so far. We appreciate it.
If you know you can really hope us out msg me, and I'll give you my number so it might happen quicker..
Amanda

 

ls1fiend, I know where Big Sandy TX is, that's were we came from.. well not Big Sandy but that area in general. I grew up in Van, worked in Lindale.. How's the weather?

 

No, you shouldn't get shocked when you touch the distributor. Sounds like a wire came loose and may be grounding out. I would replace the Cap/coil/rotor. If your's is one wth the external coil, then you probably don't need to replace it.