hey guys, I have a 1992 Z28 tpi automatic.. my fourth one... and its doing something i have never encountered and need a good lead... I recently had to replace the intake gasket and ever since have had a service engine light. Unfortunately i can not check the engine codes as i usually do. i think the prong is bad... anyway... it wont flash codes to me, so i do not know what to do since thats always my crutch.
the car cranks up great most of the time, but with no warning the service engine light comes on randomly and the idle drops, it responds extremely poor to acceleration demands, refuses to shift, and feels on the verge of dying. then it will go back to normal and run fine for a while. Sometimes also i will smell rich fuel strong enough that you can smell it inside the car while driving. this happens at no certain rpm, speed, temperature, or anything. sometimes it will go for half an hour before doing this.. then sometimes it will happen on and off every 2 minutes.
also, on rare occasions, it will start up idling rough and acts like its not getting gas when in drive. but it always clears eventually. however, it always starts on first attempt with no effort.
i replaced the fuel filter, traced the vacuum lines, listened for the fuel pump at start up, etc...
can anyone give me a starting place? im not a fantastic mechanic and money and resources are tight.
thank you

 

One easy check is to see if the ground straps are hooked up from the motor to firewall or frame. Computer cars can act up if the grounds are bad.

 

https://www.thirdgen.org/service-eng...ht-error-codes

Pull the codes and see what they are.

 

i ran new ground straps yesterday, and it did not change the performance.. thank you for your idea though
and i can not run the error codes because the prong is bad...

 

You mean the prong inside the ALDL connector? Then tap into the two wires from behind the connector to pull the codes.

 

doesnt work man

 

Then you are going to have to recheck and double check everything that was disrupted with the changing of the intake gasket, which includes just about every sensor there is except the knock sensor. You've oviously not connected something, or connected something wrong.

 

ok

ive done that over and over..

guess im outta luck

 

Have you checked to see if your EGR valve is functioning properly? I assume you have also ruled out a vacuum leak around the new intake.

 

hey, is your problem solved??? I've got the same problem with my firebird '88 and i still don't know what it is.. This week i try a new alternator, because the car drives well, when i've charged the battery.. Only after a little whyle driving then the problems start over (after 15 minutes driving) at night it happens earlier then when it's day time. Then i don't use the lights...
Greetz from holland