As of last week, my 83 carbed Z28 was running beautifully. This week, not so much. When I took my car out for work the other day, it was running at very low RPMs and I barely made it to work. On the way home, stalled once but then was fine. Later, it sounded like a two stroke engine, with absolutely no power and idling at a womping 450 RPMs. I let it sit overnight and when I started it, I noticed the distrib was loose. I retimed and had to drastically advance the timing in order for it to fire. I'm talking base time at idle advanced well past the timing mark, probably about 20*. After it warmed up, I noticed that the idle was loping from 500 RPMs all the way to 1700RPMs, and everywhere in between. I also noticed that after it warmed up, it sounded as if it were missing real bad. Pulling plug 1 from the cap assured me that it was in fact missing from cyl 1. Replacing the plug solved my problem for about a half hour, and then once again it sounded like a 2 stroke running with no power. No sign of fouling on the old or new plug, might I add. Today, I decided to replace the ignition control module because it was the only part of my ignition that was not new or replaced within the last 2 months. I was able to time the car properly to 6* but of course the loping idle started. I ran it for 20 minutes, shut it down and then heard my fuel pump "moaning." Key out, battery disconnected, fuel pump still sounds like its depressurizing. My fuel pressure gauge usually tells me that I am running about 6lbs BUT the gauge needle now jumps all over the place from 6-7lbs, never staying still. All of my symptoms fit a bad fuel pump.

I appreciate all of you who have read this and heres my question: my 83 is a CFI to carb conversion. I have the electric pump in tank with a fuel pressure regulator reducing my fuel pressure. Instead of installing a new in tank electric pump, can I just leave the old electric pump in, with all of the fuel lines run, and install a mechanical pump underhood?

Thanks all,
Chris
Please give me some insite on youre thoughts to my problems as well.

 

U can try it i have had ones that would pull through the intank pump but i have had others that wouldnt probly best to just get a carb pick-up unit and not worry about it