Hello Everyone,
I am new to the board, sort of. I have been on here alot in the last month and a half searching old posts for ideas.

Here is my dilemma. I have a 89 Trans AM 5.0L TPI auto tranny.

I bought this car a month and a half ago. WHen I bought it, it ran fine, except for the high idle problem, which I fixed with a TPS adjustment. The last few weeks, the car will not start unless I spray some starting fluid into the throttle body. Once the car is started, it re-starts and drives fine. Seems only if is sits for 12 hours or more, this problem occurs.

Here is what I have done/checked so far:

-fuel pressure test (45 psi when key turned for prime, 35-40 running and about 50 when you rev it up. Maintained pressure of 45 psi even 2 hours after shut down.

-ohm tested the injectors, all of them are 16.1-16.3.

-checked for vacuum leaks, none found

-replaced coolant temp sensor ( mostly for the fan to work?)

-load tested battery, passed with flying colors

-cleaned throttle body with carb cleaner (was really dirty)

-ran a bottle of fuel injection cleaner through the tank

-check all ground wires and straps, all good there

-tested fuel pressure regulator (removed vac hose and waited to see if gas came out)


WHen the car cranks, I can smell gas? The security light is not on and there are no codes or CEL. My car is not equipped with a cold start injector.

Please tell me what to look for next!

 

I went and pulled codes again, just to make sure. I have a stored code 44. O2 sensor lean exhaust?

 

I'd listen for the fuel pump to prime when key first turned on (not started) - if pump not priming, I'd check the fuse by the battery, or the fuel pump relay for issue.

 

One possibility:
Before starting up after 12 hours use a Noid light in place of an injector. The light should flicker right away while cranking if not you may have a problem with the distributor reference signal enabling the injectors to fire. Hence the need to prime it.

 

The fuel pump does prime, hence the 45 psi of fuel pressure on my first post when I put the gauge on. I did buy a noid light set yesterday to test the injectors. I went out this morning to make sure the car would not start, and after 3 key turns it started on its own....ugh. Not that I am not happy that it started on its own, just that I spent $75 on a good noid light set and I did not get to use it.

WOndering if the injectors were clogged? I am running a bottle of fuel injection cleaner through the tank and I am now under 1/2 tank of fuel left?

 

$75 on a noid light? A noid light should cost about $1 - maybe $5 if you got ripped at Sears or Lowes/Home Depot. Heck, I have a full-blown digital volt/ohm meter that I paid $3 for (at a store)! Where in the world did you ever find a $75 noid light?

Brother - you desperately need to find a cheaper store to shop at! Have Harbor Freight in your area? Walmart? Kmart? Joe Blow's Hardware?

All a noid light does is light up when it gets 12volts - snag a wire, the soldering iron, and a light bulb and make one!

{note to self - sell noid lights to WI folks for mega profits and retire in a year}

I'm giving you a hard time - sorry. Take it in fun as it's intended. Maybe you bought a full blown fancy schmancy digital volt/ohm/code reader or something - but you stated $75 noid light set and I soiled my britches!

 

Hahaha...thanks Camaronewbie. I actually bought a complete set from Snap-on. I wanted something that would last. There was a cheaper set fo $30 at the local advance auto parts, but it looked really cheap. I wanted something that would test everything, as is seems I need these more than the average person? Here is what I bought:

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....re&dir=catalog