My 1989 Trans Am (V8 5.0L Tunned Port Injection) has been sitting up not in use for about 10 years. It did run before I stopped using it. I have decided to get it back running. I’ve replaced the fuel tank, sending unit, filter and the pump. All fluids have been changed. All bad hoses have been replaced. The fuel injectors have been cleaned. The car will crank but will not start. If I spray starter fluid in the intake it will briefly start until the starter fluid burns up. I am getting proper fuel pressure at the rail. The voltages on the injectors are correct and I’ve checked for pulse when cranking with a noid light. I assume I’m getting spark since the car starts with the starter fluid. The only code I get from the ECM is 12. After many days of troubleshooting and reading I don’t know what else to do. My next step is to replace the ECM. Any suggestions?

 

Most of the time the ECM is not bad and people replace them for nothing. Check if its getting spark. A proper tune up is in order too after sitting that long, spark plugs, cap, rotor, wires, and vacuum lines. Good luck!

 

Am I correct assuming that it is getting spark since it will start
momentarily with the starting fluid? I inspected the distributor cap and spark plug wires and they are in good condition.

 

Some people argue that you will have spark and the compression alone isnt enough to ignite it for a split second. But I know I didn't have the wires hooked to my distributor so no spark+no fuel to my tbi. And it would turn over for a second. I dont know if anyone can confirm this happening to them so or if I was correct to say no spark was getting there but assumptions can be wrong because you don't know for a certain.

Buy a in line spark checker with the 90* boot (only like 5-10 at your local harbor freight. ( don't buy a Matco or snap on one. You won't use it enough to need that kind of reliability. )

I see people just putting the boot on the end that goes to the plug and the plug and have a buddy crack it to see if they can see the spark. But that is dangerous. You can get a shock or ignite something by doing that.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

 

I got my TA to start. It was the ECM. I went to a junk yard and got an ECM from a 1986 Firebird.