Forgive me, I'm not that mechanically inclinded. Car started having issues this morning. I turn the key and the engine will fire up but dies immidiatly. I can hold the gas pedal down but it'll die after I let off. It won't idle on it's own. The fuel pump is working (as I can hear it prime when the key is turned to on). I'm also noticing coolant gathering around the mounting bolts on the intake manifold on both sides, not sure if thats related. Any ideas what I should look for as to whats causeing the problem?

It's a bone stock 305 TPI w/ Auto tranny.

 

All your injectors are good? Not sure about the coolant part.... doesn't sound good though.

 

Not sure. How do you check the injectors?

 

You would need a fuel pressure gauge. You can clean the tb and the maf. You can also check codes.

 

As you say you are not mechanically inclined, I would just suggest going to a shop and have them run some codes and check some stuff out.

 

BECOME MECHANICALLY INCLINED!!!!!! lol

Sounds Like IAC to me.

 

I want to learn, hence why i haven't taken itto a shop yet. I thought about the IAC too. I took the throttle body off and cleaned it and the iac as best i could. I didnt know this engine had a maf - where is it? Its gota look a lot differant than the one on my 96 lt1.

Would the car throw codes if the ces light isnt on (cause its not)?

 

Yes. You need an OBD1 scanner. The bulb could have blown. Does the cel light come on with the key on engine off? If your car has a maf it will be between the air filter and tb. You can also listen for vac leaks. Does the engine run good otherwise?

 

Yes, the ces comes on with the key on - so i know its not a burnt bulb. I supose i dont have a maf then so i can check that off the list. The engine ran good before all this but since it wont stay running checking for vacume leaks might be a bit hard.

Ok, obd1 scanner, ill look into that. Heres a question, if i get a fuel pressure gauge, where do i plug it into? My LT1 had a schrader valve on the fuel rail near the regulator that it could thread into. I dont see that on this car...

 

I forgot to mention a stuck open egr valve can cause the engine to stall.

 

Since the bulb is good you can check flash codes by jumping some pins on the obd connector. I don't remember which pins.

 

This car should have a MAP sensor, not a MAF.

 

Ok, i know where the MAP sensor is. Got scared that i didnt have a maf and i should lol

However i hope that the egr valve is not the issue cause that little flying saucer is a bitch to get to....

 

the very first thing to do is check pressure at the tb . and just because you hear the pump kick on doesn't mean its getting fuel .there is a common problem that throws most people because they HEAR THE PUMP . there is a 2 inch rubber line in the tank that conects the fuel pump to the pickup line after 20+ years this line turns into a marshmello and splits sending the pressure back into the tank . this happened to me. I pulled the car in the garage running perfect installed a new rear end ,started the car hit the gas and split the line . I could still start the car bearly but it wouldn't idle and died every time I hit the gas. sound familiar ? I did a fuel pressure ck and found out I had about 2 lbs. but the pump ran. pulled the tank replaced the " marshmellow" and pump while I was in there ran perfect again . this was afret I replaced the egr, tps and ignition switch , kept avoiding the pump because I could hear it so IT HAD TO BE OK ,,,,,NOT. and no to the $10 for the hatch.

 

Disconect the fuel line at the throtle body , a fuelpressure gadge rented at autozone or advanced will have multiple fittings to conect to your line just to be clear you have a throttle body injection ( looks like a carb) or a tune port injection? either way conect the gadge at the line just before it enters the tbi or tpirail ifit reads lower than 5 its the rubber line in the tank . replace the pump ,cunecting line and filter while the tanks out cluan the inside of the tank ,you can get your arm and a rag in there dusch it good fill with 93 octain add good quality injector cleaner , only afterchanging filter .adding injector cleaner with a dirty filter causes more harm than good.

 

Its a tpi. A fuel pressure gauge is next onthe list. I will advise.

 

I pickec up a fuel pressure tester from autozone and a fuel filter while i was at it. put the new filter in and attached the gauge to the shrader valve. key to on and i have pressure at the rails. Showed around 10psi (if thats good or not idk) but its there. Checked all my vacume lines for brakes and loose lines and all seemed good. So just for kicks i decided to try to start her - low and behold she fired and stayed running. Idle is good and feels as strong as ever.

Not sure what was wrong, even less sure what i did to fix it but all seems ok now. I hate to think that the fuel filter is all it was but if it was than cool.

BTW, im not compleatly a newb when it comes to working on cars, i did a head/cam swap and rebuilt the 4l60e in my old 96' z28 back in the day but its been a while and i think im just a little gun shy nowadays. My diagnosing abilites arent whatnthey used to be.

 

Your supposed to have at least 40lb + fuel pressure @ the rail.

 

thats just enough to make it run like you say it does ! sory dude drop the tank . dont cut a hole in the floor. somebody else may want to buy the car from you down the line .

 

sory didn't see the part about the car running good , seems strange with only 10 lbs but good for you throw some sea foam in it now that you have a new filter .. never put injector cleaner in a tank with an old filter , It breaks down the deposits in the filter and sends it to the injectors. which is actually doing the oposit of what you're tring to acomplish!

 

You can try to restrict the fuel return and see if pressure goes up. If it does I would suspect the regulator.

 

LOL fat fingers strike again, I meant to type 40.... that darn 1 and 4 are so close together. Good to know 40 is where it's supposed to be though.

I appreciate all your help guys. I really do.

 

LOL !been there donnee tthaat!