So recently my 1989 Firebird Formula 350 has been having issues in a cold start. If the engine is cold the car will start rev to about 2k rpm (little under) then quickly putter out and die. After the first time it putters and dies faster than before until it gets to about starting and immediately dying. If I start the car and give it gas at the right time (and I mean petal to the floor) the car will get up to about 5k rpm and I have to keep it above 2k rpm for at least 6sec or it will putter and die. Gas + ignition usually takes me a few times to get it going! but once I've gotten it into reverse or drive it runs perfect. I had a mechanic look at it and he said that a wire was pinched in the distributor cap and (something something ) required the distributor rotor to be replaced. He also said the plugs were wrong and replaced them ( I trust his judgement on the plugs ), but whatever he did didn't fix it because it's still a problem. He also made me aware of a slight engine vibration which was most likely caused by something being put in wrong, but he wasn't overly concerned.

PS the car also has a problem with when put into drive it lurches forward ( which I have found in the web to be a tranny problem, but could this be the source of the above problem?)

 

sounds like a possible vacuum leak. might explain why the car wants to creep forward, low vacuum for the power brakes?