Hi, I have done hours of searching and as you can see this is my first time posting and have been a member for a while. Usually i can search on my problem and find and dont need to take up space but now I really need some help. I own a 89 camaro RS. I have swapped out the 2.8 v6 and automatic with a mass air TPI 305 with a 5 speed. Well with headers and a cold air intake and stock tune my car just seemed to run a lil lean. So with my tax check i went ahead and baught a performace fuel pump 255LPH and a crane cams adjustable fuel regulator and a stage 2 jet performance chip. The car ran fine before i put it in the garage to put in the new parts. First was the fuel pump and when i got it done i made sure it worked by starting the car. As soon as I seen it was good with no leaks I went for the fuel pressure regulator. Now some may already know the adjuster screw is too long. I found out the hard way by installing my plenum and bending the screw and tearing up the diaphram. So with a new diaphram and shorter screw I tried to start the car. The car would start and die. I would get about 46 psi of fuel and as soon as the pump shut off the pressure would go to zero.

For the longest time i couldnt figure it out so I went ahead and put in the chip. Now i found a loose fuel hose and tightened the clamp and have good pressure and it stays. The problem is the car will be really hard to start like i have to crank and crank and it will gradully start running and im still cranking it and then when it does run on its own it just runs for 4-5 seconds and dies. Good fuel pressure still but i could spray starting fluid in and it would start and would run off that so i know i have spark. Tried a different ecm and still the same. Any ideas I checked all sensors, tried starting without maff sensor, replace tps and set it with a volt meter and still wont start. Thanks for any replies.

 

same thing happened to me..on my truck.. fuel filter was clogged.also I think 46psi is high for a 305 but not totally sure.

 

Thanks for the suggestion. The fuel filter is just a couple months old. I have the pressure adjusted to 46 only because it seems like the car isnt getting fuel. I have backed it down and it didnt change. Any other suggestion on what this might be. The Tps is as 0.540 and is brand new. I have tried starting without mass air flow sensor. I have disconnected the tps iac and mass sensor and disconnected the battery and reconnected everything and still the same. I have tried a different computer and still the same. The only code i have is 46 which is vats but i have never had a problem with my car not starting with this code because my car is not setup for vats. I have also used a test light and it looks like there is power and it is pulsating. If I try to crank the engine it will try to fire everytime it rotates. It will just sit there catching trying to start then it will start and just die and trying to give it gas makes it worse.

 

if you replace the pump and it ran okay...then you replaced the fpr and you had probs, its got to be the fpr. Did any of the diaphram tear and possibly clog the line..is the vac line going to the fpr hooked to the right vac port...something in the plenum (if all you removed)or fuel system past fpr. dont remember if fuel lines going to rails are different sizes but if not maybe lines crossed...if it runs on starting fluid..fuel is the only possible prob so trace back everystep....try to put in stock chip and fpr.

 

Ended up being the Jet performance chip. I took it out and put it back to factory with the factory chip and it started right up and ran good. Seems like the code 46 is gone too so I think what is happening is I have a computer that is set up for vats and when the jet performance chip is in its triggering that and it wasnt letting the injectors pulse. When i baught the chip from jegs I didnt see where it said 91 305 TPI auto chip. I paid attention to the Stage 2 (will work with mass air sensor,aftermarket runners,base. For a stock or mildly built engine) Thought 89 was the last year for mass air sensors. So now im going to have to research how to bypass the vats and try the chip again. Thanks for your suggestions.

 

hey man when u did ur 2.8 swap did u swap ur dash harness?iam in the process of putting in the 350 tpi.took out the old 2.8 harness from car and computer and unpluged it from driver side hookup and put in the tpi harness put puter in and the two plugs that mate next to the puter hooked right up.the 2.8 car is a 89 and the donor tpi car is a irocz 88.