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fuel problem.. i think.... Help?

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Old May 7, 2008 | 09:10 PM
  #1  
t/agta's Avatar
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From: pittsburgh, pa
Car: 87' Trans Am GTA, 88' Trans Am GTA
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
fuel problem.. i think.... Help?

i have a 350 tpi. The motor was bored .030 and rebuilt 7 k miles ago. This was before i bought it. Its running like crap. I need help.

Symptoms:
1) on cold start once it turns over you need to pump the gas and try to get it to about 4000 rpm and decrease it very VERY slowly till you get to idle.
2) It idles like crap. Its idleing around between 650 and 1100 in park/neutral. It idles at 600-650 in drive. The idle has like a lope/chug, and there is a constant ticking/thunking noise. I cant pinpoint where its coming from. It sounds louder on the pass side of the motor, but its loud on the driver side too. I thought it might be coming from the FPR but i couldnt tell.
3) Ocassionally the idle will drop to like 400 and try to stall in reverse or drive, in which case you have to either stomp on the gas, or throw it in neutral and give it a few revs. After that, its usually fine for a while.
4) Until its at running temp, if you give it gas from idle, theres like a 2-3 second hesitation where you can hear the TB stop sucking in air and then all the sudden pulls in air and it revs. when its warm, it only does it ocassionally.
5) I checked the fuel pressure today.
-key on, motor off= 42 psi
-key on, motor on, idle= bouncing rapidly between 32-40
i'll see what the pressure is off idle tomorrow and post it.

I think my FPR is bad, but i'm not sure. At this point i think its between a fuel problem and a vaccum problem. i'm going to try to get a sound clip of it running and post the link up. I cant do a vid because my camera has horrible sound quality. Any help, suggestions, or thoughts are GREATLY appreciated.
Thanks
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Old May 8, 2008 | 02:33 PM
  #2  
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From: pittsburgh, pa
Car: 87' Trans Am GTA, 88' Trans Am GTA
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Re: fuel problem.. i think.... Help?

someone? anyone? ....please?
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Old May 8, 2008 | 09:34 PM
  #3  
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Re: fuel problem.. i think.... Help?

Iv'e got a 305 tpi with roughly the same problem. I bought it off a guy who had recently replaced pluggs, fuel pump, tps and alternator when he was trying to fix it up. he had let it sit for 3 monts so battery was dead. i jumped it fine and drove it 3 miles on sunday. the next monday it did not want to start and i had to keep reving it (when it did start) untill it was warmed up or else it would go to 500-200rps then die. when it was warmed up it idled fine for 20-30 min then shut off and will not start again. i checked the fuel injectors and they seem to be fine. please let me know if you find out the problem, im gonna try to replace the IAC this saturday.
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Old May 9, 2008 | 01:35 PM
  #4  
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From: MA
Car: '87 IROC/'68 SS
Engine: 5.7L/350
Transmission: 700R4/Muncie 4-spd
Axle/Gears: 3.27 9 bolt / 3.31 12 bolt
Re: fuel problem.. i think.... Help?

It's hard to guess at this stuff. You really need a scanner so you can see what all the readings are. It could be something as simple as a bad temp sensor (or a bunch of other things).
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Old May 13, 2008 | 08:38 PM
  #5  
t/agta's Avatar
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From: pittsburgh, pa
Car: 87' Trans Am GTA, 88' Trans Am GTA
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Re: fuel problem.. i think.... Help?

new symptom.
Today when i tried to start it, as usual it turned over then died, turned over then died. I tried to start it one more time before i started pumpin the gas to keep it running, and after it died i could hear the fuel pump whining for about ten seconds, and it was a very erratic pitch. It kept changing tones going up and down. I also noticed that if i get it to idle, but i dont let it sit idleing long enough or rev it enough times, It will try to idle at 400 rpm when i put it in gear (especially reverse) and try to die. If i throw it in neutral and rev it fast enough i can save it. When in drive, If it starts the low idle and starts trying to sputter to death, all i have to do is nail the gas all the way through first gear and then after that there are no problems what so ever.
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Old May 13, 2008 | 10:49 PM
  #6  
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From: Northwestern Pennsylvania
Car: 1985 Pontiac Trans Am
Engine: 355 with stuffs.
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 4.10 Posi
Re: fuel problem.. i think.... Help?

What's your timing set to currently?
Have you tried the idle minimum air procedure?
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Old May 14, 2008 | 09:50 PM
  #7  
t/agta's Avatar
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From: pittsburgh, pa
Car: 87' Trans Am GTA, 88' Trans Am GTA
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Re: fuel problem.. i think.... Help?

I'm 99% sure its advanced.
And no i havent
----------
just found out today that it will do a cold start without having to pump the gas if you start it open tb

Last edited by t/agta; May 14, 2008 at 09:51 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
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Old May 14, 2008 | 11:51 PM
  #8  
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From: sf bayarea
Car: 91 z28
Engine: 350/ported accel tpi/AFR 195
Transmission: t-5 =(
Axle/Gears: 345
Re: fuel problem.. i think.... Help?

Originally Posted by Quick_Trans_Am
What's your timing set to currently?
Have you tried the idle minimum air procedure?
try it it made a huge difference on my car.
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Old May 15, 2008 | 07:36 PM
  #9  
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Re: fuel problem.. i think.... Help?

my car was doing the exact same thing right before my fuel pump died. i put a new pump in it and it has been doing great ever since.
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Old May 15, 2008 | 09:47 PM
  #10  
t/agta's Avatar
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From: pittsburgh, pa
Car: 87' Trans Am GTA, 88' Trans Am GTA
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Re: fuel problem.. i think.... Help?

i fixed the timing and it sounds a little better but theres still a little hesitation when i hit the gas. And now that its not loping as much i can hear exhaust leaks
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Old May 16, 2008 | 12:01 PM
  #11  
Quick_Trans_Am's Avatar
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From: Northwestern Pennsylvania
Car: 1985 Pontiac Trans Am
Engine: 355 with stuffs.
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 4.10 Posi
Re: fuel problem.. i think.... Help?

It really doesn't sound like you have a problem in your fuel system, the numbers you posted are pretty typical, and your pressure should fluctuate with the engine idling. If the timing hasn't resolved your issue totally, make sure you don't have a vacuum leak and try out that idle minimum air procedure

Edit: Check the blades on your throttle body and make sure there is not a ton of carbon built up there, that can lead to hesitation.
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Old May 16, 2008 | 02:47 PM
  #12  
t/agta's Avatar
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From: pittsburgh, pa
Car: 87' Trans Am GTA, 88' Trans Am GTA
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Re: fuel problem.. i think.... Help?

Originally Posted by Quick_Trans_Am

Edit: Check the blades on your throttle body and make sure there is not a ton of carbon built up there, that can lead to hesitation.
my TB is sparkly clean :-)

ya. It still wont cold start. I'm starting to think the fuel pump is dying, Cause now i can hear all kinda funky noises comin from it. :-(
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