First time asking for help so please bear with me on explain my problem. I just purchased a 88 Trans Am 5.0 that has been sitting a few years. The owner said two but the way the seat were dry rioted I would say longer. I can get the car to start with starter fluid. I have to spray starter fluid in the car a few times to get it to stay running while I hit the gas pedal over and over. I would sit there for 45 min or longer pressing the gas pedal up and down, up and down and over time the rpm's will go up. I would say after about 45 min and getting it finally hit the higher rpm's the motor seems fine and ideal ok. turn car off wait a alittle bit and am back to square one. Any help would be great.
Spent the last 20 years in the Marines and never had time to keep mess with cars like I did before I join. Am out and got time I got me a 84 Camaro and 88 trans am I would like to bring back to life so I will be hitting you all up for help. Thanks again for all the great info you all provide.

 

Wow, that could be a lot of things...Have you checked the fuel pressure?

 

Well first off......Thank You For Your Service! Second, welcome aboard!

You might want to start off with checking fuel pressure at the fuel rail. Do you hear the FP run for two seconds when you turn the key to on? If you do, check pressure from the schrader valve on the fuel rail. You should be upwards of 38 to 40ish psi.

Do a search in the box for fuel pump related issues, Fuel pump Regulator, FP Relay, andd item related to fuel. It's all here, just gotta search.

 

Hello, i just joined a little bit ago and i really have to say Thanks for all the help on my 91 firebird 3.1 if it werent for searching google and reading all the topics here id be screwed. This is my first attempt on working on a car engine,no on else to do it for me and besides i think its fun. this baby just fell into my lap and it has been sitting for years only has 50k miles on it. Course it wouldnt start but last couple days been working on all by my self and i decided to check fuel injectors and i get a resistance reading of 12.5 on 4 and 11.5 on 1 and then 7.4 on last one so i take the 7.4 is bad seeing how the reading is way different so i need to replace that one? but is the 11.5 ok or should i replace that one as well for ***** and giggles. Also i pulled all spark plugs and there all gap'd differently .045,.040 and .035?? isnt that odd , well is to me so i need to gap them all the same? what do i gap them at? Thank you again you all are great and your threads are so informational. Chasity

 

Welcome Chasitydawn

You really should change out ALL the injectors as you need to be upwards of 16 ohms. Southbay on here has a fantastic deal on injectors and they work fantastic at a great price.
Also, gap all plugs the same, should be able to look that up as I'm not familiar with the gap. I think a tight 42 should be ok.

Also, change fuel filter, and run some fuel system cleaner through the system before installing injectors. There's a procedure on here on how to do it. Pretty much disconnect fuel line to fuel rail and catch fuel in a container while pump is pushing fuel through the line, there are several ways to do it. Just pick your poison.

Good luck

Bob

 

Good advice. I'm a Southbay fan too. You may want to start a new thread though out of respect for the OP. Good luck!

 

IDK -srs- , kinda on the same topic. May be able to help em both out. JMO though.

 

I would check fuel pressure as well and go from there.

I bought an '88 GTA that had been sitting for years. Picked it up a few months ago. The fuel pump was bad so I replaced it along with the tank and sending unit. Got it running but was hard to start. Did a tune up with ac Delco plugs, wires and cap which didn't help the starting issue but needed to be done anyway. I bought a set of injectors from Southbay along with a fpr. All my issues are gone now. I highly recommend Southbay by the way

 

Thanks for all the reply's. I changed the fuel pump, fuel filter, injectors, idle air control valve, PCV, FUEL regulator and the EGR valve and car still will only start with starter fluid and will run for a sec and rpm's will not go up when hitting gas. PLEASE HELP.

 

Do you have fuel pressure at the rail??? What is it?
Does your pump prime for two seconds when you turn the key to on?
Have you checked fuel pump relay for power?

Also, is your oil pressure switch working. Fuel pump relay and oil pressure switch work together

 

^^^ I agree with Bob. Several of us have asked about the pressure at the rail.

 

Thanks for the info. I will double check everything tomorrow and let you all know what I came up with.