Problem is as follows:

Car is hard to start, and once it starts it will run for a few seconds, and then drop below 1000 rpm and then stall. I have to sit there and be ready to tap the gas to get it idling at around 2000 rpm

It's difficult to drive, as it stumbles and misfires badly

I can smell fuel in the exhaust

I haven't really checked anything on the car yet, but I just wanted to see if anyone else has had similar problems. TIA


btw, car is an 87 firebird, 2.8, A4

 

I haven't had problems like this..but that makes me think of 2 things first...MAF, and engine vacuum. Got any check engine lights?

 

Solved! I pulled the cap, and found it was beaded with droplets of moisture. Cleaned it up, put a hairdryer to it, and the misifire is, for the most part, gone. Still is a slight miss once in awhile, but I'm fairly sure it's due to the coil being old. I'll replace that sometime...

Onward to problem part II:

Sometimes when started, the car does the following:

RPM's fluctuate from about 1500-1200 or so, with the SES light going on each time the RPM's drop down. This happens a dozen times or so, with the drops becoming lesser and more rapid in cycle time, and the SES light matching tempo. Then, it just goes away. This has happened on and off for about a year now.

 

Look in the Haynes manual that they sell at Pep Boys or any auto parts store. Check the section on how to test your coil with a volt-ohm meter. See if it's bad. Mine had similar problems to yours and my coil was bad. Although I couldn't drive mine at all. Replaced the coil, plugs, cap and rotar and it ran like a champ. And the gas smell is most likely from you pumping the pedal so much.

 

Get a new cap. Next time it is wet, you will have the same problems again. And do that coil!!!!! Don't put it off or else you will break down somewhere. It takes 30 min.