Its a 3.1 91 Camaro with a T-5. Bear with me on this one, its pretty long.

Ok, heres the deal. I had pulled the transmission and fixed the rear main seal and while I was at it replaced the clutch, flywheel, the whole nine yards down there with the drivetrain. I swapped my 3.1 Manual wiring harness for a Auto 3.1. Then I pulled the disitributor and replaced the O-Ring and all was well. It was running fine for the first 4 days and then my gauge lights weren't working after I pulled the alarm the previous owner had installed .

Fuse had blown, replaced the fuse and the gauge lights still wouldn't come on, it didn't blow again and replaced all fuses and all were working, couple days later my fan stopped working and had to park it in the driveway. My motor was good after jumping it straight to the battery but I was not getting any power from the relay. I may have mixed them up during the wiring harness swap so if someone could tell me which relays go to which harness plug on the car that would be great (if you could also explain the difference in relays so I know where to put them).

So now I had a parked car that I couldn't use. Now after toying with the fan I go to start the car to move it over one spot and then the engine just turned but would die immediatley and wouldn't go past 400 rpm. I cannot figure out what just happned. So I immediatley checked the distributor and timing was ok from what I could see. So then I went on a shopping spree for ignition parts.

Bought new plugs, wires, cap, rotor, spark module, and pickup coil (its on the distributor with all the copper wires, I think its called a pickup coil) and just yesterday a brog warner ignition coil. Right now it is currently out of time after pulling the distributor but I put it back in last night and it won't turn at all.

Under the drivers side dash I have 3 plugs that are unplugged and have no idea where they go as their are no connections they can go to. One wire is spliced and I am going to take a picture of it today and I am praying you guys can help me out with this wiring problem. I really need some advice here.

Could someone describe to me how to get the distributor back on TDC. I replaced all the ignition parts and it just baffles me and im trying to get her running again. Thanks.

 

Also, I don't know if this rules out the fuel pump or not but I can hear it prime and I smell gasoline when giving it gas trying to get it to start so I think the injectors are fine. I don't hear any weird noises coming from the engine bay. Have no idea what this coudl be.

 

Alright went back out tonight and I got her to turn and timed it correctly at 12* above TDC and yes I unplugged the EST but she still won't idle.

She immediatley turns and dies, sometimes she sputters and tries to stay alive but eventually dies.

I got no codes coming from the computer and as far as I know no vacuum leaks.

I am just looking for an answer and perhaps some suggestions. I'll try to get some pictures of the wiring problem inside the car tomorrow, thanks.

 

Doesn't sound like you are getting enough fuel. Try spraying starter fluid or wd40, etc, into the TB will started (small spray bursts) to see if that will keep it running.

Lets start there. Need to know it its fuel related.

 

1. Why did you swap harnesses????
2. No codes....... period, or just teh 12 flashing always??

 

Harness was swapped because the old one seemed like it caught on fire and some plugs had melted plastic on them, I still have the old harness. As far as codes I always get the flashin 12 it spits out codes ok, because I thoguht maybe the ecm was being wacky but I unplugged the IAC and it threw out the correct code.

WD40? Never heard of that trick. If I give it gas with the pedal it stays alive but it won't idle by itself. So how does spraying WD40 do anything? If thats the case its a clogged fuel filter or fuel pump goign bad?

 

WD40 is an old school trick, & a whole lot safer, but less fun than, using gasoline

Since it's flaible, it will burn in the heads. On carbed motors, it usually pumps the fuel pump fast enough to move fuel into the carb. For the FI engines, to make sure you are getting spark.

 

Well I replaced all ignition parts and pretty sure I have spark, havn't tesrted the spark myself. I'll try the wd40 tomorrow and let ya know how it goes, thanks.

 

WD40 is one of many flammable sprays that can be used in a pinch- its much safer than spraying gasoline, you can get a fire very quickly with gas.

If the car will stay running when revved- then forget this suggestion- fuel it not your problem. However, if you are pumping or flooring the gas pedal and it is bogging and sputtering (basically struggling) to stay running- then try the WD40 or starter fluid spray onto the TB butterfly and see if that will help smooth the sputtering.

You need to please be more specific with your details.

Dean

 

Have you replaced the ecm? What ecm are you using?

as well, I'd check the MAP sensor (3.1)... as well as fuel pressure. Should be about 40-45 after the pump is primed.

 

I don't know if you guys ever tried burning the NEW wd-40 but they use a new propellent that doesn't burn... you need to use the old stuff. Found that out trying to shoot the potato cannon with wd-40, it just doesn't ignite.

 

Sounds like it is infact fuel related, you should not have to give it gas to start it up. I would clean the TPS or replace it.

 

rofl!

thats why my potato cannon would not work!!

I wanted to shoot a few spuds like a week ago and didnt have any carb cleaner, so i tryed to use some WD40 and it would not work. (anyone who uses hairspray is a retard)

 

try throttle body cleaner

 

Ok, im at work now so really can't go play with the car, but it only sputters sometimes if I just crank it and it will idle at 400 rpm or lower (if it even idles whcih 90% of the time it won't, normally turns and just dies) or lower and sputters horribly like its fighting to stay alive.

When I rev it with the pedal the car sounds perfectly normal. How do you clean the TPS? I've cleaned the IAC before but I bought a new one anyways, bought it 2 or 3 months ago and the car has been sitting so I doubt that went bad.

TPS I don't know. Its just weird it was working fine and then I came outside to move it and this happened.

Using the stock ECM, nothing close to that was ever replaced. Gonna try to get pictures of the driver sides wiring tonight, thanks guys, appreciate the help.

 

was the car always 5spd? did u swap in the auto computer into the manual car by any chance? using the auto computer w/ a 5spd will cause some slight hesitation and bad idle.

 

Stock was always a 5-spd, I don't drive automatics . And like I said, computer was never touched, thanks for the suggestion.

 

have you considered finding a 5sp harness, swap it back in, & sell the auto one?

 

May not work for you but...

I was having the same problem. It would start but not run.

The computer came slightly unpluged.

I didnt think of it as an option because I never messed with it, but it was loose.

 

Of course, but I can't find a 3.1 91 5spd harness anywhere, which is why I settled for the auto.

 

So how does one clean thier TPS?

 

Ok its getting real weird now. I went back outside and just thought, hmmm I wonder if the IAC is just not reset, so I ground the ALDL and wait forty seconds and unplug IAC. Turn car off. Start car, adjust Idle screw, idles perfect at 800 rpm. Ok, looked inside noticed it didn't throw a code for the IAC being unplugged, so I unplug my tps to see if it will throw a code.

Service engine light comes on, so im thinking ok, computer must be good then, plug tps back in, car sputters like mad. Turn car off, ground ALDL again and now it gives me code 22 and 44, which is TPS bad, and EST malfunction.....WTF is going on, and why isn't it throwing a code for my IAC? I had a voltometer and checked the wiring, and both sensor inputs are getting power. Anyone have any clue why this would be happening? Thanks.

 

Ok I got the car to start, when out and bought a new TPS and it fired right up, however, I still have that problem with my IAC and it still spits out the code 22 for the TPS and code 42 for the EST. I unplugged the EST and set the timing to 10* BTDC and when I start the car with the EST plugged back in the timing goes all the way to 28* past the timing marker. I can't figure this out, I don't think my IAC is functional, I am getting voltage in the wire it plugs into. But the computer won't throw a code for it, im basically keeping it alive by keeping the idle screw out, any ideas? Thanks.

 

Ok bought a new fan relay last night and isntalled it and fan still won't kick on. I chcked the fuse box and couldn't find one for the fan. If I jump the relay my fan kicks on, what wiring on the inside goes to the relay, this might also solve my gauge lights not coming on. Thanks.

 

The est will advance the timing when hooked up.
What temp are you letting the engine get up to for the fan?
I have had to hard wire my "fuse" on my fan relay, and it comes on when I put it on any a/c setting & automatically. No more engine overheating/fires :lala: :lala: :lala:

 

I dopn't I test it by eithe rputting the car in diagnostic, or turning the AC on, It used to work perfect. But have no idea whats goign on, but I looked at the fuse box and noticed nothing noting the fan and maybe its called something else and the fuse dropped or something similar. So is their any wire goign under the drivers side I could look for to see if something came loose, etc.... I would hardwire mine, but i'd rather fix the problem than band-aid it. Thanks.