I Just bought a 87 camaro with a V6. From what i can tell its been sitting awhile. I've been trying to get it running right and need some assistance.
The car idles great but when i'm accelerating it miss fires. But it doesnt always happen, some days it runs ok. sometimes it will do it while i'm trying to maintain speed also. Ive replaced cap and rotor plugs and wires. I'm thinking it might be the ignition module. Is there a way to test the module while the car is running to see if it is bad? Or does anyone have any other ideas as to what it could be? Thanks

 

First off, do you have a check engine light? That can tell you alot. If so, you can check the codes with a paperclip.

If there are no codes, however, it could be a number of things. You can have Autozone, etc. test the module but it will be at room temp. I have heard they can keep it on the tester for ~20 min. or so to heat it up. That could be a problem.

Also, you should probably change the O2 sensor if it hasn't been done recently. It may not be reading correctly which can cause havoc.

Check for vacuum leaks. This is a biggie. Check all of the vacuum hoses. If you touch them and black rubs off, they need to be replaced. Also, anything brittle or obviously cracked should be replaced as well. When I bought mine, I got all new vacuum hoses and connectors for about 15 dollars at autozone. Make sure to note how they are connected. A digital camera comes in handy.


There are many other things to check, those are some basics. Check first for fault codes, though.

 

The check engine light used to be on but replacing the MAF sensor took care of that. I replaced the vacum houses last night. I wasn't sure if the O2 sensor would be an issue so i'll pick one up when i'm at auto zone getting the module tested if need be.

 

Check your injectors, especially if they are stock. If you have a multimeter, you can check the ohms. Check them cold and hot.

To do this, with the engine off, key off, unplug the connector on one of the fuel injectors (push the metal retainer in and pull). Check the resistance between the two connections on the injector. Ideally, they should be above 16 ohms. Anything below 12 is considered dead. One low injector can cause problems on the entire bank.

You can check for leaking injectors by getting a fuel pressure tester.

Good luck!