I have found myself with a new issue with my 89 2.8 daily driver. The car is basically stock and has run fine up until this last friday. I was going to leave work and the car would rotate fine but would not fire. The fuel pump kicks on, all fuses are good, ignition control module is good, coil is good and the distributor pickup coil is new now. However when I cam back a few hours later to pick the car up it started just fine and I was able to drive it home rather than putting it on a trailer. The next day it started and ran fine until I was on my way home again and it died while driving down the road and again would rotate fine but not fire. This time I had to trailer it home. At this point I put a new pickup coil in the distributor it then started and ran but the timing was off. This morning I reset the timing, shut it off and now it wont restart. I was able to find that it starts every time on starting fluid and will continue to run after the starting fluid has fully burned but as soon as you shut it off it wont start. Any ideas?

 

Just because the fuel pump "kicks on" doesn't mean that it's working the way it should and from the sound of it the fuel pump is on it's way out. You could always check your fuel pump relay but chances are it's time to replace the fuel pump I replaced my fuel pump with one from another camaro at the local U Pull that appeared to have been replaced recently for about 10 bucks but when it's on it's way out I'll be replacing it with an inline pump so that I won't have to drop the tank to replace it should it ever go bad again.

 

Anyone think it might be an issue with the enrichment injector? The fuel pressure and flow seem to be right up there where they should be. I ordered a noid light set to test the ECU leads to the injectors, should be here in a few days.

 

1. Cold Start Injector only works with coolant temp under 100*F. And it won't prevent the engine from running. If you're getting hiccups with the engine cranking, the CSI is working but the other 6 aren't (CSI works independent of the ECM on the CRANK circuit).
2. Don't need a noid light to test injector pulse. A test light with the lead connected to battery positive works just fine (probe connected to either the green or blue wires in the injector harness) and is WAY cheaper.
3. Check your wiring at the distributor and ignition coil for damage. Check all engine grounds for corrosion and being tight.
4. Ohm test each bank of injectors. Should be 4 ohms at the engine harness connector (disconnect the engine harness connector and leave the injectors connected to the harness, it's easier this way). 6 ohms or 0 ohms means an injector is shorted or the harness is shorted.

 

Alright today I have replace the ECU, tested the injectors, pressure and flow tested the fuel pump still the same issues. Anyone else have an idea?

 

Pull codes out of the ECM. If you're getting a code 46, you have a problem with VATS. 89 was the first year for the anti-theft with the pellet in the key, and if there is a problem between the VATS module and the ECM, the ECM shuts off the fuel injection.

Again, check for damaged wiring at the distributor and inside the distributor (the pickup coil connector).

 

I think we can rule out VATS, the car cranks over fine and the security light doesn't come on or flash at all. The distributor pickup coil is new I have been thinking it could be the ignition control module but it did test alright when I had it tested.

 

You can't rule out VATS until you make sure the ECM isn't posting the code 46. The VATS module may be working the starter but not sending the signal to the ECM due to problems with either the VATS module or the wiring between it and the ECM.

The ICM, ignition coil, etc is fine if the engine is firing on the starting fluid. Without the module, coil, whatever, there is no spark, period. Which is why I said to make sure the wiring on the outside of the dizzy is good as that is how the ECM gets the "Hello? I'm trying to run here!" signal.

Did you check ANYTHING I posted above yet? Did you check any of the engine grounds?

 

Yes I checked all grounds, kept them, cleaned any that looked even remotely bad and added one new one because I was not happy with the way the factory did it. Neither computer posts any codes at all. All wiring around the ignition control module, coil and distributor is in good shape.

 

Did you check the fuel pressure and injector resistance and pulses yet?