I have a 1984 Camaro 2.8 2bbl carb. Car sat for 5 years and then I have been trying to bring it back to life. Car starts then stalls out almost instantly (couple seconds after starting). I have replaced the carb, distributor, cap, rotor, fuel pump, choke heater relay, alternator, map sensor, plugs and wires. I have checked the vacuum lines over and over, removed vacuum line from brake booster and blew smoke in it and it was only coming out from the air intake. It is getting spark, it is getting fuel but won’t stay running. No check engine light. Tried checking flash codes but I just get code 12(diagnostic mode). It has fresh fuel. I’m at a bit of a loss on this one. Any ideas?

 

If your 101% certain of the spark & fuel, as in the proverbial nice big fat blue spark that makes the killer ZAPPPP!!!! noise and smells like ozone, and your fuel pressure as measured with a proper gauge remains constant during the whole start/run/die thing, AND your carb's float chamber fuel level is correct with no clogged ports/passages, the next thing I'd do would be to disconnect the exhaust in front* of the catalytic converter and see if it'll stay running. I've seen at least a few cars exhibit that same symptom with a clogged cat......

* Meaning the pipe going into the converter from the engine's Y pipe, and not the pipe leading from the converter to the muffler

 

Car will stay running if pump the gas or spray starter fluid in the carb when it starts but dies out as soon as you stop. Have to pick up a fuel pressure gauge to check the pressure. How would that be done? I’ll pull the car today and see what happens.

So I pulled the cat and the problem continued. Ended up pulling the spark plugs that were just replaced a month ago (car ran 2-3 times since then for maybe 15 min) and now the plugs are all carbon fouled. I plan on replacing them all again as well as the o2 sensor. Thoughts on possible bad ignition coil? It was replaced at the same time as the spark plugs.

 

If its running with the gas, / foot on the throtle, it doen;t sound like spark? it sounds like a fuel delivery issue?



Is the new carb providing enough fuel? Is the new fuekl pump pumping?


I see a LOT of brand new defective parts these days for any make / model....

 

The fuel pump is pumping, I removed the fuel line from the carb and turned the car over to make sure fuel was coming out of the fuel line at the carb. When I remove the air cleaner and pull back the throttle cable you can see fuel pump into the carb looking down through the choke. It isn’t spraying into the carb tho. I still need to check the fuel pressure. Being that it is a mechanical pump would it hold pressure when the car is off? The pump looks like it has a return line.

The spark plugs being carbon fouled leads me to believe that it may be getting to much fuel and not enough spark. I have cheap auto lite plugs in it now but was going to replace them with something better. When checking the plug wires I pulled the one off the coil and noticed that the pin the wire holds onto pulled up a little and actually ended up pulling all the way out, it looks like the wire inside just slides into the pin but I don’t think the pin should have just pulled right out.

 

The mechanical pump is just like a vacuum, I don;t think it'l lreally hold pressure... as long as fuel is getting to the carb though.

It could be the Jets are the wrong size? Allowing too much fuel into the motor..


It sounds like your spark plug wires are old / britte.


Id do a complete tune up.. .cap . rotor . plugs wires... etc... maybe a coil too just cause its so old?

 

Plugs, wires, cap, rotor, distributor, icm, coil we’re all replaced about a month ago. Plan on replacing the plugs and coil again this weekend as well as the o2 sensor and ignition switch. I have just about ruled out the entire ignition system. I have checked all vacuum lines time and time again and no leaks to be found anywhere. If it isn’t the ignition system parts that will be replaced again this weekend then it leads me to believe the carb needs adjusting.

When the car starts and I pump the gas pedal every second or two the car runs(not great but it runs) until I stop pumping the gas pedal. It does not show a check engine light until car stalls out.

 

It sounds like you are not getting fuel from the main jets in the carb. When you press the gas pedal you are pumping gas into it from the fuel pump in the carb. With it running you should see gas coming from the venturis.

 

Alright so I had a friend who knows more about carbs come look at it and he adjusted some things and mow the car stays running. Need to find a obd1 scan tool to fine tune the carb tho to get all the values just right. The choke also needs some adjusting. From my understanding to adjust it I have to loosen the 3 screws around the connector and spin it till the choke is just barley open when the engine is cold. Is this correct? Should the key be in the on position?