I bought this Camaro with 60k on it on Friday, and we put about 50-60 miles on it that day with no issues. It was sitting over the winter with only a little fuel in it, so I picked it up with the gas gauge reading about 1/4 tank. today, I drove it about two miles and noticed on the way home that it was acting just a little funny at times, but nothing that really worried me. It felt like I was making bad shifts. Then about an hour later, I leave to go to work. I made it about a mile before it died. Somebody brought me some gas, and I pulled away with no issues. About a mile and a half later, it cuts out again. After waiting a little, I get more gas and make it about 100 meters. After several attempts, it starts back up and goes another 100 meters, and I do this one more time, and then we make it about 3/4 of a mile before it dies again. This time, we dump all the gas we have into it and I drive about another 3/4 of a mile to a gas station and I completely fill it up. But, I can't pull away. We screw around a little trying giving it a little bit of gas will cranking it, but still nothing. Then, out of luck, it starts and this time I get about a mile. After that, absolutely nothing. I left it in a parking lot and went back later to put a new fuel filter on it. No leaks, everything was successful. First try, it starts up no problem and I drive 2 miles home with no issues at all. Now 2 hours pass and I go to run an errand, and it takes about 5 tries to start. So, being smart, I take another car and try it again when I get home. Again, she starts in about 4 or 5 attempts, idling at 2000 rpm to begin with. I pull it into the garage and pull one of the plugs, which looks a little worn, but is dry. And of course, I break the plug trying to pull it out.

This whole time, the engine will crank and try and try and try to start, and sometimes it will actually sit there and "idle" (it still sounds like it's trying to start). I have no idea as to what's going on. There's no gas smell, not a damn leak on the entire car.

Sorry about the extremely long post, but I felt that some of the details were really important. Does anybody have any thoughts? I'm really desperate, as I just got out of a nightmare of a car and thought this crap was over.

 

Measure fuel pressure

 

I don't have a gage, that's the problem. And if I can find one, how could I test it when I'm missing a spark plug?

 

Replace the spark plugs? If you have a broken one, you might as well. No brainer there.


Could be you picked up all the junk at the bottom of the tank and clogged the fuel filter or pickup on the pump? Fuel Pressure gauge will give you a better idea.

 

Ok, so if I pick up a gage and a spark plug and test it, can someone give me a rundown of conditions I should test it in (like off, off open throttle, on) and what the results mean? And this is assuming I can get it to start.

Sandman-that was one of my main thoughts,but I'm really hoping that's not it because has tanks are a pain in the ***, especially when I just filled it up.

 

4th Gen LT1 F-body Tech Articles


Down on that page is the fuel pressure operational info you'll need. If it is the tank, search on these forums for the "trap door" mod. Easier than dropping the tank. I'd change the fuel filter first though, 14 bucks and a heck of a lot easier before going through the pump.

 

I already did the fuel filter, but thanks for the link.

 

Short version of the fuel pump info:

-turn key to on, do not start engine, read pressure gauge when pump stops priming (approx 2 seconds). Should have at least 40psi. Watch how fast the pressure drops off. Rapid drop indicates a problem with the check valve in the pump, the fuel pressure regulator, leaking injectors or leaking fuel lines.

-start engine. let it idle. Pull vacuum line off fuel pressure regulator (holding finger over line so there is no vacuum leak) and read pressure. Should be 43.5psi. GM accepts anything from 41-47psi as within spec.

-reconnect vacuum line to FPR. Pressure should drop proportional to intake manifold vacuum. A 6-8psi drop from the "no vacuum" pressure would be normal for a stock cam. Less drop for a more aggressive cam, or an engine idling poorly.

-tape gauge to outside of windshield, take it out on the road (if it runs). Fuel pressure will vary with throttle movement. It will rise when the throttle is opening, and drop when the throttle closes on decel.

-take it up to max engine load - WOT/5,000rpm. Fuel pressure should not drop below 40psi.

He already changed the fuel filter.

 

I did all the tests and everything worked fine, except that the pressure wasn't dropping when I took the key out. It started and I drove it fine, until I tried fifth gear and then it started struggling. I recovered it from there 2or 3 times, and then it finally died. I left it on the side of the road and put some Gumout in the tank. I'm 90% sure it's something in the gas tank, but I can't explain the pressure not dropping when totally off, staying around 40.

 

I siphoned out some of the fuel, skimming as best I can tell from the top of the tank, and there was this black fibrous material in it, almost like what a napkin looks like if you put it in a bottle full of water and shake it up. What could this possibly be?

 

Pull the tank n drain it

 

If the foreign material in the tank is not effecting fuel pressure but it is the reason the engine is cutting off then that leaves only one thing it is doing. Clogging the injectors.

I suggest you pull the main line to the injectors, not the return and take a sample there.

If it is clogging injectors, the corresponding plugs should tell you by how they look. You would also look for dead cylinders.

Personally I don't see how it could be problem and NOT effect the pressure since it does start and run for a while. If injectors where clogging, they most likely would not unclog and re clog up again.

 

I pulled out as much fuel as I get to siphon out today, and it all looked clean, so I'm baffled. I tried blasting carb cleaner into the throttle body, and it still wouldn't start. It would just shoot black smoke back out the throttle body. While doing this , I was also able to notice this wire had been nibbled on by a family of squirrels that made their home in the intake box the winter before last. It was sparking to the block, and is located just to the right of the throttle body. My latest revelation: that wire goes to the optispark. Problem solved, I believe.