This happened to me once before, last year when I pulled the car out of a paint booth, it never happened again, like it went away on it's own.

It started right up just fine every time on the first try, it just wouldn't stay running, happened more quickly when put into gear. I had it towed home and it wouldn't die anymore. At the time this happened, it didn't overheat, was running cool as always. All I did that day is swap some interior parts for an 02 Z28 and swapped a couple window switches, had the doors open a while but left the car running a few times so the battery wouldn't die. Voltage was the same as it was a day before this happened, 13.4 when running so I don't think it's voltage related, even though I probably should be around 14v. Fuel pressure also seems fine 37 when cycled, doesn't move when started either. I didn't have a chance to check it with the vac line disconnected, though. I've only had the car back for about 5 days. Shop had it for about a week they adjusted the valves on both sides, fixed a tranny leak, a fuel line leak, put a rear end cover on it, welded SFC's, and it looks like they added a fuel vapor line or something up front. This problem hasn't re-occured since last year, running fine before I dropped it off and the 5 days after I got it back prior to this.

I'm about ready to throw parts at it, like ICM or something. But don't know where to start and don't know if it will mysteriously go away like last time or come back again. Very frustrating.

 

A couple of suggestions:

First scan it for faults. Many codes don't set an SES and they will stay in memory for a while even after the fault goes away.

At some point you may want to monitor things such as fuel pressure.

When was the last time it had a good tune-up? Remember back then even O2s were expected to be replaced every 60K miles. Some other things that are common tune up items are:
Plugs
Plug wires
Distributor cap and rotor
Coil
Fuel filter
Air filter
PCV valve

With several vehicles that are over 10 years old and are of OBDII vintage. I have learned that connectors and contacts are a never ending problem. Corrosion, corrosion, corrosion. It's a good idea to unseat the connections, add dielectric grease and reconnect them. They can and usually do give momentary problems like you may have had.


One last piece of commentary
Today's fuel is not like it was when that car was born. Aside from the Ethanol, there is substance in the fuel that is "falling out" creating a gelatinous goo that looks like amber colored jello. For lack of a better way to describe it.

Over time every time your engine is shut off, this substance will "cook" if you will, inside the fuel rails and on the tips of the injectors. It slowly builds up on the inside of the fuel rails and such restricting the flow of fuel.

Once I purchased a 3M kit to flush fuel rails on the engine, I was amazed how well the engines would run once it was finished. It appears they stopped making the inexpensive kit I bought that did not require a regulator. The only one they have now requires a regulator and is way expensive.

My point is, once the system is cleaned professionally (like I did on the engine), a good cleaner should be added to the fuel every oil change period to help maintain cleanliness. And even if the fuel rails aren't professionally cleaned, it may be a good idea to start adding the cleaner on a regular basis. Certainly couldn't hurt.

 

Good tips speedy, thanks. I have some chevron fuel system cleaner (box of 4) and I don't know how old it is, doesn't have a date on it, can it have gone bad?

My scanner was not able to pull any codes, it is an Auto Xray scanner.

The engine was rebuilt in 2008. About 1 year later I had a headgasket go but didn't overheat or anything, I replaced just about everything. The only things I didn't replace were: ICM and Alternator. Plugs have 25-30k on them as does everything else including what you listed and much more. Wires should probably be changed, though.

 

could be egr valve. sometimes they stick closed or open but can unstick themselves too (which would return the car to normal conditions)

 

I made that post quickly before work and was already late. I also have never replaced nor had the injectors serviced. Good call on EGR, I replaced it a few years ago, but it could still happen. I still don't feel safe to drive it, even though I still can't get the problem to happen again. It would idle for anywhere to 30 seconds to 4 minutes then die, I tinkered with it for 45 minutes before giving up and calling a tow truck. Now as I said it doesn't die and drives fine. I ordered a new ICM as it is one of the few things that has never been replaced. I think I'm also going to get new cables like this:

http://www.innovativewiring.com/Chev...amaroPage.htm#

About my scanner, many times I've pulled no codes, but the dealership will get one or two. This is when I have no SES light, my scanner almost always pulls a code if there is a light. How expensive do you have to go to get a good scanner? Are the scanners at autozone adequate at pulling codes without SES lights?

 

Scanners for that year are almost non existent. Even the ones like this http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUN-CP9001/
Though they say cover your year. Still won't work.
I use a snapon solus. Don't expect you to drop 3 or 4 bills on that though.
The only other choice you have is getting software and cables for a home computer. Preferably a laptop.

Here's one source for equipment and supplies
http://www.aldlcable.com/

 

Air in the lines was suggested to me by co-workers as the culprit. Makes possible sense as I just had a fuel leak repaired and it looks as though the shop added some kind of vapor line/vacuum that I can see up front.

 

Exactly what did they add, and where did they add it? Picture?

 

I'll try to post a pic tomorrow. I was meaning to call and ask them that, as well as why my trans pan is still leaking, when they already fixed it twice. It runs right next to the fuel lines coming out of the driver's strut tower, then runs along my CAI elbow tube and underneath the passenger side of the TB, I wasn't able to follow it, but suppose i could if I took off the CAI elbow. The fuel leak that was repaired was a plastic line somewhere on the bottom of the car towards the back. They only noticed it because it was peeing out a fine stream of fuel right where they were going to weld my subframe connectors. I can only imagine this is some kind of vac line, do you foresee some problem from this?

 

That third line you see was there from the factory. It is a vacuum line that goes to the vapor canister behind the left rear wheel in the well. The shop didn't add it unless someone removed it prior to them working on it. To back up, there are 3 lines going between the front and the back. The Fuel supply line pressurized by the pump going to the engine. The fuel return line going from the engine to the tank. Last is a vacuum line that draws gas fumes from the tank into the charcoal canister.

Here's where it originates at the engine
http://shbox.com/1/evap_sol.jpg
Courtesy of Shoe
Sorry but I did not find a picture of the top of the shock tower where the 3 lines come up from below. But trust me, they where there from the factory.

As far as the fuel squirting out, that most likely was the pressurized feed line from the pump to the engine. That could easily have accounted for your stumbling problem.

Hope that helps