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305 TBI Camaro stalls like it’s under vapor lock

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Old 04-24-2024, 02:51 PM
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Car: 1992 Camaro rs
Engine: 305 Tbi
Transmission: Automatic overdrive
305 TBI Camaro stalls like it’s under vapor lock

The car starts up fine and runs great for a couple minutes. I can rev it and it is responsive right up until the coolant temp reads around 120-140 then it starts struggling a lot and acts exactly like it has vapor lock. It won’t take throttle and stalls out soon after.

No engine codes after stalling other than #12 of course and if I let it sit for a couple minutes it will start right up and eventually stall soon after

I don't know exactly how to trouble shoot this as ,based off of my research, it is an ignition or fuel system issue that only shows up when warm. Although I think the fuel pump is good cause I can still hear it after the engine stalls for a bit. The Camaro has alway ran a bit rich if it is related to the stall. I’m going to shotgun a couple of parts like spark plugs and filters and hope it’s a simple fix but I have a feeling it’s not that.
Old 04-24-2024, 09:14 PM
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Re: 305 TBI Camaro stalls like it’s under vapor lock

Dozens of things this could be.

Verify fuel pressure and injector spray at the TBI when the engine stalls.

Check for spark immediately after the engine stalls. Use a spark-tester calibrated for HEI ignitions.
I tried posting a link to a suitable tester on Amazon, but I can't get the link to work on this web-site.
www.amazon.com/dp/B003WZXAWK/?coliid=I3S98D7T1J0RLJ&colid=2VLYZKC3HBBDO&psc=1 www.amazon.com/dp/B003WZXAWK/?coliid=I3S98D7T1J0RLJ&colid=2VLYZKC3HBBDO&psc=1

If it's not fuel, and it's not spark, it's something really weird.

Last edited by Schurkey; 04-24-2024 at 09:24 PM.
Old 04-26-2024, 09:27 AM
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Car: 1982 MSE, 1988 S10 Blazer
Engine: 305 in both!
Transmission: 200c / Th700r4
Axle/Gears: 3:73 / 3.42
Re: 305 TBI Camaro stalls like it’s under vapor lock

That sounds a LOT like a plugged fuel filter to me.
Old 04-28-2024, 09:01 PM
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Car: 1992 Camaro rs
Engine: 305 Tbi
Transmission: Automatic overdrive
Re: 305 TBI Camaro stalls like it’s under vapor lock

Fuel filter was definitely clogged but it now stalls out immediately after starting. Changed the spark plugs air filter and IAC as well but to no effect
I don’t know how it got worse but it did. Still no engine codes
Old 04-28-2024, 09:25 PM
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Re: 305 TBI Camaro stalls like it’s under vapor lock

Disconnect the battery for thirty seconds, then reconnect. That'll clear the fuel trims. Vehicle may have had extremely rich fuel trims with the plugged filter. Now the engine runs rich until the fuel trims lean-out again. In the meantime the engine runs bad.

Clearing the fuel trims manually may speed-up the correction process.
Old 04-29-2024, 09:05 AM
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Car: 1982 MSE, 1988 S10 Blazer
Engine: 305 in both!
Transmission: 200c / Th700r4
Axle/Gears: 3:73 / 3.42
Re: 305 TBI Camaro stalls like it’s under vapor lock

Another thing I've found several times on GM TBI systems is a broken FPR spring. You have to remove the tb and flip it upside down to unbolt the fpr housing to check it. Some (maybe all?) have a little window. Might be able to see the condition of the spring with a flashlight and a mirror.
Old 04-29-2024, 05:34 PM
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Car: 1992 Camaro rs
Engine: 305 Tbi
Transmission: Automatic overdrive
Re: 305 TBI Camaro stalls like it’s under vapor lock

I Tryed disconnecting and reconnecting the battery but it stays the same. I Tryed starting it a bunch but that also didn’t help so I don’t think it’s the fuel trims. Responds to throttle and if I pulse the gas peddle I can keep the engine barely running. So the gas air mixture is definitely off.
Ima check the FPR next cause it might just be flooding my engine now since I removed the old filter.
I don’t know if it’s just the basic startup but it smells pig rich.

Last edited by Trentl; 04-29-2024 at 07:52 PM.
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