UtahDreaming

So i have a 1987 Camaro LT with a 305 (all completly stock). Bought the car this last July, and i got it from a man who had a DUI and couldn't drive anymore. Its my Daily-Driver and it ran fine when I first got it and has slowly gotten worse. Its started out with bogging down all the time and stalling on hills, but after a new fuel filter it ran good for another week. Then it started overheating alot, so a new thermo and a radiator flush that all stopped. The it got to the point I couldn't drive over 5mph without the car making loud noises and dying. I brought it to a good friend who builds muscle cars for a living, and he thought it would be a fuel delivery problem because of the stalling on hills part. We rebuilt the carb, got a new fuel pump, and seafoam'ed it. It got the car running but not well. Consistently at 45-50 mph, 55-60 mph, and 65-70 mph the car starts to bog down and shake violently, as well as backfire. We checked a couple of the plugs and they looked good. We couldn't find any problems and the car has us both stumped. I have still been driving it dealing with all that crap because I don't have another car at the moment. It has just been consistent until this last week when it really started to get cold ( I get its a carbuerated car and carbs dont like the cold but it still shouldnt be running like this ) here in Utah that it started to make the car basically un-drivable. This is what it is currently doing: (Update: Forgot to say the car is a Automatic)
1) It wont even turn over unless I am in neutral jamming on the brake.
2) Backfires and shakes hard in the given speeds.
3) Completly dies on hills.
4) Overdrive runs fine until the car warms up and gets above the 40mph zone then it just looses all power and the car basically dies.
5) So with that problem I switch to drive and it runs "alright" (Not good, Not terrible) until as said; I get to a hill.
6) And 1st and 2nd both run like crap all the time.

Any Idea on whats going on? Any tips on where to look? Help I love this car and just want it to run perfect!

Chad85T/A

iTrader: (1)

I'm going to throw this out there. May not be the problem though. I had a chevy truck once that just suddenly one day started running very similar to what your describing. I about pulled my hair out trying to figure it out. Finally we dropped in a whole new distributor. I'm not sure which part in there was making it break down, but putting the new one in instantly fixed it. The only thing about yours I'm not sure about is having to jam on the brake pedal. Idk what that would have to do with your problem.

UtahDreaming

I've replaced it already. Forgot to mention that. I did that when me and that mechanic were working on it.. along with the whole ignition.

Chad85T/A

iTrader: (1)

Did you run a compression check while you were working on it?

UtahDreaming

Not that I know of..

Chad85T/A

iTrader: (1)

Might be worth a shot. Backfiring is usually timing related, but your friend should be plenty knowledgable on how to check and set that.

UtahDreaming

But would the timing have something to do with everything else?

apie2546

Timing will cause backfiring, and running rough and possibly dying. Timing can mess up a lot on your car.

Chad85T/A

iTrader: (1)

It's possible it may have jumped a tooth on the chain. Is this a higher mileage engine?

UtahDreaming

Sounds about right. Any clue on what's going on with the fact I can't start my car in park?

Chad85T/A

iTrader: (1)

To me that's a different issue than the rest. I'd check the neutral safety switch.

UtahDreaming

Ok thanks man!

UtahDreaming

And No its not. Its all stock. Well give and take. Nothing has been done to the engine itself. Ill look into getting it a Tune up ( Because god knows when the last one has been done ), and then if that dosent fix it ill take a look at my timing. Another question. I took my car in to O'Rileys to have codes ran on my car to see if it was throwing any, and when they couldn't find a code reader for a Chevy and when I asked told me that a GM reader wouldn't work ( Almost died laughing ), and so I left and went to Autozone. Anyway they ran codes for me and my whole computer wasn't responding. We tried multiple times and still nothing. Any clue on why that might be or if this has anything to do with the big issue here?

Barlow8869

iTrader: (1)

sounds like my car when the cat plugged ... does the exhaust seem hotter than it should, or does it smell of gas when it will not run right ... i cleared my cat, problem solved

FRMULA88

THE FIRST THING YOU SHOULD CHECK IS THE TIMING.

especially if you replaced the distributor.

NCC-2569

iTrader: (1)

And check it right, meaning disabling the electronic spark control before checking/adjusting your timing.

I'd also go for the cat option, as the car dies off as soon as you put more load on the engine.
Exhaust gas gets trapped and kills your mixture.

As for the brake pedal thing: Yep, Park/Neutral switch on the shifter assembly. May be out of alignment or defective.
Missing or wrong signal during startup may appear to the ECM as a different gear position and prohibit turnover.

Chad85T/A

iTrader: (1)

I'm going with checking the cat too. Do a good tune up, make sure the timing is correct, and check the catalytic converter. I bet once all of this is done and anything bad is fixed it'll run right.

UtahDreaming

Alright. All of this is making sense. One time I turned the car on, and had it sit idling in my drive way. After about 2 minutes you couldn't even touch any part of the exhaust. And the cat does sound deeper and not like it should. I just figured it was part of the car. But Ill have all that looked into, and Ill get the timing done. Another question. I took my car in to O'Rileys to have codes ran on my car to see if it was throwing any, and when they couldn't find a code reader for a Chevy and when I asked told me that a GM reader wouldn't work ( Almost died laughing ), and so I left and went to Autozone. Anyway they ran codes for me and my whole computer wasn't responding. We tried multiple times and still nothing. Any clue on why that might be or if this has anything to do with the big issue here?

Night rider327

iTrader: (13)

A lot of places no longer have ODB1 scanners/readers. Everybody has the ODBII readers and they only work with 1996 and newer cars.

To check codes on the ODB 1 system you just flash the check engine light by using a paper clip or wire to jump two ports in the ALDL connector under driver's side dash.

Jump the A and B term together (A is top row, far right, B is second from right on top row next term over from A)

Turn ign. on

Check engine light will blink a code 12 (one flash, pause and 2 quick blinks)

Code 12 will display 3 times, then your trouble codes will display. Each code flashes 3 times


Here's a list of the trouble codes
http://repairguide.autozone.com/znet...3f80209ff1.gif

naf

iTrader: (7)

if the computer has lost power the motor will run super rich foul up the plugs and eventually the cat. the computer power wire runs directly from the battery along the pass side fenderwell into the harness coming through the fender by the blower. It is the smaller gage wire coming from the batt terminal and is protected by a fusible link.

when the computer (and the carb) is functioning correctly you will hear the MCS inside the carb click 10 times a second when the key is turned to run (engine does not need to be running).

if you replaced the disturber and reset the timing incorrectly you should have noticed the dramatic difference in how the engine ran prior to the swap and afterwards. base timing is set to 0-4 degrees advanced WITH the four wire ESC connector unplugged from the base of the disturber. when it is reconnected you should see the timing somewhere around 20-25 degrees advanced at idle.

NCC-2569

iTrader: (1)

What's with this "disturber" stuff lately? It's a distributor!

UtahDreaming

Ok so an update here. I had the timing checked and it was fine, I got a new cat put on because it was bad to begin with, and I cleaned out the EGR chamber and replaced the EGR valve. Still no progress and at this point I feel like I'm just throwing money at it. Any other clues?

naf

iTrader: (7)

You tell us. You're there and we're over here.

Is the MCS clicking?

SES light come on with key in 'run' engine not running?

UtahDreaming

MCS does click, and no. The SES light does not come on. We did the paper clip thing and it wouldn't throw any codes, besides code 12. And I'm currently changing the plugs an wires, but I have no optimism that this will help. (Update) we got all the plugs And wires hooked up and triple checked them. As soon as we started the car up fro the first time it is was worse. Now the idle is extremely rough. It lopes pretty bad and it shakes the whole car. The engine just shakes constantly and roughly. Any clue as to what would cause this?

ex-x-fire

Does this model have the mechanical & electric fuel pump?

Night rider327

iTrader: (13)

That sounds like you got 2 spark plug wires on the wrong places. My guess would be #5 and 7 (driver side next to last #5, and driver side last one #7)

Or you knocked a vac line off

Or you put in crap bosch spark plugs

Or you have the plug gaps set wrong

UtahDreaming

The wires are all in the right places. And no Bosch. I'm not THAT stupid. I used NRK, not the best but not the worst. The vacume lines are all hooked up anani blew them all out. And yes it does have a fuel pump. It's carbureted, not fuel injected though. I'm just so confused on what the problem is with the car.

naf

iTrader: (7)

from the little we have to go on, I'd suspect your issue is ignition related. in addition to the wires and plugs, always replace your cap and rotor. take the old one off and inspect the inside. tell us what it looks like under there.

UtahDreaming

Ok so 're gapped the plugs and the car went back to normal. All except for the main problem here. As said.
The car dosent go above 45 mph and as soon as you try then it just looses all power and the car dies. And the car won't make it up a hill to save it's life. And I went and had the alternator checked and it passed fine. (Re read past posts to find out all what I've tried).

ex-x-fire

Well when it dies, check for spark.

Barlow8869

iTrader: (1)

also, check timing while you rev it up a bit, make sure it is advancing with the rpms

UtahDreaming

All the plugs are firing, and the timing has been 're done twice now.

Chad85T/A

iTrader: (1)

What he's meaning about the timing is checking the advance, not the initial. I'm sure the 2 times its been checked they've just checked the initial timing. If the timing isn't advancing as your RPM's increase it would cause bogging. I've went back through all the posts and looked at what you've done. Some of these carb cars had 2 fuel pumps. 1 in the tank and 1 on the block. If it has the one in the tank and its not working it could be starving the block pump. Lets recap; you've changed the filter, rebuilt the carb, replaced the block mounted fuel pump, replaced the whole distributor, full tune-up, checked and rechecked timing, replaced the cat, and checked the codes. There's not too much left here. I'd verify whether or not it has the in-tank pump and then I believe I'd look at the computer and whether or not it's giving and receiving the signals it's supposed to with the carb and timing advance.

Night rider327

iTrader: (13)

Ok, at this point just throwing idea out.

The 12 volt wire that powers the dist./coil... I have had power supply wires break down, break, terminal ends loosen up and cause car to barley run, idle rough, etc..

In fact I have a test wire made up to check that with. A 12 ga. wire with a clip soldered on one end and the correct term. to plug into my HEI dist... So I can just clip it to the battery + and plug it into dist.

Choke sticking closed on the carb. It will run pretty good when cold as thats how it should work, but as engine warns up the choke should pull off (open up) if it don't open or does not open fully it will cause backfiring, rough running, lack of power.

Weak or broke valve spring.

Cam lobe wearing down.

But you said changing the fuel filter made it run good for a week... So really I think something fuel related... Alot of rust/dirt/trash in your fuel tank, maybe a clogged fuel pickup sock, or even rust in the fuel sender/pickup.

Does your car have a fuel filter under the car towards the rear? Or is the only one the little paper filter inside the fuel inlet of carb?

The little ones in the carb inlets can get stopped up real easy, also dealing with older cars from the 70's alot I found some of the cheaper brands of Q jet inlet filters will swell up and block a big portion of the fuel flow.

2005Impalla

Have a compression check done on the car.

RedLeader289

iTrader: (2)

I've done a quick skim and it doesn't seem like anyone has thrown this idea out there, so I will:

How's your transmission? Does it shift when it's supposed to? How does it drive if you manually up and downshift into the desired gears?

I have a friend who's car was giving him the exact same problems and it all boiled down to the fact that his transmission wouldn't shift when it was in drive, so he essentially has a manual/automatic corolla lol.

Worth a shot.

2005Impalla

Dose your car still have the factory electric fuel pump in the tank? Pull every plug not just a couple of them. You might not have the problem in all cylinders. After re reading your original post I think it is a fuel problem. I think your starving of fuel. Get a fuel pressure gage for your car there cheep and easy to hook up. What type of carb do you have. A miss adjusted float could do this too. Also you might have a fuel filter at the inlet of the carb. If your starving of fuel it should show on your plugs as white on the plugs. Your plugs should look tan.

UtahDreaming

Ok so i am currently working on it by myself. I checked the in tank fuel pump like you guys said and it wasn't even attached to the sending unit and the sending unit looked bad, so i ordered both brand new and got them all hooked up. Now the problem is it idles rough and when i give it any throttle the car dies out. i am wondering if i hooked the sending unit up to the lines wrong? I can hear the fuel pump working when i put a ear up to the tank so i know its not the pump. does anyone have a diagram or picture on how they are supposed to be hooked up?

UtahDreaming

Ok so I know everything hooked up right. And so I took a look at the carb again. The left side of the carb isn't getting any fuel. Does the carb just need to be adjusted due to the new pump and sending unit or is there something wrong somewhere or is the whole carb bad? (Keep in mind the carb was rebuilt about 100 miles ago)

Night rider327

iTrader: (13)

Carb is dirty! If half of it is not getting fuel then you have a clog/blockage. Could be a float, clogged up needle/seat, or a passage way.