I have a 93 z28 that has been sitting for about 2 years and hasn't started. I know, I need my butt kicked for not starting it. Anyway, rats had gotten on the engine and ate on of the spark plug wires halfway into and some soft rubber stuff but that's all I can tell that they have touched. I put a battery in it and tried to start it and it wont start. It has spark but I don't think its getting fuel. I couldn't hear the fuel pump either. Will it kick on each time the key is turned on or only once when it primes it. I didn't listen for it the first time I turned the key on. Also, can you push that schraeder valve on the fuel line to see if it is getting fuel? I haven't been on here for a long time because I took the Camaro off the road, I was going to have it painted but never did. Now I want to move it around some and get it running so I can get it painted this winter. Thanks.

 

Fuel will jelly up if it is stored for a couple of years. It does not last forever. I would suggest dropping the tank and inspecting it as well as cleaning it out and possibly replacing the fuel pump. A little thing I was taught by an old mechanic; A car sitting outside for a year ages as much as a car that is driven for 3 years. From what I have found in my travels I can vouch for his theory.

Massey

 

Yeah, that's true for motorcylces too. My dad just sold a 85 monte carlo ss that sat for 7 years and fired right up. He had it inside in storage. I figured the gas would be dead but it ran great. My car didn't have that much gas in it. So, does the fuel pump make a noise everytime you turn the key on or does it just make the noise the first time when it pressurizes?

 

It should make noise everytime, if the engine does not start up the pump turns back off. Your dads Monte had a lot more forgiving old school fuel pump.

Low fuel would add to the issue. The lower the fuel the closer to the pump inlet the gel would be. If your electric fuel pump is starved or slowed down at all it will cause a spike in heat. This can cause an older pump to fail very quickly. I have had to change a lot of pumps in cars that just ran out of gas.

 

thanks gorn.

 

is there a way to jump it to see if it runs?

 

I jumped a wire from the battery to the gray wire by the passenger side firewall (I guess that's the prime wire) and nothing happened. Does that mean it the fuel pump or could it be the relay. It would still run if the relay was bad by jumping it woudnt it? Thanks guys. I am going to check the wires too.

 

I found the plug where the fuel pump plugs in and cant find my multimeter now. But, the plug on top of it has a wire plugged to it but the other end doesn't plug into anything. The wires are black and white and they have a female plug on the end but I cant find where they plug into. Is that where the fuel pump gets its power or does the power come from behind the plug it plugs into? Thanks a lot. I am working on it now so if anyone knows, please let me know.

 

This top wire is the one I am talking about. It is not hooked to anything.

 

Kind of amazed that no one knew anything about this (those who seen it anyway) Anyhow, I had power to the prime with the jumper and a couple seconds with the key so I cut a hatch hole at the pump and skinned the gray wire and checked it there too and it was getting power with the prime jumped so I left it on prime and took my hammer handle and pecked it and it started up. Got in and started it up and it ran great! Cant wait to get this thing painted and on the road in the spring.