Just recently I pulled my Camaro out of storage after the winter. It was running perfectly fine when I first started driving it until about a week into it. At first it didn't want to start at random times: when the engine was hot and when the engine was cold and the car had been sitting for a few hours of not being driven. Then last weekend it didn't want to start whatsoever, the starter kept cranking and the engine just wasn't firing. After watching the throttle bodies, I realized they weren't spraying fuel. Now this weekend I decided to take a closer look at it and see what I could find out. When I tried to start it, the car fired up and died immediately. I started it again and the same thing. After getting it to fire up a third time I tried continuously revving the engine to keep it running. If I stopped revving, the car died, if I held my foot on the accelerator a little bit, the car died.

I went under the hood and disconnected the fuel lines to the throttle bodies to find there was plenty of fuel flowing and there was plenty of pressure forcing gas out of the lines. So I don't think that fuel delivery, at least up to the throttle bodies, is a problem. There is continuity in the fuel injectors based on Ohm meter.

This has been a reoccurring problem; I ran into the same problems with the car last summer just before I stored it for college. When I stored it I used stabilizer and I had started it and let it run for about 5 minutes about once a month.

Any ideas on what is causing this car to not start? I've replaced plugs, wires, distributor cap, rotor, brand new 350 engine, fuel pump, and fuel filter. The car is a 1989 RS Camaro TBI. It still has all the TBI parts and original RS everything except for the new 350 engine in it. The computer is still the original with OEM part # 1228746 which I believe is only meant for the 305. OEM part # 1227165 is the computer that is supposed to go with the 350 engine, however, the car had been running completely normal (other than the occasional problem with it starting) on the old computer for over a year with the new engine.

Where should I look next and what should I possibly look at replacing? I'm really stuck here as I have no idea where to go.

 

Just an update:

I just got done replacing all the gaskets on the throttle body injection system as well as the fuel pressure regulator and the idle air control. Still no change, the car started up and died within a second. After a few more times of trying to rev it and keep it going and hope it starts idling normally, the car stop firing at all. Currently, all that happens is the starter cranks and the engine doesn't fire at all.

 

im having the same situation. same thing happened with my 90 v6 rs. it ran great then it had problems starting when it got hot, now it wont start. i got fuel, spark and compression. im guessing it has to do something with the fuel also. the only way to keep it running was to pour gas into the throttle. any ideas?

 

i read on wiki questions that it could be a faulty injector. i guess it causes the other injectors to malfunction.

 

Faulty injector is a possibility. That was one of the things I was thinking, but I'm afraid to replace them because they are a little pricy and I don't want to replace them and then that not be the problem. Is there a way to test the injectors?

 

do you have an oil pressure gauge? if the engine isnt producing enough oil pressure, it kills the fuel pump. when you rev it, the pressure gets higher and keeps the switch closed. also, use a fuel pressure gauge on the tbi unit, there should be about 5 lbs. my friends tbi truck kept wasting fuel pumps. they would flow fuel, but didnt have the pressure. it turned out he had algae in the tank from getting bad gas. but check the oil pressure and see what you get

 

My car has an oil pressure gauge and its always right around 60. I know Camaro's are known for having oil pressure gauges that don't read correctly or read quite high, but that's what it is showing currently.

I replaced the MAP sensor yesterday and ordered new throttle body injectors. After installing the new MAP, the car started, idled pretty rough for about 15 seconds then smoothed out and ran like a champ. It was the smoothest idle, fastest acceleration, smoothest downshifting/upshifting, and smoothest acceleration I've ever experienced in my car. I drove it for about 15 minutes, came back home, parked it and then 45 minutes later tried to start it again and it wouldn't start. It would just fire up and cut out within a second.

Today I went and picked up the new injectors I ordered and bought a new fuel filter. I replaced the filter and I'm waiting on a friend to bring some tranny fluid to lubricate the O-rings on the injectors with. When I started it up this morning before starting to work on it, it idled pretty rough again for about 10-15 seconds and then smoothed out and was fine. I'm still waiting to see what the new injectors do and I will keep you posted.

If this doesn't work, my next job is going to be removing the fuel tank when I drop the axle to replace the suspension. I'll see what's going on inside of there as far as sediments/dirt/algae goes. I know the car was parked for about 2 years before I bought it with minimal start ups. The gasoline most likely went bad over that time and I want to see what's left of it in the tank.

 

fuel pump can be giving out. when my gave out last year i can get the car started but i had to keep the gas to the floor to keep it alive. Thats the thing with these pumps, when they sit with gas in it fir a long time they give up, espically if it stock.

 

Fuel pump was replaced only two years ago. If I sit on the gas pedal the car dies. I have to butterfly it to keep it running... that is, if it even fires. Currently after putting in the new filter and injectors, the car won't even fire.

The next step is to remove the fuel tank and see what's going on inside.

 

dude, i replaced my fuel pump in '06 AND '08 so it CAN happen. If theres no gas going to the injectors its something between the wire clips that sit on top of the injectors to the fuel pump. Fuel regulator? If the car was working before it probably works fine. Just do a quick test, next time you have a chance get in the car, turn the key to the start position and listen for the pump, if you dont heard gas slurping or a the pump go "errrrr" then you have a dead pump for sure.