My 1994 3.4l V6 Camaro has 184,000 miles. I relay on my f-body to get me to and from work everyday.

A couple of months ago, my Camaro started having ignition problems at start-up. Kind of like when you pull the battery and the computer looses its brains and forgets how to run. After about 5 or 10 minutes, the computer sorts itself out and the engine runs fine. This may not even be normal?

Over the past couple of weeks this problem has been worsening. It may take several start-up attempts to get the engine to idle. The starter motor cranks the engine just fine, the engine lights almost instantly, revs to about 1000 rpm, then the engine speed falls to under 500 rpm, sometimes the engine just dies, sometimes it will work itself back up to over 1000 rpm, and then it figures out how to idle. That's just idle. When Iblip thethrottle immediately after start-up there is a hugelag, the engine revs and falls, but it may not be able to return to idle without dying.

Thursday night when I got off work, I had to crank the engine several times, to get it to light. After the first couple of attempts to start the engine, I figured I was stranded and sat and thought about what I was going to do. After about 30 seconds, I tried again and it finally started.

If I don't take care of this problem, I feel like I'm gabling every time I drive somewhere on being stranded.

I've replaced the battery, that's strong, as is the alternator. I did plugs and plug wires about 10k miles ago. One thing I did do roughly the same time this problem showed up, I pulled the ABS relay under the hood, because my ABS causing my rear drums to oscillate. This may have caused some sort of problem with the computer? Or not? I replaced the relay a couple of weeks ago hoping the ignition problem would cure itself, it hasn’t.

Is this a computer related issue. Is there a nonvolatile memory somewhere that stores the ignition parameters that has gone corrupt? I don't think it's a fuel related problem because once the engine runs for several minutes I get normal power, throttle response, ect.

Thanks for any help here!

 

Does the check engine lite come on when the engine is running poorly?

 

Have you been getting any SES lights? If so, get it scanned, or buy a scanner like the Autoxray EZ-Scan 6000, which scans OBD I & II
http://www.autoxray.com/

Have your fuel pressure tested -- if bad, you likely need a new fuel pump.

Be sure you have changed your air filter recently -- ya don't want any "clogage"... Also try cleaning any of the sensors for the air intake, and spray throttle body cleaner to clear out the varnish/gunk that accumulates there and in the butterfly valve...

Also do a quality fuel system/injector cleaner in your gas tank like Lucas brand.

The more I think about it, this kinda sounds like a vacuum leak -- maybe valve cover gaskets disintegrating, cracked hose/pipe, etc.

Let us know how it goes.

 

Check gauges turns on when the ignition is on, but the engine isn't running. I believe that's normal though, because the oil pressure is at 0.

Check gauges does not turn on when the engine is running, even when it's having trouble idling after starting.

The set of gauges is really minimal.

 

What's SES? Service engine soon? I think that light has been on, ever since I pulled the ABS relay. The ABS inop light went out when I replaced the relay, and the ABS works, workly badly, but works.

I wish I had a scanner. $600 is a little pricey. I know a local mechanic I trust, he may even scan it for me no charge. I might go to him next saturday to tap the computer diagnostics.

How do I test fuel pressure?

I read another post on here that said if you turn the ignition on, and off, a couple of times before start-up it will help diagnose a weak fuel pump because, you're helping the pump along by priming it, or something to that effect.

I tried this, and it seemed to help. Although, it was not long after running the engine.

I guess I should mention the longer the car sites, like over night or 8 or 10 hours at work, the more severe the problem is, and the harder time the engine has running.

If I remember tomorrow morning I'll try this test again after the car has been sitting for a long period.

I have a K&N air filter, I blew it out with compressed air not to long ago.

I’ll try cleaning the butter fly vanes. With what and how do I clean the butterfly and sensor?

I ran a fuel injector cleaner not too long ago, maybe a year. I don’t recall the brand, but I remember it was one of the more expensive cleaners they had a Napa, doesn’t mean it’s good, but if you truly get what you pay for, it probably was…

The vacuum pump has been getting louder, maybe even louder enough to be leaking. Where should I check for leaks?

I will and thanks for the help, along with anyone else that helps.

 

There is a reciever on the back left of the intake plkenum. It is dark green and has 3 wires coming from it. that iforms the engine on how much air and fuel should be used. make sure that that is not loose, my clip broke off and it worked its way loose but your couldnt tell. at start up when it cranked ti jiggled and would have trou ble not stalling. worth a shot at least, easy to get to cand check.

 

WTF is the vacuum pump? Vacuum is created when the a piston is on it's intake stroke (intake valve open, piston moving downward)... For a vacuum leak, check anything that attaches to the intake portion of the engine. Make sure everything is snug, and hoses are not damaged/cracked.