Topic: 1982 starts but won't run
in Forum: C3 Engines
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Thanks Jack, you nailed it right on the head. I pulled the fuel pump and there was a 1/2" split in the side of the rubber hose between the pump and rigid fuel line. I replaced the hose (and clamps) and I'm awaiting the tank gasket before I put it back together. That should take care of the problem!!!
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Lifetime MemberLemon Grove, CA - USA
Joined: 10/17/2007
Posts: 2041
Vette(s): 1982 C3 Collectors Edition 44000 miles, sat in the sun most of its life, My wife purchased it for me for Father's Day in 2007 from her girlfriend that had it for 19 years. It is on the road again. I'm retired but it is now my daily driver.
While you are in there you may want to replace the fuel pump with an 1985. It pumps more volume and will keep the pressure steady. I put on a pressure gauge. When I went through this I found my pressure was close to 6psi . The car would stumble when I hit it hard coming from a stop. I replaced the fuel pump and got it all the way to 9psi then adjusted the fuel pressure to about 12.5psi runs soother but I have a little high 750rpm idle problem. By the way my local auto parts store had the fuel pump for about $50 with fuel sock. Do not forget to replace that it is cheap and you do not want to into the tank again for that.
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Oak Creek, WI - USA
Joined: 5/21/2008
Posts: 1965
Vette(s): 1981 Great White Shark. Red Interior, 350/190 hp. PS, PB (SS), A/C CC, T-Tops. Served three years in Active Duty Army, then Retired Air Force after 34 years! Badger State Vettes Car Club. 175,000 Original miles!! Now own a 1998 C-5!
[QUOTE=nasajack]
I have an '82 and ran into a similar issue about 6 months ago while the car sat around getting a new interior.
For a while, the car would not stay running, yet what fuel did get to the throttle bodies, was quickly consumed within seconds. We then started the troubleshooting and while we had the chance, the mechanic changed out the idle air controls and replaced the coolant sensor. Although fuel continued reaching the injectors, the fix was a false positive. The car would start, and would immediately consume what fuel made it to the engine, then shut down. The fix??
The fuel pump's plumbing: once we decided to check it, we found that one of the teflon clamps used to secure the rubber hose to the pump had failed. This caused most fuel pumped to cycle right back into the tank, with some reaching the engine, giving enough to start but not be maintained. So, we replaced the factory teflon clamp with stainless and while we were at it, changed the rubber hoses as well, along with the pump seal on top of the tank. Whaolaaaaaaaa...problem not running fixed!
And come to find out, the car ran a bit better with the coolant sensor and idle air controls being changed as well...because our initial idea of preventive maintenance concerning those two items simply made sense to do as well at the time.
A couple of things u can eliminate if the car was running just fine before your troubles. As with my '82, the mechanic and I eliminated the injectors as a duel fail (extremely rare as far as we were concerned), and the air idle controllers.
And don't forget to check the fuel pump itself and its pressure. The preferred pressure, which gives the best, and full, efficiency should be 11 psi. GM specs call for a minimum of 9 psi.
Other outside, and extreme, possibilities are: the throttle sensor, the knock sensor (usually breaks when removed to change/drain coolant), the oxygen sensor, and the ECM.
Hope all this helps!
What great information Jack!! I, for one am glad that folks like you and Joel are on this web site. I'm learning new stuff every day!! Who said I was too old to learn stuff, was that you Ebo?????
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in Forum: C3 Engines
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