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86 turns over but won't start

robertwilbanks

Active member
Joined
Apr 28, 2004
Messages
25
Location
Lake Arrowhead CA
Corvette
1986 Red Coupe
86 will not start
History:
I filled the car with gas after it had dropped below ¼ tank I haven let that happen for 2 years.
The car stared losing performance on the way home and stumbled when I gave it gas. After it got down about an 8th of a tank it smoothed out. I thought it was bad gas or trash in the tank. When I put gas in again the next two time I did not fill it up and had now problem. I finally filled it all the way again and it started running sluggish and stumbling when I give it gas. Then it stalled on the road. I tried to start it a few times and it finally started again and I drove it for a few more days with no problem. Then it stalled on the road at 5:00am. I left it there until the afternoon. I tried it then and it would not start. I called AAA and while waiting I got it started. I had run the battery down so had the cables connected to my other car. When the tow truck got there I had him follow me home as apposed to towing it. I replaced the fuel filter and it seemed fine. Then a few days later I got in, started it up and about 30 seconds of idle and it died. That was it. Had to tow it home. It turns over but will not start.
I replaced the fuel pump and re-checked the fuel filter. While checking the fuel pressure regulator I broke a prong on the distributor cap so I replaced the cap, rotor, coil, and wires while I was there. The diaphragm looks ok.
New items less than two years old before this all started:
Injectors
Spark Plugs
Ignition Module
Battery
EGR switch
1 new injector plug

I have checked and I have fuel at the filter and after the filter. I have fuel at the rails. I have spark to the spark plugs. I haven’t checked for power to the injectors.
I have removed the battery cable and rebooted.
I tried removing the MAF connection and the TPI connection. No start either way.
I replaced the injectors fuse.
I am at a loss.
Thanks for any help.
-Robert
 
I didn't check the pressure but I replaced the pump then checked the old one and both work so I assumed the new one work correctly
 
You replaced the fuel pump, but did you check the relay by the brake booster under the hood? Aside from the relay itself going bad, the insulation on the wires on the harness shrink with heat and age and cause the wires to cross and short out. I almost got stranded at Carlisle one year when this happened out of the blue.

If you have a 4+3, there are two identical relays by the brake booster (automatics have but one relay there). One's for the overdrive, one's for the fuel pump, and I don't know which is which. I replaced both to be safe, and also taped up the insulation on the harnesses.
[RICHR]
 
it was time for a new pump anyway, don't regret those $...but there are two other common places that fuel press loss is common, your ''pulsator'' and the diaphram in the fuel press reg...get a press tester from harbo fright for abt $15 or under $100 for a better one at any auto parts store...fuel pressure is the FIRST test to do with any efi engine (that's why the test port is so readily accessible, in most)
 
It is running!!!
after everything I did it still wouldn't run. I had it towed to a trusted local shop. Turns out the new fuel pump was bad. It would run and pump but not maintain the correct pressure.
Thanks for everyones help.
 

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