metalmike6

hey guys I've been here for a while just soaking up information... I've just ran into my first issue though. if this has been posted before I apologize. I am on a cell phone and getting this far was a trial in patience. So this is my story - My 1989 T/A has been running flawlessly after about 3 months of owning it (after a tune up anyway) so I had let the car sit for about four days in cold moist weather. the car cranks but won't turn over. It's as if there's no spark. When I openned the hood the engine had a dew on it (condensation)... I took the air cleaner off and it is definately pumping fuel into the engine with a very good spray. I attempted after many trials of starting it normally to use a engine starter spray. There has been no improvement. what can I check/do? i'm sitting in the parking lot right now waiting on word from the pro's hehe... Your advice is appreciated.

travishenry

Not sure if you have tools or not, but i would try taking out the spark plugs and clean them. If its pumping fuel no start. Its prolly cold and plugs are flooded. Try that.

RFmaster

Welcome to TGO

Check your ignition coil, ignition coil to dizzy HV wire, rotor and dizzy hat. Make sure that you are getting +12 Volts to the coil from #10AWG pink wire. Check the two connectors that plug into ignition coil. Does your tach wiggles a bit during cranking???

//RF

metalmike6

Thank you both for responding so quickly...

So this is what happened - After trying for so long to start it prior to your responses I killed the battery, the strange thing was that just as the battery was dieing the car sounded like it wanted to start. So I called AAA for a jump start. The guy couldn't jump my car??? The wires were carrying a charge because when he slammed 'em together they made a spark kinda like what happens if you put my parents in the same room... only I guess that's more of an explosion. For some reason though he couldn't get my car started with the wires connected. I didn't want to have the car towed because I know my car was running fine before sitting for 4 days. Went to sears down the street and picked up a new battery. Went with 700 CCA instead of the 575 CCA that was in there. After installing it the car sounded again like it wanted to start, so I pushed the gas in a little and she started. but I had to keep the gas down or it would stall. So here's the new issue? The oil pressure is waaay down at idle maybe only two or three notches above the red on the dial. And when actually driving it hangs out around 30. The valves are also noisy as hell, sounds like a coked up tap dancer at idle. Is there a higher pressure pump I can buy? or is my engine on it's way out, maybe just the pump? I just can't beleive it was fine 4 days ago, and now its acting up. It's a 305 TBI by the way about 100,000 miles on it. Or that's my assumption considering the bastard before me froze the odometer at 79,800.

RFmaster

'mike6

Lets break down your car problems one by one.

1) Can you reliably start your engine???
2) What is the temperature outside?
3) Did you check oil level?
4) When was the last time oil and filter were changed?
5) What was grade of oil used?

6) For stock engine you do not need high volume pump. Replacing oil pump requires dropping oil pan which is the last thing on earth you want to do with engine still sitting in engine bay.

//RF

metalmike6

Lets break down your car problems one by one.

1) Can you reliably start your engine???
Well up until today the engine always started without trouble, when it was really cold (close to freezing) It would sometimes turn over but not actually start... kinda like a ON - OFF very quickly... But the second start would ALWAYS get it. This double start only happened after it sitting for more then 10 hours though.
2) What is the temperature outside?
The temperature outside has fluctuated greatly over the last 4 days. it went from snowing and around 30 degrees (yesterday) to raining and close to 50 (today) It get's REALLY humid here in NY sometimes. Thats why I originally thought maybe just condensation in engine? I don't know if that's possible or even pertinant.
3) Did you check oil level?
Oil level is good.
4) When was the last time oil and filter were changed?
I changed them about a month ago. Along with plugs, wires, rotor and cap
5) What was grade of oil used?
I used royal purple 10w 40

I've been doing my own research on the site as well, cause I don't beleive in just mooching off of everyone. Could it be the oil pressure sensor? OR sending unit?

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tech...il#post1667700

RFmaster

'mike6

It is not unusual for humidity to 'rain' havoc with ignition systems. I have seen rotor tips burn-up and dizzy post carbonized especially after good rain - after shutting down, and as engine cools down it will collect moisture due to condensation. This is probably what you have experienced. Just as precaution, I always use a bit dielectric grease in each spark plug boot to keep moisture out and allow for easy removal.

It is also not unusual for dash gauges to go out of whack with a age. The only way to verify oil pressure is to unscrew oil pressure switch which is just above oil filter and connect a test pressure gauge available from most auto parts stores. Depending on oil type and engine temperature you should see about 30 PSI at cold idle. As engine warms up idle oil pressure should drop a bit, but not too much. For a stock pump, general rule of thumb that you should see about 6 to 8 PSI per every 1000 RPM above idle pressure..

I hope this helps....

//RF

metalmike6

I did not use the dielectric Grease on the plug boot... I guess I'll be climbing under my car tonight. Thanks you have indeed helped!

RFmaster

'mike6

Well, I'll wait until fat lady sings.
Also, it is possible that you may have 'leaky' spark plug wires. Get a water spray bottle and spray on ignition wires in a dark garage. If you see blue glow around spark plug wires it is probably a good idea to replace them.

//RF

ad356

here is an example of why tbi is good. remove air cleaner, crank engine, if you see a fuel spray you know your fuel pump is delivering gas. if you dont know know its in the fuel system somewhere.

vegaskid

1988 camaro Sport 305 TBI
I had a problem several months ago where it would start and stop
after a couple tries and finally towed it home from work, installed an ignition
module in and it fired up BIG TIME! I did see the injectors
firing but it kept cutting out but would restart for a short period and do it again! Hope it helps ???????

Brandon2350

Concern yourself like others have said with your ignition for now. Once your sure you have ruled that out you can progress to other things if you need to. But personally I think the moisture is the culprit somewhere within the ignition especially the distributor. You mave have fouled the plugs during this process also. I'd pull a couple and check them. if there fouled replace them and go from there.