82tabird

Hello everyone. First off let me say I picked up a 82 Firebird a couple weeks back that I got home and ran some numbers on and found to actually be a Trans Am. It hadn't been registered since 06. It has a ton of issues though such as a fender being half unbolted for no apparent reason, interior all there but unbolted, the transmission not wanting to go into park like at all, and of course the engine issues I am about to explain to the best of my knowledge. I still think for $275 and getting a clean title I didn't do too bad.

At first it woulden't run at all unless you put gas down the carb and even then ran poor. Great. I spend $100 on new plugs, wires, cap, rotor and an oil change. I also put about $25 in the pretty empty tank with whatever has been hanging around in there since the car has sat. I know not a good idea probably but I do not want to drop the gas tank unless I absolutly have too. I work too many hours and dont feel like coming home to be fixing things that arent broke at this point. Now it runs and drives although poorly with a high idle and the transmission problem with you basically in reverse where park should be. (I plan to take a look at the shifter cable for this problem after some searching on here) I didn't run it long like this since it didn't have a water pump/alt belt or any belt for that matter at this point.

The next day I got the belt and installed it. This is where I currently am at with the car. Now it doesn't hold an idle and will quit if you are not keeping the engine revved up. The tach doesn't work so I cant say at what RPMs. If I drive it down the road in drive gear it doesn't seem like it has as much power as it should then it will just quit with what seems like no warning.

Once I was able to get out of the car and to the carb before it quit while sitting in the driveway in neutral(remember park will not hold and yes it will quit that fast)and when i manually opened the carb it almost seemed like one side wasn't spraying fuel or at least not spraying as much as it should. I haven't changed the fuel filters and dont really know where to look for them to be honest. I believe one is in the carb body on the front, the other I dont have a clue, haven't looked. It seems to me like a fuel issue like something from the tank got to a filter and clogged it up some or maybe the carb itself needs a rebuild? It does not seem like a timing issue to me but I will not rule it out. I also have a mess of engine harness plugs not connected to anything, some half melted or broken, and basically no vacuum lines that are not blocked off or cracked.(I am going to search for vacuum diagrams after this post)

I am in the process of removing all the smog equipment and the A/C to help clear things up there but haven't gotten real far. There are no belts on either and the smog system pipe rotted on the drivers side manifold and I temporarily fixed it by blocking the hose off and starting to remove everything connected to it as I read on here to do. The A/C is still in tact minus the belt and who knows about the wiring. If anything I think something could have got messed up with the vacuum lines with the smog system being so broken up.

Anyways, for anyone that could read through all this thank you. I know the above is alot of information to sift through but I wanted to make sure I am being specific enough for someone who knows what they are talking about to help me with. Thanks again everyone, I will look forward to any possible suggestions!!

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Welcome aboard thirdgen.org.

Unless this is a Canadian car, you need the wiring and vacuum lines plugged in where they belong in order for the computer to know what to do (or tell the engine what to do). Even non-computerized Canadian cars needs the proper wiring and vacuum lines hooked up.

Cars that have sat for 5 years typically have gummed up and corroded fuel systems. That includes the carb. That you are only seeing the accelerator pump squirt on one side backs that up. Most likely the carb will need at least a rebuild, if not a replacement carb. Don't fall for the cheap Edelbrock carb install, it won't end up costing less than getting the factory carb rebuilt, or buying a rebuilt factory-type carb.

The fuel filter is behind the nut on the carb inlet. You have to hold the nut with a 1" wrench while loosening the fuel line nut with a 5/8" wrench (assuming the fuel line nut hasn't been rounded off in previous attempts, which they often are - a high-quality line wrench comes in handy here). The only other "filter" is the "pick-up sock" in the fuel tank, which requires dropping the tank to replace. Since tanks and pick-up socks often get crudded up when gas is allowed to rot in them, you may be dropping the tank, regardless.