sprocket100

I have a 92 Caprice with a 305 (L03) and lately I have an issue that's getting worse.

When the car is cold in the morning it runs pretty good with only a minor stumble when applying throttle. After a minute or two, no more stumble and runs great.

If I turn off the engine when it's up to temp (has a 160 stat so it runs pretty cool all the time), and start it a few minutes later (10-20), it acts like I'm getting hardly any fuel. Yesterday it was really bad, and stalled 3 times getting out of a parking lot. I was only 3 blocks from home and it sputtered for the first two, then was fine after that.

This morning it's fine again cold.

I talked to a few others and they have experienced this too, but in my case it's progressively getting worse.

I know about the rubber hose in the tank splitting (happened to me on other TBI Caprices) and I've been through a few failed fuel pumps too (they usually just up and quit with no warning). Of course I just filled the tank, so dropping it to check things isn't on the top of my list right now (at least for the next 250 miles, lol).

Any other ideas? Car has about 160K, so I am thinking Fuel Pump may be going as it's OE. The weird part is after a couple minutes it runs fine (unlike failing fuel pump).

88gta3508

Step one.. Fuel pressure @ initial start, Primed, Idle, WOT if & when possible. That is a classic sign. the Brushes on the FP are Worn. getting intermittent contact.

sprocket100

Unfortunately, my fuel rail doesn't have a schraeder valve on it, so I can't measure pressure Guess I'll bite the bullet and drop the tank a replace the pump. Hopefully, it'll last long enough to burn the fuel in the tank as I HATE dropping full tanks.

88gta3508

I do not miss that at all!!!! 3 of my last F-body's.. i installed external pumps.

sprocket100

I've had 14 b-bodies since 2007 (still have 3) and have changed at least 6 fuel pumps in both TBI and LT1 cars. Same process but the pumps and sending units are a little different from one another.

Good news is, I'm practiced and if the tank is 1/3 or less, I can get it done in about 1.5 hours... Last one the FP quit at the gas station when I filled up! That one took 6 hours (not counting the 4 waiting for a tow truck and the tow truck breaking down), due to the tank being full, it was dark and I was 250 miles from home with limited tools (towed to a friends house who also didn't have alot of good tools)...finished it at 4:30 AM lol.