mike-89camaroRS

I have a 1989 camaro RS 305 TBI, and I can't seem to pinpoint what the problem would be stemming from.
When I cold start it, it idles fine. But if I drive it for about an hour and then turn it off for about an hour, the next time I start it it acts like it's going to die.
The idle drops down to dangerously low rpms and it 100% does die if I don't help it. The gas pedal is unresponsive unless I press it rapidly, and if I try to just hold it then it dies anyways.
But if I flutter the gas pedal for about a minute it smooths back out and can idle perfectly fine on its own.
Also, after driving for about 2 hours on the highway, my car will start to lose acceleration which is the main problem i'm concerned with. I'll hit the gas but my car will just fall on its face for a few seconds.
And if i'm coming from a complete stop, the car will sputter while trying to take off. I've heard it could be a fuel filter, fuel pump, spark plugs/wires, fuel injectors, need a tuneup or anything else but i'd like to know for sure, that way I don't waste money.

Vader

Testing the fuel pressure could be very revealing.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

Tuneup = spark plugs, dist cap, & rotor; maybe plug wires if they're in bad shape. You should have done all that already regardless. If not, start there.

Your Problem though, the actual Complaint you are lodging, sounds like fuel delivery. VERY MUCH a fuel related problem. Like Vader says, seeing what the fuel pressure is WHILE IT'S IN THE ACT OF SCREWING UP can tell you ALOT. Note that this needs to be done WHILE IT'S IN THE ACT OF SCREWING UP; not when it primes before startup, not sitting in the driveway idling happily, not under any conditions other than, WHILE IT'S IN THE ACT OF SCREWING UP. That means, tape your FP gauge to the windshield and go drive it around; and WHILE IT'S IN THE ACT OF SCREWING UP, note the reading.

Did I mention, the only time it matters what the fuel pressure is, as far as fixing your problem, is WHILE IT'S IN THE ACT OF SCREWING UP. No other time counts. Pay attention to the fuel pressure WHILE IT'S IN THE ACT OF SCREWING UP.

Might want to also consider replacing the fuel filter, if it has one (not sure myself, but if it does, it'll be under the car just in front of the fuel tank); and "rebuild" the injectors. Which consists of tearing them down, soaking all the non-plastic parts overnight in lacquer thinner (not brake cleaner, not mineral spirits, not "paint thinner", not denatured alcohol, not turpentine: LACQUER THINNER only), and reassembling them with all-new paper & rubber. Real easy actually. And like "tuneup", almost always a YYYYUUUUUUUUUUUUUJJJJJJJJJE bang-for-the-buck in terms of improvement to how the car will run.

Note also, the problem is not "timing", "EGR", "sen-sores", or any other such thing. Not that I'm saying that all that stuff is "perfect"; only, that it won't cause what you have going on. Avoid distraction of shiny things beside the path, and stay focused on the true matter at hand, which is, fuel delivery. Never forget, the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing; and the main thing is, fuel delivery.

mike-89camaroRS

well just for the record, after spraying carburetor cleaner down the throttle body for a few days, it seemed to fix my idle problem as well as made my gas pedal more responsive while driving
but it still falls on its face when I floor it. I can hear gas dumping into the engine, but i'll just barely climb in speed. it also surges randomly, and I thinkkk it misfires every now and then.
I hear those are good signs of spark plugs being bad, so i'll get those and my wires replaced as well as completely rebuild and clean my throttle body.

also since you took the time to write all that down i'll go ahead and test my fuel pressure, if I can get the problem to occur again that is. thanks anyways though