Help with Dying camaro!!!

[Wally X]

I have been searching through this awesome message board for help with my problem and think I have it narrowed down, but I'll tell you guys the symptoms and tell me what you think.
Basically it starts up great in the morning, but when it is warm it takes to long to start. Also it started dying while driving. Now it dies whenever I pull to a stop, and sometimes when I make turns...If I take my foot off the gas, I fear it will die. It dies quietly too, if I have the radio on I don't notice it until I press the gas to go and look like an A##. When I start it back up I get a fuel smell, but have yet to smell any gas under the hood. Since I recently replaced the coil packs, wires and plugs (bosch plat 2, which aparently suck) The car seems to run fine when I'm cruisin. I'm thinking FPR, and praying it isn't the fuel pump. Maybe crank or cam position sensor. The plugs and wires were real bad before I replaced them so maybe ICM? I realize this is now long. Any help or advice would be awesome. PS. I have become adidicted to this message board...best place for new camaro owners.
thanks

[Dan Vincent]

A4 or M5? Any SES codes? With A4, it could be TCC apply solenoid. The FPR is part of the fuel pump in our cars, methinks. Could also be your alt dying - how does your voltage look?

Bring it to a mechanic with a scan tool, or ask to borrow one for a few days, and a fuel pressure gauge too. Watch the tool when it dies, it'll give you a lot of hints.

[Linxs]

When is the last time you changed you fuel filter?
.

[CAMAROWIDBASS]

do you ever get a rotten eggs smell, if so check your cat.

Im thinking it might be a vaccum also.

[Wally X]

I just changed my fuel filter, and Haven't noticed a rotten egg smell. Tha car cranks fine,and in the morning starts right up, no I don't think it is the alt. I don't know anyone to borrow a scan tool, but I was gonna pick up a pressure guage today. It is a 99 auto w/ 65k. I read some more, how do I tell if it is an injector? And I think the FPR is on the driver side fuel rail, (intank on v8's...I hope)
thanks again.

[hockeyman]

The next time you are diving for at least 20 minutes, pull the car over, get out, and look at the catylitic converter. If it's so hot that it appears red or even white in color, that's your problem. They don't always give off a rotten egg smell when they get clogged.

[Wally X]

thanks I'll check that out, but no one thinks it could be a fuel prob? If it was the cat I would be stoked, I was gonna redo the whole exhaust anyway (assuming I have any money after i fix her)

[C.O.Jones]

I stand with the Crankshaft Position Sensor. When it dies, does it start right back up, or do you have to wait about 30 seconds or so.

Wehn the CPS goes, you get no warning, the car just stops. I went through my woes with it, and the bi**h is that you can only truly find out with a Tech 1 scanner (dealers and most auto shops use)

[Wally X]

Jones-
It doesn't take 30 sec, but it has the same hard starting (after it dies and fresh starts when it is warm.) And then the gas smell. Will a obd II scanner pick it up, cause Autozone rents those and I was gonna go pick that and a fuel pressure tester. How hard is the Crank sensor to replace? How much is the part?
thanks everyone, anymore suggestions? otherwise I'll update this once I read the codes and check the fuel preesure. Awesome help!

[C.O.Jones]

The odbII scanner will not pick up the code so if one is returned then it's probably not these sensors. You want to make damned sure that it's one of the two sensors (Camshaft Position Sensor or Crankshaft Position Sensor) because it's a pain in the a$$ to fix.

Here's my dealings with this:
http://www.camarov6.com/ubb/ultimate...=010926#000000


I did it myself, the part was about $32. You will have to rent a harmonic balancer puller from autozone ($15 that they refund with receipt), and you will need a torque wrench (0-250 ft/lb should do you).
http://www.camarov6.com/cgi-bin/ulti...c&f=1&t=011408

[Wally X]

ok ran OBD II, and got po300 (multi cylinder misfire) Since it is all over the place I can rule out a bad injector, yes? I'm doing the feul pressure test now.

[Wally X]

ok ran the pressure test and this is what i got,
turn key to ON without starting, fp jumps to 50 psi for a sec, then immedaitly drops to 40, then slowly drops to 19-20psi where it holds. It takes about 15-25 sec to make this slow drop. when it is running it held at 44psi. The car was warmed up before I started testing. Please help!! I guess this means it's regulator or pump huh? How do I tell the difference? My manual says, "install a feul line shut-off adapter between the FPR and the return line, then slowely close the valve and bla bla.....Where is the retrun line? Can someone explain this procedure better....if it is necasary.
Thanks again everyone.

[Wally X]

Just did alittle more fishing around the boards, and yanked the vacum line coming out of the FPR, and guess what it had fuel in it!, Judging from the good fuel pres. while runnning and irradic dying and hard starting and now this I feel it is the FPR. (and not the feul pump....thank god!) Agree? disagree? do I have your blessing to start ripping the feul lines off?

[ May 23, 2004, 11:59 PM: Message edited by: Wally X ]

[hockeyman]

Go to www.autozone.com and check for part numbers and prices for your FPR. The one for my car's application is $72.99. I'd make sure that it's definately your problem before you go dumping more money into the repair. Autozone should sacn your car for free if you can get it there. I got a P0300 code once when my spark plug wire went bad and was misfiring like crazy.

[Wally X]

I just replaced all my plugs wires and coils, The FPR was 50 something at kragen, and I have the scan tool, it is free to "borrow" from autozone. They just take 160 bucks off your Credit card and deposit back when you return it, I got the same deal on the vacum guage, not having to pay 200 dollars for tools I would only use in a blue moon is great for poor college kids! It is gonna be a huge B#$ch to replace the FPR, but relatively cheap. WHat else will I have to replace....injector seals? probably gonna start tommorow.