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Hey y'all--
My kid has a 96 Camaro 3.8 5-speed, all stock except a Flowmaster (and possibly a 180* thermo). I bought the car as a non-running project (it sat for several years) and we just got it on the road Monday.
The car has 77K miles. New parts before getting it on the road include:
plugs (AC Delco Rapidfire/Irridium/whatever/$4 each)
wires (MSD)
front O2 sensors (Bosch)
fuel pump - complete assembly w/ pickup & sender (Carter iirc)
Purolator fuel filter
drained gas tank, filled with new gas
New parts installed trying to fix the problem:
TPS (Delco)
New parts being installed today:
Water pump (Delco)
195* thermostat (Delco)
Radiator cap (Delco)
Radiator hoses
Heater hoses
It runs perfectly, until we've been driving ~3 hours, then it won't accept any throttle (push the gas, doesn't rev), runs crappy, then dies. After turning off the key and sitting for a minute, it starts right up. It may run fine for 15 minutes or 15 seconds, then does it all over again. I had to restart it probably a dozen times monday night trying to get home, and when it ran, the idle speed was ~2200 RPM.
The ~3 hours driving is mostly around town, running errands, a little bit of highway, just making sure the car is OK and teaching him how to drive a stick. Like I said, the car runs flawlessly, right up until it quits. The gages read normal. It shows P0122 on the code reader, which is TPS.
I replaced the TPS with a new AC Delco Tuesday, and went for another long drive. It quit again after ~3 hours the same way. Required several re-starts to get it home, but this time the idle speed was normal. Again, it shows P0122, but I'm thinking that disconnecting various sensors (including the TPS) while trying to find the problem may be falsely setting that code. But that's the only code it has.
I only had time to drive about 90 minutes Wednesday night. Nothing went wrong. Had a fuel pressure gage taped to the cowl and, when running WOT thru the gears, the fuel pressure dropped to ~18 midway thru 3rd. I’ve got a new Delco fuel filter for it; that goes in today. I plan to install a new fuel pump relay. I’ve been told I should have bought an AC Delco fuel pump!
My kid drove the car a bit on Thursday with no problem again.
I probably should have dropped the tank and had it cleaned, but instead I used the trapdoor method of fuel pump replacement. I'll open up the trap door again and look at the fuel strainer, and probably get the tank cleaned once we run the gas out of it.
I haven't found the fuel pressure regulator either. The Haynes manual has photos of a 3.4 and an LT1, but no 3.8. Where is it? At this point, I’m thinking the FP is regulated by the computer via variable pump voltage…
The cooling system wasn’t maintained, and is full of sludge. The radiator cleaner I poured in seems to have cleared out the crud that was holding the water in the water pump, and now it leaks freely. I got a new water pump, radiator cap and 195* thermostat (all Delco), plus new radiator hoses and heater hoses.
The temp gage shows 180* when warm, which makes me pretty sure the car has a 180* thermostat, so I better find the ECM and check for an aftermarket chip. I’ll put it back to stock if it’s been changed.
I haven’t found any wiring that is worn thru or eaten by rodents. Will keep looking.
Someone suggested a new intake air temp sensor. Other suggestions were a bad gas cap, and to spray “Component Cooler” on electronic items when the problem occurs.
After I put the car back together today, I’ll drive it until it quits again. I’ll have the fuel pressure gage taped on, so I can tell if I have a fuel problem. I’ll take off the gas cap and see if it fixes the problem. If not, I’ll disconnect the intake air temp sensor and drive it again. If it still quits, I’ll disconnect the MAF and see how it does.
I’m REALLY HOPING someone here has experienced this and fixed it!!
What do y’all think?
thanks!
kevin
My kid has a 96 Camaro 3.8 5-speed, all stock except a Flowmaster (and possibly a 180* thermo). I bought the car as a non-running project (it sat for several years) and we just got it on the road Monday.
The car has 77K miles. New parts before getting it on the road include:
plugs (AC Delco Rapidfire/Irridium/whatever/$4 each)
wires (MSD)
front O2 sensors (Bosch)
fuel pump - complete assembly w/ pickup & sender (Carter iirc)
Purolator fuel filter
drained gas tank, filled with new gas
New parts installed trying to fix the problem:
TPS (Delco)
New parts being installed today:
Water pump (Delco)
195* thermostat (Delco)
Radiator cap (Delco)
Radiator hoses
Heater hoses
It runs perfectly, until we've been driving ~3 hours, then it won't accept any throttle (push the gas, doesn't rev), runs crappy, then dies. After turning off the key and sitting for a minute, it starts right up. It may run fine for 15 minutes or 15 seconds, then does it all over again. I had to restart it probably a dozen times monday night trying to get home, and when it ran, the idle speed was ~2200 RPM.
The ~3 hours driving is mostly around town, running errands, a little bit of highway, just making sure the car is OK and teaching him how to drive a stick. Like I said, the car runs flawlessly, right up until it quits. The gages read normal. It shows P0122 on the code reader, which is TPS.
I replaced the TPS with a new AC Delco Tuesday, and went for another long drive. It quit again after ~3 hours the same way. Required several re-starts to get it home, but this time the idle speed was normal. Again, it shows P0122, but I'm thinking that disconnecting various sensors (including the TPS) while trying to find the problem may be falsely setting that code. But that's the only code it has.
I only had time to drive about 90 minutes Wednesday night. Nothing went wrong. Had a fuel pressure gage taped to the cowl and, when running WOT thru the gears, the fuel pressure dropped to ~18 midway thru 3rd. I’ve got a new Delco fuel filter for it; that goes in today. I plan to install a new fuel pump relay. I’ve been told I should have bought an AC Delco fuel pump!
My kid drove the car a bit on Thursday with no problem again.
I probably should have dropped the tank and had it cleaned, but instead I used the trapdoor method of fuel pump replacement. I'll open up the trap door again and look at the fuel strainer, and probably get the tank cleaned once we run the gas out of it.
I haven't found the fuel pressure regulator either. The Haynes manual has photos of a 3.4 and an LT1, but no 3.8. Where is it? At this point, I’m thinking the FP is regulated by the computer via variable pump voltage…
The cooling system wasn’t maintained, and is full of sludge. The radiator cleaner I poured in seems to have cleared out the crud that was holding the water in the water pump, and now it leaks freely. I got a new water pump, radiator cap and 195* thermostat (all Delco), plus new radiator hoses and heater hoses.
The temp gage shows 180* when warm, which makes me pretty sure the car has a 180* thermostat, so I better find the ECM and check for an aftermarket chip. I’ll put it back to stock if it’s been changed.
I haven’t found any wiring that is worn thru or eaten by rodents. Will keep looking.
Someone suggested a new intake air temp sensor. Other suggestions were a bad gas cap, and to spray “Component Cooler” on electronic items when the problem occurs.
After I put the car back together today, I’ll drive it until it quits again. I’ll have the fuel pressure gage taped on, so I can tell if I have a fuel problem. I’ll take off the gas cap and see if it fixes the problem. If not, I’ll disconnect the intake air temp sensor and drive it again. If it still quits, I’ll disconnect the MAF and see how it does.
I’m REALLY HOPING someone here has experienced this and fixed it!!
What do y’all think?
thanks!
kevin
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