Guidance, please??

[Voodoo Chick]

OK, so I'm sorely in need of some advice here.......I have a 1989 RS, and I intend to restore this car to (hopefully) like-new running condition, seeing as the car, after 21 years of faithful, problem-free running has now, within the last 2 months begun to run like TOTAL sh*t. I want to replace as many parts as possible, but I have no idea where to begin. The car idles choppy, eneven, and feels like she wants to stall out at red lights(and sometimes does just that)......when idling, every now and then there's a weird sort of surging forward/heaving sensation (CAN'T be normal......) occasionally backfires when cold, and while in motion, there's a feeling which is going to be hard to explain, but feels like a lurching, dragging-backward feeling. I have NO intention of selling this car, and I want to know what would be the best place to begin this restoration process. Thanks for any advice, guys and gals.......:)

[Russ Jerome]

Sounds like your getting that inspection hole and a new fuel pump you wanted under the carpet in back :)

Im realy believing all your odd problems are related to the pump the more items that come up, research some decent/cheap pumps today for me would ya? I'll grab my TBI fuel adapter and throw it in my truck for this weekend (im stuck at work for hours yet).

[Voodoo Chick]

Sounds like your getting that inspection hole and a new fuel pump you wanted under the carpet in back :)

Im realy believing all your odd problems are related to the pump the more items that come up, research some decent/cheap pumps today for me would ya? I'll grab my TBI fuel adapter and throw it in my truck for this weekend (im stuck at work for hours yet).

OK, I'll do some research ASAP!! :)

[TransAm12sec]

Ask on thirdgen.org, probably in the general/tech section.

Also list the miles, engine size, tbi or tpi, etc.

[97z2801ss]

My Blazer was doing that, wanting to move forward, and it wasnt the fuel pump although thats what I thought too it was a sensor or something like that.

[SSLEVO]

How are all of the O2 sensors, plugs, plug wires, dist cap...? Get all of that basic tune up stuff out of the way if that hasn't been done and see how she runs after that.

[Voodoo Chick]

How are all of the O2 sensors, plugs, plug wires, dist cap...? Get all of that basic tune up stuff out of the way if that hasn't been done and see how she runs after that.


Gonna do that, as soon as I can. I figure every new part, even if it's not fixing the immediate problem, has to be some sort of step forward.....if I keep replacing old, worn out parts she HAS to get better!! But yeah, a tune-up is a good idea. :)

[Reverend Cooper]

you may save a shit load of time and money getting it diagnosed versus just throwing parts at it.

[Coops Brother]

Things that come to mind are arching out coil or coil wire, wet cap, a cracked and loose stator wheel on the distributor shaft. Remove the cap and rotor, you will see a star wheel, use a screw driver to try and turn the wheel on the shaft, it should not turn on the shaft. If its loose you'll need to replace the dist. shaft. When this is loose it causes the timing to bounce around and more times than not become retarded. Good luck.

[Arigmaster]

My Escalade was doing that... Turned out to be the fuel filter.

[Russ Jerome]

The victom: is an 89 TBI 5.0 F-body, runs perfect when its running (intermitent previously, need to go look at it again now.)

The original complaint: "no fire" condition intermitently that I have not witnessed yet but is sounding worse now. During the no fire condition the victom noted the fuel level gauge reads above full. The obvious comes to mind being the fuel pump and fuel level gauge share a common ground splice at the rear seat area and the GM gauge will pin when ground is removed. Planned on tying into the ground when the condition happened to see if pump is overloading circut or just crusty ground for senders.

Casual observation: Car apear in great shape for vintage less a corroded fusable link at front right core support and another that has been bypassed with a butt connector (never looked up circut but certainly importent). One or all complaints may be related (low fuel pressure backfiring ect) but the newest complaint happend after two miserably damp days (ignition issue on top of fuel issue possibly).

[Voodoo Chick]

you may save a shit load of time and money getting it diagnosed versus just throwing parts at it.


Was planning on throwing all new parts in car anyway (restoration project) so, it would have to be done regardless. As for having her actually diagnosed, she has been to several mechanics, none of whom found anything.......so far.