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1987 Pontiac 6000 (injected) - fuel system


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McCool
User

Mar 14, 2006, 3:00 PM

Post #1 of 8 (2290 views)
1987 Pontiac 6000 (injected) - fuel system Sign In

Hey guys,

I'm a college student and I need this vehicle to get me to school, I've poured a lot of money and time into her and she is giving me some trouble with the fuel system and I am at wits end as to what to do next. So far I have replaced all the gas lines, fuel pump and the fuel filter. To be safe I also cleaned the injectors (all within the last month). Recently when I try to start the car I have to turn her over wait three seconds and then turn her over again before she starts and even then it takes quite a few cranks before she catches. Sometimes when I actually get her going, she stalls right after she starts so I have to give her some gas to prevent it from happening, but it only happens as soon at you start her, while she is driving there is no problems at all.

When you put the ignition into the on position and you get underneath the car (or put your ear to the opening of the gas tank) you can't hear the fuel pump pressurizing the system. BUT after you drive it around for a while and turn the car off and get out you can hear the pump going from several feet away. I haven't checked the fuel pressure frankly because it is a pain in the ass and I don't want to do it unless its necessary...

Any ideas as too what I can do?


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Mar 14, 2006, 6:20 PM

Post #2 of 8 (2283 views)
Re: 1987 Pontiac 6000 (injected) - fuel system Sign In

If you can hear the fuel pump pressurize and shut down with just key in "run" position without starting the car. Shouldn't take long and it more than a few seconds you DO need to check the fuel pressure available.

I doubt this is electrical. Never say Never though! T



djrea
Novice

Mar 21, 2006, 5:00 AM

Post #3 of 8 (2260 views)
Re: 1987 Pontiac 6000 (injected) - fuel system Sign In

the key here is there isn't a problem after it's running. You replaced the fuel lines, I suspect you have a bleeder. Which means you are losing pressure as air is slowly seeping in, to either allow fuel to drain back to the tank or onto the ground. As much as you may not want to, remove the work you have done and inspect that your flares are all assembled correctly.As well inspect things that you may have torqued around and caused gaps to form.


McCool
User

Mar 21, 2006, 9:52 AM

Post #4 of 8 (2255 views)
Re: 1987 Pontiac 6000 (injected) - fuel system Sign In

Will do but I should add this to my story because the more I think about it the more I think it may be relevant.

I Changed the gas lines months ago and hadn't had a problem like this until recently, when I took the car to get certified after they had passed it I went out to start my car and it didn't start (It would start and instantly stall even if you floored the gas) so I changed the pump and the starter. It ran fine for the time it took to get the car back to my house. When I got it home I decided my baby could use a thorough cleaning. I de-greased the engine using a commercial de-greaser. The car started and ran like Sh!t afterwards which I dismissed thinking that it was only doing that because the belts were wet. the next day it started acting up.

Could the de-greaser/water rinse have hurt anything? The wires are 19 years old...


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Mar 21, 2006, 11:45 AM

Post #5 of 8 (2250 views)
Re: 1987 Pontiac 6000 (injected) - fuel system Sign In

NEVER CLEAN YOUR ENGINE THAT WAY!!!!! Would you wash your TV set that way? If you must just do it dry with dampened rags with Armor All or something but soaking it with water just made it a flood victim and now the problem could be a real pest to figure out.

Hopefully this is just plug wires, cap, rotor and simple stuff but with the flood a lot of electronic stuff could have been damaged but hopefully will give you a code. If the engine was warm even the plugs could have cracked. You might be able to see electric arching in total darkness - take out any hood light bulb for now. If lucky you'll see something.

Hope others jump in here but for now you can pull spark plugs with a skipping engine and they should all look good and the same. If one is off color that's a good clue for trouble area.

Wet belts would not be the cause. I don't know what kind of testing was done on your car that changed it. I'm guessing it was an emmissions test and perhaps a dyno used which should be illegal but places mandate it.

Keep at it an tell us any observations you find. Check wiring connections (best with battery disconnected) and tell us what engine you have. You may have but I didn't see it. Good luck, here to help, T



McCool
User

Mar 21, 2006, 1:39 PM

Post #6 of 8 (2244 views)
Re: 1987 Pontiac 6000 (injected) - fuel system Sign In

I can assure you that this is not a problem with the plugs or anything of that nature. You cannot comprehend how smooth this car drives/idles/picks up. The only problem is starting her. The further I dive into this the more I think this is electrical.

It's clear to me that a previous owner messed with some of the wiring, I just finished looking around my engine and some of the wiring is 100% exposed. No surprise that the wire that I found to be exposed was a wire going to or from (I don't know which) the fuel pump relay. I don't understand what has been done. There is a wire which I believe to be the fuel pump relay control wire which has been cut and grounded (with a rusty alligator clip to the battery ground) just before the fuel pump relay itself. The wiring schematics I have for the car mention nothing of this ground.

I don't know what to do now, I played with some of the wires, nothing changed. I think I have to better understand my electrical system before I can fix this. If anyone has any ideas I am all ears. Also its a 2.5L Tech 4 engine.


McCool
User

Mar 21, 2006, 3:45 PM

Post #7 of 8 (2235 views)
Re: 1987 Pontiac 6000 (injected) - fuel system Sign In

Fixed it. I was close when I said it was wiring. The fuel pump relay was shot... Best 10 bucks I've ever spent.

Thanks for the help.


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Mar 21, 2006, 4:46 PM

Post #8 of 8 (2233 views)
Re: 1987 Pontiac 6000 (injected) - fuel system Sign In

If things have been alterted it leaves us at a loss. To restore to original you will need the schematics. If you can get by for a while wait and see if someone can provide that which usually costs money. This site was last I checked offered a thing called AllData for about 25 bucks. For the moment put the rusty old alligator clip stuff back where it was if it worked that way and then move on. In general there is no magic with cars. You can't just disconnect something and double your horsepower or increase fuel economy or the manufacturer would have done that!!!! T







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