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TPI Vette hard to start when warm.


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Getting desperate now.

 

1988 Corvette, 5.7 TPI

59k miles

bought with 43k.

This problem has been there since day one.

 

gets bad mileage (22 best ever), doesn't like starting when warm, all the signs of bad injectors.

 

Hooked the fuel pressure gauge to it today.

Idle pressure- 38psi

1000RPM-35psi

engine off-44 psi

5 minutes after engine was shut off-40 psi

10 minutes after engine was shut off-32psi

 

Starts great when cold, but if you drive it somewhere, get out, come back 15 min later it cranks for a while, then when it starts runs very rich. O2 sensor was replaced 200 miles ago.

 

Now, the injectors check out fine.

Plugs and wires have less than 500 miles on them. O2 sensor has about 200. EGR/Air intake temp sensor/coolant sensor have about 150.

 

Only thing else I can think of is the MAF sensor.

 

The engine temp is normally around 220. Possibly a weak coil?

 

Any help or ideas are greatly appreciated.

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Guest FBody Addict

is the fuel pump constantly running with the engine off to keep the 44 psi? if so, replace the pressure regulator

 

look at your plugs, don't mix them up, any fouling or gassy smell

record findings, if they are all the same then it probably is a pressure regulator, if one or a few are bad then i'd say injectors

 

try a heavier oil, your lifters may be bad and the valves don't open as much as they should since the thinner(warm) oil will leak out of the lifter faster than the thicker(cool) oil (hopefully that makes sense, unless your block has roller lifters)

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OK, the other to do is swap out the temp sensor that's feeding the computer. I believe that there are two, one for the gauge and the other for the computer. I had a Grand Am that would do the same thing and if I disconnected the temp sensor it would go into limp mode and fire right up. The minute I reconnected the sensor it would have difficulty starting. I can't remember if it was running rich or not but I do remember that it wouldn't start like what you are talking about. Worth a try to find that sensor and unhook it if nothing else.
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I had a similar problem when I had my GTA.. always seemed to be when the car was warm.. Anyways it turned out to be the pickup coil. Take the distributor cap off and see if the wires look dry rotted.. that's what happened to mine.. it's only about 13 bucks (10yr ago), it's easy enough but you have to yank the distributor to switch it..
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Guest FBody Addict

my T/A runs at 38-40 psi at idle, 1000 rpm, wot, and just after priming so i don't think 44 is low, unless the motor has been built up

 

the sensor for the gauge is on the left side of the block and the sensor for the comp is on the front below the throttle body

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...

The problem is now fixed.

 

Fuel pressure was and still is fine. Injectors do not leak.

 

Apparently there is a 9th injector on the engine. It is supposed to only open when the engine is cold.

 

The sensor for it had gone bad.

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Originally posted by Assured Risk:

The problem is now fixed.

 

Fuel pressure was and still is fine. Injectors do not leak.

 

Apparently there is a 9th injector on the engine. It is supposed to only open when the engine is cold.

 

The sensor for it had gone bad.

I have an 87 Vette with 50k miles doing the same thing. Where is this 9th injector and the sensor located?
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  • 2 weeks later...

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