Vette won't start
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,008
Likes: 5
From: Greensburg PA
Vette won't start
I'm having a strange problem. I have a 1988 stock [basically] Automatic.
It runs good for having higher miles [130k] but it all of a sudden has problems. Ran it earlier today, came back to my house. I was outside listening to music thru the vette, after an hour i went to start it up. The car started quickly, then seemed to idle low. It's slowly idle from the normal 6-700 to 500, then 400, then 300. I hit the gas and it stalled. Tried it 2 more times. The car started, but gradually died. Every time I'd hit the gas the car would lose rev's and want to stall.
I wanted to make sure it had gas because my gauge is wacky, put gas in it, went ot start it. It seemed like it wanted to catch, but didn't. tried 2 more times, and it didn't even feel like it would catch.
Anyone have an idea?
It runs good for having higher miles [130k] but it all of a sudden has problems. Ran it earlier today, came back to my house. I was outside listening to music thru the vette, after an hour i went to start it up. The car started quickly, then seemed to idle low. It's slowly idle from the normal 6-700 to 500, then 400, then 300. I hit the gas and it stalled. Tried it 2 more times. The car started, but gradually died. Every time I'd hit the gas the car would lose rev's and want to stall.
I wanted to make sure it had gas because my gauge is wacky, put gas in it, went ot start it. It seemed like it wanted to catch, but didn't. tried 2 more times, and it didn't even feel like it would catch.
Anyone have an idea?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,135
Likes: 0
From: Sebastian Florida
St. Jude Donor '06
Sounds like it is not getting any gas and a classic example of a fuel pump failure.
Turn the key to 'ON' and listen for the fuel pump, should run about 2 seconds, do not start the car.
If you do not hear the FP, you rs is dead. Lucky yours happened at home, mine happened on the way to work in rush hour.
Turn the key to 'ON' and listen for the fuel pump, should run about 2 seconds, do not start the car.
If you do not hear the FP, you rs is dead. Lucky yours happened at home, mine happened on the way to work in rush hour.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
Put a fuel pressure gauge on the shrader valve on the end of the right fuel runner and see if you get 35-42 psi of fuel pressure and see if it holds up for a long time after the key is turned off. The fuel pump comes on for 2 seconds and shuts off and will come back on if the ECM receives reference pulses from the distributor or the oil pressure switch sees 4 psi or higher pressure.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,316
Likes: 246
From: Summerland B.C. Canada
With both 
