1985 Corvette Engine Stalls
Thread Starter
3rd Gear
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: Graham Wa
1985 Corvette Engine Stalls
My 1985 Covette stalls when I turn left.It only happens at running temp and only the engine dies.Electrical is not interupted.Then you have to wait about 15 minutes before it will restart.I just bought the car about a year ago.Has anyone ever experienced this?
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 10,036
Likes: 346
From: Anaheim CA
That's an interesting problem...
In a situation like this you need to fall back to the basics: fuel and spark. One of those is going away when you turn left.
I recommend connecting a fuel pressure gauge to the fuel rail and mounting it so you can see it from the driver's seat. I like to tape stuff to my windshield wipers for a test like this. Check the pressure while turning left. Maybe you could do donuts in a parking lot... ;-)
Checking spark while driving is a little more difficult... My first attempt would be to disconnect the timing connector next to the brake booster (tan wire with black stripe). That will bypass the spark control from the ECM. Your timing will be stuck at 6 degrees, but at least you could eliminate the ECM and associated wiring, etc.
DON'T DO BOTH OF THESE AT THE SAME TIME!!!!!!! One of the most basic rules of troubleshooting is to change ONE thing at a time and see what happens. If you change multiple things then you can't be sure which one fixed/modified the problem. The same rule applies when replacing parts in an attempt to fix a problem. ONE at a time.
In a situation like this you need to fall back to the basics: fuel and spark. One of those is going away when you turn left.
I recommend connecting a fuel pressure gauge to the fuel rail and mounting it so you can see it from the driver's seat. I like to tape stuff to my windshield wipers for a test like this. Check the pressure while turning left. Maybe you could do donuts in a parking lot... ;-)
Checking spark while driving is a little more difficult... My first attempt would be to disconnect the timing connector next to the brake booster (tan wire with black stripe). That will bypass the spark control from the ECM. Your timing will be stuck at 6 degrees, but at least you could eliminate the ECM and associated wiring, etc.
DON'T DO BOTH OF THESE AT THE SAME TIME!!!!!!! One of the most basic rules of troubleshooting is to change ONE thing at a time and see what happens. If you change multiple things then you can't be sure which one fixed/modified the problem. The same rule applies when replacing parts in an attempt to fix a problem. ONE at a time.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,660
Likes: 22
Whats the fuel level when this happens?
Low fuel levels are often responsible for windage issues in Vettes...There is a way to end the problem if windage is causing it to stall..
Look INSIDE the distributer...The wires to the module inside the cap are very EASY to get pinched and break the insulation. As you make a turn it can ground and kill the ign. The module heats up...won;t fire again till it cools off. Seen it, done that, been there.
Idle the engine and reach back behind the dist and grab the wire harness and wiggle it around...see if that duplicates the stalling. Do the same with other harness under the hood. Look closely at the bulkhead seal behind the passenger side valve cover.
While you teast drive with the fuel pressure gauge, IF it drops pressure in the turn, then the windage/starvation is the problem. If it maintains pressure and the eng stalls as if the ign were cut, proceed to the dist and ign wires.
Low fuel levels are often responsible for windage issues in Vettes...There is a way to end the problem if windage is causing it to stall..
Look INSIDE the distributer...The wires to the module inside the cap are very EASY to get pinched and break the insulation. As you make a turn it can ground and kill the ign. The module heats up...won;t fire again till it cools off. Seen it, done that, been there.
Idle the engine and reach back behind the dist and grab the wire harness and wiggle it around...see if that duplicates the stalling. Do the same with other harness under the hood. Look closely at the bulkhead seal behind the passenger side valve cover.
While you teast drive with the fuel pressure gauge, IF it drops pressure in the turn, then the windage/starvation is the problem. If it maintains pressure and the eng stalls as if the ign were cut, proceed to the dist and ign wires.
