1987 Corvette Issues Cold Start
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 93
Likes: 15
From: Indiana
1987 Corvette Issues Cold Start
Hey all and happy holiday weekend!
I recently ran into a huge issue with my 1987 Corvette with about 100,000 miles. Right now when I try to start the car from cold it will start right up and then sputter out and die. If I feather the throttle it will eventually get going and find idle. Once it gets up to temp it will idle and run fine. Before then, it hesitates on acceleration and doesn’t want to move. I’ve recently replaced MAF, IACV and TPS. This has been going on for about 2 weeks and I can’t figure out what’s wrong. There are a lot of posts out there about idle issues but they all reference different things and I can’t find one with the same symptoms as mine. I don’t want to start changing parts without knowing what’s wrong or what’s bad.
Does anyone know what I should check first? Any sensors I could check or wires to trace? If anyone has had the same symptoms before or knows what it could be it would be greatly appreciated. I just need a couple of suggestions as the first steps to get the ball rolling.
Thanks!
Will
I recently ran into a huge issue with my 1987 Corvette with about 100,000 miles. Right now when I try to start the car from cold it will start right up and then sputter out and die. If I feather the throttle it will eventually get going and find idle. Once it gets up to temp it will idle and run fine. Before then, it hesitates on acceleration and doesn’t want to move. I’ve recently replaced MAF, IACV and TPS. This has been going on for about 2 weeks and I can’t figure out what’s wrong. There are a lot of posts out there about idle issues but they all reference different things and I can’t find one with the same symptoms as mine. I don’t want to start changing parts without knowing what’s wrong or what’s bad.
Does anyone know what I should check first? Any sensors I could check or wires to trace? If anyone has had the same symptoms before or knows what it could be it would be greatly appreciated. I just need a couple of suggestions as the first steps to get the ball rolling.
Thanks!
Will
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 93
Likes: 15
From: Indiana
I replaced my aftermarket with an OEM Bosch. Found it from an 88 and replaced the one that was in the car when I bought it. Also replaced the relays for the MAF. I haven’t considered O2 sensors but I don’t have a check engine light.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 336
Likes: 93
From: San Antonio TX
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 2,383
Likes: 385
From: Leland , North Carolina
Don't always get a CEL with a bad O2. Sometimes they are carboned up causing a poor running car. Happened to me a few times.It's an easy check and if old needs replaced anyway. There are many things that can cause your symptoms, check the easy things first.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 93
Likes: 15
From: Indiana
What would be considered easy things? I could do an O2 sensor, I’m mechanically capable, I just don’t know much about the sensor and electronic side of cars. If there’s a sensor that you could pin point to help me out I can replace it, I just don’t know how to diagnose it. It’s my daily driver so anything to get me back on the road, haha!
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 93
Likes: 15
From: Indiana
Found the issue I believe and I can’t believe I didn’t find it sooner. MAF went bad in the two weeks I had it on the car. Went out and tried to start it, died immediately. Disconnected the MAF sensor and it started right up and got to idle on a cold start. I’m going to be re-installing the old one without the burnoff circuit and finding out how to repair the OEM one. If anyone has any tips on how to recalibrate and “restore” the old one or some threads they’ve seen on corvette forum, if you could send them my way it would be a huge help.
A huge thanks to everyone who gave me tips on how to fix this issue, this forum always has a grand amount of informative members who help me get my car back to running normal. Again, thanks and have a great Memorial Day!
A huge thanks to everyone who gave me tips on how to fix this issue, this forum always has a grand amount of informative members who help me get my car back to running normal. Again, thanks and have a great Memorial Day!