C4 Tech/Performance L98 Corvette and LT1 Corvette Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine

Car idles terribly

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Old Aug 22, 2004 | 07:34 PM
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Default Car idles terribly

I'm posting for my brother-in-law who owns a '90 Vette, 6-speed. While driving home today from a Vette show, it started "stumbling" and eventually would not run under its own power. We pulled over and it would not start....just turns over. After about 15 minutes it started but acted like it was running on about 1 cylinder. It's a 6-speed and there was not even enough power to move the car. It acts like it is starving for fuel and there is a LOT of whining noise as if it is really trying to suck in air. We checked all the obvious, vacumn lines, plug wires, clogged filter, but everything seemed okay. We ended up having it flat-bedded to his house.

I'm thinking a clogged fuel filter? If so, do you guys know where it is located on a '90 C4? (He recently had 4 of the fuel injectors replaced.) I have a C5 so I'm not too familiar with the C4's.

Sorry for the long post but he is really worried. Thanks in advance for your help guys.
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Old Aug 22, 2004 | 08:05 PM
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There are two fuel filters. A send and a return.
I hope that is all it is.
I forget the exact location but I think they are under the car.
I am sure someone else will chime in.
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Old Aug 22, 2004 | 08:43 PM
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Originally Posted by 87 rag
There are two fuel filters. A send and a return.
I hope that is all it is.
I forget the exact location but I think they are under the car.
I am sure someone else will chime in.
Thanks. I knew there are 2 on the C5's but wasn't sure about the C4's.

Anyone know the location of the two fuel filters and how hard they are to change?
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Old Aug 22, 2004 | 08:47 PM
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I no one of the filters are under the right fender pass side took me about 45min to change.
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Old Aug 22, 2004 | 09:04 PM
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Pull the connector to the MAF. See if it will start. Then see if you can drive it. Pull the codes. If you have a relay code, replace both relays. Clear the codes and drive again, then check codes again.

If nothing else, this is a good starting point.

-JRC-
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Old Aug 23, 2004 | 10:57 AM
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My 91 has an in-line filter behind the right wheel up on the frame, and a sock on the bottom of the fuel pump - that's it.
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Old Aug 23, 2004 | 11:49 AM
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Originally Posted by 87 rag
There are two fuel filters. A send and a return.
I hope that is all it is.
I forget the exact location but I think they are under the car.
I am sure someone else will chime in.
Are you sure about that, my '88 only has one that I know of: a 'send' underneath the passenger seat area.
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Old Aug 23, 2004 | 11:51 AM
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That happened to me, it was a bad wire.
I saw a spark jumping around a wire & changed it--back to normal.
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Old Aug 23, 2004 | 12:04 PM
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from your brief description it *sounds* like a fuel problem.

be systematic in looking for the cause. i'd check codes and fuel pressure first, then take it from there. since the injectors have been recently replaced, check the wiring too.

after fuel, i'd check ignition wires, plugs, and distributor as Wayne88 suggests.
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Old Aug 23, 2004 | 12:27 PM
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Originally Posted by Old182
My 91 has an in-line filter behind the right wheel up on the frame, and a sock on the bottom of the fuel pump - that's it.
My '96 is the same. I would start by pulling the codes. It has to have set at least one.
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Old Aug 23, 2004 | 01:31 PM
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it could have also been thrown into "limp home" mode by the ECM. as previously stated, check for codes.
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Old Aug 23, 2004 | 03:33 PM
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Originally Posted by Wayne88
Are you sure about that, my '88 only has one that I know of: a 'send' underneath the passenger seat area.
I believe the other one is a 'sock' type filter near the pump itself, right?
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Old Aug 23, 2004 | 10:19 PM
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Many thanks C4 guys. I do believe it is a fuel problem. Bear with me for a sec...no messages are being displayed on the DIC (I assume a '90 would give some warning?). So, how does he check for thrown codes? I know how to do this on my C5, but not a C4.

Again, many thanks guys.
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