Help with a 1984 CFI that doesn't run! :)
I went out to the garage, not wanting to give up, and removed spark plug one. I got the piston #1 to TDC... I did it extremely slowly, and sure enough the harmonic balancer indicator was dead on 0.
I immediately oriented the distributor, marked where spark plug 1 (post) would be, and then hassled for like 10 minutes to get the rotor to point directly on it and got it perfectly lined up.
Ok... just went back outside again and tested a couple of things. I turned the key and quickly went around and put a 9v on the injector (tested both of them) and I get a SUBSTANTIAL spray.
So, I have a noid light, so I just hooked that up to the injector cable, and I get NOTHING when cranking... nothing at all. ECM still says the same two codes, 34 and 42.
I'm thinking my ECM may be bad? Thoughts?
Ok, I am a tard. I really am... I've been working on this thing all day and I'm exhausted. I went back outside because it occurred to me that I may not have plugged back in the distributor coil and power harness. Yup... nothing was plugged into it, so the ECM wasn't getting a reference. I plugged it back in, and the car started right up. Here's the problem... it now starts immediately, plenty of fuel, lots of spark, runs very smooth... but it dies after about 8 seconds of running. It tries to keep it going, but it just doesn't do it... it chokes out. I start it again, and does the same thing... runs for about 6-8, and then dies.
Kind of at a loss at this point.
Last edited by 82-T/A; Jun 6, 2026 at 08:57 PM.
I went out to the garage, not wanting to give up, and removed spark plug one. I got the piston #1 to TDC... I did it extremely slowly, and sure enough the harmonic balancer indicator was dead on 0.
I immediately oriented the distributor, marked where spark plug 1 (post) would be, and then hassled for like 10 minutes to get the rotor to point directly on it and got it perfectly lined up.
Ok... just went back outside again and tested a couple of things. I turned the key and quickly went around and put a 9v on the injector (tested both of them) and I get a SUBSTANTIAL spray.
So, I have a noid light, so I just hooked that up to the injector cable, and I get NOTHING when cranking... nothing at all. ECM still says the same two codes, 34 and 42.
I'm thinking my ECM may be bad? Thoughts?
Ok, I am a tard. I really am... I've been working on this thing all day and I'm exhausted. I went back outside because it occurred to me that I may not have plugged back in the distributor coil and power harness. Yup... nothing was plugged into it, so the ECM wasn't getting a reference. I plugged it back in, and the car started right up. Here's the problem... it now starts immediately, plenty of fuel, lots of spark, runs very smooth... but it dies after about 8 seconds of running. It tries to keep it going, but it just doesn't do it... it chokes out. I start it again, and does the same thing... runs for about 6-8, and then dies.
Kind of at a loss at this point.
Older style, notice plug connector style. This would be my preferred choice because the connector type is more period correct AND I'd rather have a sensor produced in the past than today!!!
New kit, again, notice the modern connector of the pigtail...it's cheaper, but will also have shipping costs.
Last edited by '78CorvetteS.A.; Yesterday at 05:28 AM.
I don't know... I don't think so. The one thing that concerns me is that I cannot get the fuel pump to run by providing power to the lead on the ALDL connector. I don't know why that is... it's possible the wiring was messed with, but I'm just not sure.
Older style, notice plug connector style. This would be my preferred choice because the connector type is more period correct AND I'd rather have a sensor produced in the past than today!!!
New kit, again, notice the modern connector of the pigtail...it's cheaper, but will also have shipping costs.
I can swap this out easy... I might as well buy a new one. I know the extra lead is ground, just hope this is really the problem. Thanks!
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I'm not convinced this is my problem though as I am not getting that error it says in the TSB. But I'll try anything at this point.
Also... my flywheel has some teeth missing, and I can hear it as it's spinning and grinding in one place. Looks like I'll have to drop the transmission at some point to put in a new flywheel. Hopefully removing the transmission isn't too much of a pain in the *** on this thing. Not a big deal, but definitely something I'll need to do long term.















