The Camaro Club (UK)

Hi Chaps.

Well, I've just taken a test pilot out in my Camaro and now it's broke

He didn't really do anything wrong but his foot was heavy and he was only a child so I had to tell him to slow down or I'd clump him.

Anyway, driving back home after a motorway run it stalled. The tickover started getting lower and lower until it died. Then I was stuck. I got it started again after about 45 seconds and made it another mile home. Then left it for about 45 minutes, started it again and after a minute the same thing happened. The revs started dropping until it cut out completely. Waited another 20 seconds, got it started but the sequence re-occurred once more so I parked it up.

There's nothing leaking, no funny smells, water wasn't overly hot but the oil pressure was extremly low, just fractionally above the red marks. The oil is clean and the level is good though.

I don't know what to do now. The only American specialist around here I call John Wayne and he's ripped me off once before. I suppose I need an OBDC reader ? Bloody typical that it's happened today when I had 2 more chaps interested in it.

Has anyone got any thoughts on what this might be ? If I'm careful I can blip the throttle and keep the engine from dying sometimes. It stutters to pick up revs but once it does it's ok being held at between 2-3k rpm. I suspect that when it's cold again it might be ok but I'm far from being an expert. I just know I'm in lumbar if I can't find out what's wrong with it.

Help

_________________
1993 Chevrolet Camaro - Buck

Knight watchman,
Its always a bummer when things like this occur. I will touch on a couple of things and i will require
that you assist me in hope fully finding the problem. first i need to know year make and model of what we are dealing with. engine size and transmission.
last time the fuel filter was replaced?
current mileage
I know some camaros have a fuel pump that the pump voltage is affected by oil pressure. it is a safety to prevent engine damage in the event of an oil leak . unusually low pressure is not good
despite the fact she dies. but the oil pressure switch not sensing pressure can shut down the fuel pump.
So lets begin : Do you hear ticking as if the engine is low on oil ? if the engine is run and no pressure
due to no oil you will start to hear clatter . I understand your oil level is fine but if the oil pump is not making pressure you can have all the oil in the world it wont make a difference so once again, did you hear clatter as if the engine is being run extremely low on oil ?
Next you start the engine and shortly there after it dies out did you notice if you had oil pressure
building up in the gauge ? if no pressure build-up, pump fuel pump will die out as a result no oil pressure . if oil pressure is present possible bad sending unit. engine has oil pressure sending unit
does not allow voltage to fuel pump.

Fuel pump indications: get in the car roll up the windows shut off all items that make noise Heater,
Radio , sit in the driver seat and what you will listen for is the gas tank. The fuel pump is in the gas tank when you turn on the key ( dont crank the engine) just turn on the key till the dash lights come on. You should then hear an electric motor coming from the vicinity of the gas tank. this should be your fuel pump initially charging the fuel rail and injectors. MAKE SURE IT IS NOT YOUR ELECTRIC ANTENNA (radio off) .The fuel pump will come on for a few seconds and shut off. if you crank the engine for just a second you should once again hear the pump on for a couple of seconds and then stop.
Dont hear a fuel pump ? Pump should come on, no pump means no pressure, but it should come on for a second to charge the fuel rail and injectors . please let me know your findings and we go from there .....what is tickover ?
let me know
Cheers
Dave
P.S. Is the check engine light on ???????

Hi Dave

Many thanks for taking the time to reply, much appreciated.

As it turned out I left the car for a couple of hours and went back to it. It started and ran with no problems which is sort of good I suppose but I'm still curious to know what caused the problem in the first place. I went out for a quick spin and it ran just fine.

To give you more info. the car is a Z28 Jap import 5.7 V8 LT1 engine with 46k miles on the clock and auto trans. It's last service was last autumn where the engine oil, gearbox oil including both filters, new spark plugs, fuel filter, new serpentine belt and some other stuff was done.

I can only hear the fuel rail priming when I turn the key. It's difficult because I get 5 beeps from the car whenever I turn the key first time but I certainly don't hear a fuel pump noise from the rear. I would say it's working well most of the time because the car did run ok this evening.

I do think you might have cracked it though with the lack of oil pressure shutting down the fuel pump. It's a great safety device but a bit annoying to be honest. The engine just kind of petered down just as if it was running out of fuel. I stuck 20 quids worth of the good stuff in it earlier but the level was low previously so perhaps I dragged some of the crap from the tank through and it blocked the injectors ? I would have thought the filter should have handled this though. The check engine light did not come on at all at any time.

It must be the low oil pressure - perhaps if it lacks viscosity at high temperature then this could be it or like you say, the sending unit is up the spout ?

I'll keep you posted.

Cheers


Tony

_________________
1993 Chevrolet Camaro - Buck

Tony,
Ok You will have to school me , What is a jap import ?? that 5.7 lt1 sounds like a vette motor ?!?!?!!?
Does it have the distributor cap situated behind the water pump ?? I have done these before , in the early years they forgot to vent the distributor and the condensation used to corrode the entire distributor cap innerds when you took it apart, it was amazing it ran ! When you replace it ( $$$$$)
it comes with a vented unit you cant buy the non vented crap any longer.
No check engine light usually is indicative that the (computer) portion of the engine is fine. there is no codes meaning all is well with the computer . It cannot tell you about a spun bearing or a dying fuel pump (it comes in the form of a lean code) but if it is as you say then you may consider replacing the oil pressure sender , it can mess up in the form of not giving continuity ( fuel dying out) or inaccurate gauge readings. It will usually have three terminals and its located at the back of the intake manifold.
The fuel pump in the tank has a kind of nylon sock at the end where it draws fuel from.
(one should avoid fuel additives that have properties that break down nylon/plastic)
this sock will usually keep debris out of the pump and fuel pressure heads for the filter
, its pretty clean (no debris) by the time the injectors have at it.
One other thing, bear in mind that although 46.000 miles is in fact low miles AGE is also a factor
if your car is a 1996 with 46000 miles on it, ITS 13 YEARS OLD ! hoses look good but they are 13 !!
remember to keep up with it ! there beautiful but dont let them rule you,you rule them !
Nothing SUCKS more than bein broke down and its a beautiful car that let ya down !
Take care tony hope all works out !!!
regards
Dave
P.s : this sender can be affected by the improper weight oil !!! check the owners manual !!!!

Thanks again Dave, that's really very helpful.

The car is a 95, built in Canada, exported to Japan and came to England about 2-3 years ago (Japanese import).

It does share the same lump with the Corvette C4 of the same era I'm led to beleive. I'll check the cap and rotor arm for rust. I changed one a few months ago on an 89 Firebird and it was really a surprise that it ran at all. Contacts were completely corroded.

I don't use additives anyway but I do use the higher octane fuel just because I think it would burn cleaner. I don't drive enough miles to make it hurt my wallet too much.

I think it might be time then for an oil and filter change and renew the oil pressure switch aswell. The engine oil has only done about 1500 miles and it's still golden so if it's the wrong weight.........

All the best mate.


Tony

_________________
1993 Chevrolet Camaro - Buck