lt1 problems plz help

**trailblazer ssss** · 02-10-2010, 10:34 AM

ok well i just started working a friends 97 trans am lt1 an man does it have some problems lol...ok well heres whats been replaced since he has had it for a month now. starter twice,upper rad hose,thermostat,fan relay,spark plugs,1 coil pack,air filter,oil change,oil filter,crankshaft sensor,tires. i believe thats it. now when he bought the car he was told it has a flowmaster catback, an was bored to a 355 an has a small cam it,an a aftermarket fuel pump an gutted cats. the motor sounds stock to me but heres the problems. it has a manifold leak,an when starting the car when its dead cold it wont start when it does its rough,an then you can go drive it for about 30-50 minutes just cruising around an then all the sudden the car starts back firing alot an then has a gas smell sometimes an it dies. ok other times you can drive it for 2 hours an nothing but when you get back home kill it everytime an then try to start it back up it does nothing but turn over wont start till the motor is ice cold again. so can someone plz help i am completly stomped iam thinkn the fuel pump might be flooding it if the motor is stock like i think or the plugs are messed up or something i hope someone can help fast.

**bigrondownhiller** · 02-10-2010, 02:39 PM

To keep from throwing parts at it I would have someone with a good scanner check out the car. They can see real time data and help track down what is wrong. Is the check engine light on?

**chrisLT1** · 02-10-2010, 03:07 PM

sounds like the pump is weak

**trailblazer ssss** · 02-11-2010, 07:15 AM

yes the engine light is on an what pump......do you think his optispark could be bad..heres a video i did last night of him trying to start the car

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BDq_KFUpuE[/ame]

**bigrondownhiller** · 02-11-2010, 10:59 AM

Since the light is on I would scan it first. Did you check for spark at the plugs?

**gnomee** · 02-23-2010, 08:55 PM

Deffinetly could be an opti-spark issue. Scan it and see what the codes are!

**TwinTA** · 02-23-2010, 10:44 PM

Didnt say anything aboot injectors....My be stuck open...sounds like your getting plenty of spark

**97bluebird** · 02-24-2010, 06:08 PM

When you say it has a manifold leak, do you mean intake or exhaust? If it is the intake then it will cause the hard to start problem. To check the injectors simply pull the runners off with the injectors and harnesses still on, put a 13x9 cake pan under them and then turn the ignition switch to the run position. If they are leaking you will see it and the pan will catch the gas. Repeated attempts to start the car like that will cause the starter to overheat and burn out the drive. I would also say that there may be a problem with the opti. Believe it or not the opti can start to die and it won't throw a code.