79 Sunbird Power issue.

[Murf87]

Hello all. I have a '79 Sunbird with a 305 V8 with electricity starter (Not Points). The issue I am having is when it takes a hill the car sputters, surges, sputters and sometime dies. I can keep the accelerator to the floor and it doesn't seem it help. So far I have check the Transmission, vacuum lines and distributor cap and it's still losing power. Does anyone have any ideas on what maybe causing it to just want to die?

[Tech II]

Well, Sunbird's don't come with V-8's....so this is something you have modified, along with the electronic ignition....

I assume it starts and idles ok?

Gets up to speed on a flat ok? Shifts ok? This a three speed auto?

But it has a problem with hills?

Is this a problem that has just sprung up, or been there since the modification?

What happens if you lay into it from a dead stop? Does it accelerate ok, or does it bog down?

[Murf87]

The 79 Sunbird hatchback did indeed come with a 305 V8 Stock, very few were made how ever. Yes it starts and idles fine, yes its a 3 seed auto, shifts ok gets up to speed just fine on level ground. It does accelerate very well from a stop it's jus taking hills the car has just recently had issues. On a side note, the car has been in my family since 1992 and only has 122,000 miles on it.

http://www.caaarguide.com/id440.html List of Sunbirds models from 78 to 80.

[Tech II]

Does it feel like a misfire?

Check coil output?

How old are the plugs and wire? Did you physically remove the distributor cap, and check the inside of the cap and also check the rotor?

Thanks for the site, never knew the Sunbird had a V-8 in it....

[Murf87]

Plugs and wires are about a year and a half to two years old. My dad gave me the car it was not running but that was 4 years ago. Yea we removed the distributor cap and checked a few things out on it all seems like its in good shape. Have not check coil out put as of yet. One think we do find odd is the fuel line is hot and someone has said it maybe vapor locking and when you hit the gas all it's getting in fumes. How do we check that for sure so we can either rule it out or see if it is indeed the problem?

[Tech II]

Does this have a mechanical or electrical fuel pump?

[Murf87]

Electrical fuel pump and it was replaced about 2, 2 and half years ago as well.

[5cornersmechanic]

if this originally had a mechanical fuel pump was the return line eliminated when the electrical fuel pump was installed?most 79's had a return on the fuel pump. old trick was a wooden cloths pin on fuel line next to carburetor . what kind of shape is the fuel filter in?

[Murf87]

We've tried that trick and it didn't work. From what my Dad told me about the car '79 was the first year they started to using the electrical fuel pump.

[Murf87]

It was a combo of both fuel filters. Car is running great now.