'86 Trans Am - Numerous problems

ok, so theres that speedometer problem ive been having, which i can fix easily. i tried to fix that last night but more and more problems arose. first i broke the threads on the speedometer gears. i didnt know they were plastic. so i have to get new speedometer gears down by the transmission. but thats not really a problem.

but the real problem is the fact that my car can't go faster than 20 mph because the car bogs down and almost stalls when the rpms get up to 1500. it cant accelerate past that. im thinking it is probably related to the speedometer problem as the computer is fucked up but worst case scenario is the transmission is gone or the clutch is screwed up. when the problem got really bad i tried going through the gears manually (its an auto tranny btw) by starting off in first then pushing the shifter into second then third. but each time when the rpms got to 1500 it would start to bog down again. i think now that it is probably the carburetor that is screwed up.

any suggestions on what could be happening?

replace the fuel filter for starters. There is usually one that sits inside the carb (rochester), remove the fuel feed line from the carb, then remove that fitting from the carb, the filter is in there. Most people don't know about that little filter and it never gets changed.

replace the fuel filter for starters. There is usually one that sits inside the carb (rochester), remove the fuel feed line from the carb, then remove that fitting from the carb, the filter is in there. Most people don't know about that little filter and it never gets changed.

that was actually one of the first things i tried to fix. i changed the fuel filter about a month ago and it didnt help anything. when the car really got bad last week i actually took the fuel filter off to make sure the filter wasnt clogged. i guess the next step would be to change the fuel like since it got crimped up a little bit when i first changed the fuel filter. but it wasnt running bad when it first happened, it started going bad later on. i have a good feeling that the carbeurator is messed up, either the accelerator pump or the choke. if the carbeurator is messed up then i will just have to get it rebuilt. once i get my bike though, if the problem is with the carbeurator then i will probably just get an edelbrock carb and new manifold.

any other suggestions Morley? seems like you are the resident mechanic here.

New /rebuilt carb seems to the the next step. Either your float isn't letting in enough fuel or it is letting in too much.
Be aware that if you have the stock carb, it is computer controlled and if you replace it with a non computer controlled carb, you are going to have problems with the ECM. For the cost of a rebuilt Rochester computer controlled carb you could almost convert to TPI.

New /rebuilt carb seems to the the next step. Either your float isn't letting in enough fuel or it is letting in too much.
Be aware that if you have the stock carb, it is computer controlled and if you replace it with a non computer controlled carb, you are going to have problems with the ECM. For the cost of a rebuilt Rochester computer controlled carb you could almost convert to TPI.

yeah i really wish my carb wasnt computer controlled. can you explain a little more about that last part there, about the Rochester thing?

i have to take out the speedometer gears to find out what color they are and how many teeth it has for a dealership to order the part. any advice on how to get it out? there isnt a good spot to pry it off with, and pieces of it just chip off if i try to dig in and get leverage. any advice?

i have to take out the speedometer gears to find out what color they are and how many teeth it has for a dealership to order the part. any advice on how to get it out? there isnt a good spot to pry it off with, and pieces of it just chip off if i try to dig in and get leverage. any advice?
ACK! Don't pry it off! There is a Y shaped retainer holding the speedo gear cover onto the transmission and the cover has an O ring to seal it in the trans. Remove the Y retainer with the cable still screwed onto the retainer. Gently rock and pull on the cable housing until the speedo gear cover comes off. Now you should be able to remove the gear with your fingers.

ACK! Don't pry it off! There is a Y shaped retainer holding the speedo gear cover onto the transmission and the cover has an O ring to seal it in the trans. Remove the Y retainer with the cable still screwed onto the retainer. Gently rock and pull on the cable housing until the speedo gear cover comes off. Now you should be able to remove the gear with your fingers.

haha, i didnt have the retainer still on there when i was trying to get it off. and i couldnt have the cable still screwed onto the cover because the threads broke off. i got it off this morning though. it was actually pretty simple. i was trying to pull it out but couldnt get leverage. so i put vice grips on it and twisted and it came right off, and then about a quart of tranny fluid poured out all over me. but at least now i know i dont need the gear, i just need the cover.

now i just need to know what is going on with the carb and my car will be back on the road.

Don't know your exact situation, but on my brothers 82 firebird (305 rochester 4bbl) we turned the air cleaner lid over to create a gap between the lid and the base for more air and the thing would run fine until you got on it, then it would about quit and all kinds of black smoke would pour out the exhaust. Turns out the lid in it's upside down state was so close to the bowl vent it created a siphon drawing raw fuel down the venturis. Flipped the lid back over and problem solved. Took awhile to figure that one out.

Completely rebuilding an E4ME should cost about $30 - $40 if you get a new float. If you need a new TPS or MC solenoid, the cost will increment accordingly.

Changing backward to a non-feedback carb is just lazy, and will cost you both power and fuel mileage. Properly adjusted, the E4ME will meter fuel to meet even current emission standards, provide the daily driveabilty of an EFI system, and feed almost 800 SCFM with plenty of power enrichment. You'd be hard-pressed to find another carburetor which can claim that. The problem is that the majority of people get challenged when it comes to the "properly adjusted" part, despite volume which have been printed on the subject.

Completely rebuilding an E4ME should cost about $30 - $40 if you get a new float. If you need a new TPS or MC solenoid, the cost will increment accordingly.

Changing backward to a non-feedback carb is just lazy, and will cost you both power and fuel mileage. Properly adjusted, the E4ME will meter fuel to meet even current emission standards, provide the daily driveabilty of an EFI system, and feed almost 800 SCFM with plenty of power enrichment. You'd be hard-pressed to find another carburetor which can claim that. The problem is that the majority of people get challenged when it comes to the "properly adjusted" part, despite volume which have been printed on the subject.

well thats good news. i got a new speedo gear cover, where the cable threads on to because the old one broke when i was tightening it.:banghead: only 2 bucks from a junk yard, only i had to sand down the spindle of the speedo gear and bore out the cover a little. it was pretty hard getting the cover back in place. but as far as i know its in there right, i'll find out later i guess. tonight im going out to get more tranny fluid and im going to adjust the top end of the speedo cable, i cut it too long and crimped the end on. hopefully then the speedometer will work right and after i disconnect the battery for a while i hope the mixture problem was computer related instead of the carb being screwed up.

next thing to fix on my car is the carbeurator. idling it is fine, but when i go to accelerate the rpms drop and the car is barely running, like no air is getting in. then when i let off the pedal rpms jump back to normal. any idea on what the problem is?

next thing to fix on my car is the carbeurator. idling it is fine, but when i go to accelerate the rpms drop and the car is barely running, like no air is getting in. then when i let off the pedal rpms jump back to normal. any idea on what the problem is?
Accelerator pump is the first thing that comes to mind.

Accelerator pump is the first thing that comes to mind.
to fix that would basically take a rebuild right? not a quick fix?

i tried running my car on the road just to see if i can get a better description of what is going on. first when i start the car it seems like everything is working fine. i took off the air cleaner assembly so i could see the carb, and when i stepped on the gas lightly the choke would open up a little, and if i stepped on the gas more the big flaps opened and it sounded like everything was running fine. in park everything is working ok, but when i go in reverse to get it out of the garage thats when the problem always arises. i step on the gas lightly and its ok but once those big flaps open the car seems like its shutting off. the longer i keep my foot on the gas the lower the rpms go, and when i let off the gas it jumps back to life. the only way i can accelerate is to tap the gas like crazy. so when i get the car back in the garage and put it in park, the problem is still there which i find strange because before when it was in park it was fine. is this a better description to base a diagnosis off of?

oh, but the speedometer is finally fixed, but now the tach, the volt meter, and the fuel gauge are fucked up. go figure. and the choke light is always on, but im not sure if that is because the choke is messed up or because the gauges are messed up.

i just called a mechanic and he said that it doesnt necessarily sound like the accelerator pump and it might just be the fuel line is clogged up or the fuel pump is going bad. is there any validity to his diagnosis?

If the choke light is always on and the choke butterflys are closed after the car is warmed up..the choke is FUBAR.
The accelerator pump can be replaced without a complete rebuild.

If the choke light is always on and the choke butterflys are closed after the car is warmed up..the choke is FUBAR.
The accelerator pump can be replaced without a complete rebuild.
the choke is closed when the car starts, and opens when i push the gas a little, and when it warms up the choke opens up all the way. i dont think the problem is with the choke. the air seems to be going in perfectly fine, i think the problem is with the fuel flow. either too little or too much. i dont know if its normal, but when i had my car in the garage after i ran it on the road, when i held the gas down to see how far the rps would drop i saw what i think was a few drops of gas come out of the 4 barrel. is that normal?

when i held the gas down to see how far the rps would drop i saw what i think was a few drops of gas come out of the 4 barrel. is that normal?
That should be normal. Try holding the secondary's butterflys open and while looking down in the carb, operate the throttle and watch for gas being sprayed down into the carb. There should be a heafty "shot" of gas. If there isn't, the accelerator pump probably has a hole in it and needs to be replaced. The pump is what fives you the extra gas (in 1 big shot) for accelerating. Without that extra shot of gas the engine will fall flat on its face when trying to accelerate.

That should be normal. Try holding the secondary's butterflys open and while looking down in the carb, operate the throttle and watch for gas being sprayed down into the carb. There should be a heafty "shot" of gas. If there isn't, the accelerator pump probably has a hole in it and needs to be replaced. The pump is what fives you the extra gas (in 1 big shot) for accelerating. Without that extra shot of gas the engine will fall flat on its face when trying to accelerate.
when the car is off and i lift the accelerator pump lever i hear gas being shot into the carberuator so i dont think its bad. im thinking more now than ever that it is the fuel pump. i just hope it isnt too much of a hassle to get it replaced.

when the car is off and i lift the accelerator pump lever i hear gas being shot into the carberuator so i dont think its bad. im thinking more now than ever that it is the fuel pump. i just hope it isnt too much of a hassle to get it replaced.
It is a mechanical pump bolted onto the side of the block, piece-o-cake to change.

It is a mechanical pump bolted onto the side of the block, piece-o-cake to change.

yeah it seems like it, thank god for mechanical fuel pumps. the alternative sucks, an expensive pump and a hell of a time to fix. i got my fuel pump today for 15 bucks at pep boys which was great, only i forgot to get a gasket and a strainer if i really need one. is a strainer necessary?

yeah it seems like it, thank god for mechanical fuel pumps. the alternative sucks, an expensive pump and a hell of a time to fix. i got my fuel pump today for 15 bucks at pep boys which was great, only i forgot to get a gasket and a strainer if i really need one. is a strainer necessary?
Never seen a strainer on a mechanical pump, only on the in tank electric pumps.
The in tank pumps aren't expensive, just a pain to drop the tank to change them.

ive got the old fuel pump off, and i tried to install the new one but the push rod isnt in the retracted position. how do i get it in the retracted position? i took off the distributer cap and cranked the ignition numerous times but the pushrod wont move. what do i do?

knowing my luck when im done installing the new fuel pump, that wouldnt have been the problem and it was the accelerator pump. thats just how optimistic i am about my damn car right now.

turn the engine over by hand. The pump's pushrod rides on an ecentric built into the camshaft, you need to turn the engine slowly and push in on the push rod at the same time to fnd the "retracted" position.

turn the engine over by hand. The pump's pushrod rides on an ecentric built into the camshaft, you need to turn the engine slowly and push in on the push rod at the same time to fnd the "retracted" position.
ok, how do you turn the engine over by hand?

ok, how do you turn the engine over by hand?
5/8" 1/2" drive deep socket with half inch ratchet on the harmonic balancer bolt. turn clockwise (tightening the bolt)

im screwed. yesterday when my dad was working on it when i was at work he tried tapping the push rod in farther, and now we cant get it out. weve been tapping it in farther to see if it will go in to where its supposed to be after cranking the engine but we cant get it all the way. i really want to get it out but the only way to get the push rod to move backwards is to actually start the engine for a second after weve tapped it up as far as it can go. i have a feeling weve really screwed ourselves by forcing it up, but that is really my dad's mistake because hes the one that seized it in the first place. any suggestions on how to get the push rod out or any suggestions on what we should be doing?

i have a good feeling that the pushrod is getting bent from us tapping on it and since we cant get it out, i thought that maybe i could drill into the rod and thread something into it so i could at least get it out, then just buy a new pushrod. im really getting sick of this car, nothing is going right with it. and with my luck i will finally get the fuel pump fixed and that wasnt the problem. i cant wait to get my motorcycle.

Keep turning the engine over and see if it will dislodge. Then replace it.
Once the rod is free and replaced, coat it with some heavy grease before pushing it up. If it still won't stay up, there is a threaded bolt hole on the front of the engine in line with the rod. It may or may not have an accessory mounted to it but it will have a bolt in it. Use a longer bolt and FINGER tighten it while holding the rod up. The bolt will contact the rod and hold it up. Make sure you replace the original bolt when you have the pump installed

Also, make sure thet the previous owner didn't stick a bolt in there that was/is too long and has trapped the pushrod. The pushrod shouldn't stay up on its own like you describe.

Keep turning the engine over and see if it will dislodge. Then replace it.
Once the rod is free and replaced, coat it with some heavy grease before pushing it up. If it still won't stay up, there is a threaded bolt hole on the front of the engine in line with the rod. It may or may not have an accessory mounted to it but it will have a bolt in it. Use a longer bolt and FINGER tighten it while holding the rod up. The bolt will contact the rod and hold it up. Make sure you replace the original bolt when you have the pump installed

Also, make sure thet the previous owner didn't stick a bolt in there that was/is too long and has trapped the pushrod. The pushrod shouldn't stay up on its own like you describe.
ive turned the engine over a bunch of times and it still wont come out. i think im going to try and drill something into the rod and pull it out that way. i really cant think of a reason why it is stuck. it is really aggravating. any suggestions on getting the rod out? once i deal with that everything else should work fine.

ive turned the engine over a bunch of times and it still wont come out. i think im going to try and drill something into the rod and pull it out that way. i really cant think of a reason why it is stuck. it is really aggravating. any suggestions on getting the rod out? once i deal with that everything else should work fine.
Drilling the pushrod probably won't do any good since it is hollow and just has the ends pressed on.
Make sure the accessory bolt I mentioned above isn't too long and pinching the pushrod. If it is, that could have been your fuel delivery problem all along.

Drilling the pushrod probably won't do any good since it is hollow and just has the ends pressed on.
Make sure the accessory bolt I mentioned above isn't too long and pinching the pushrod. If it is, that could have been your fuel delivery problem all along.
where exactly is this accessory bolt? should i be able to get it out from underneath the car or from the top?

where exactly is this accessory bolt? should i be able to get it out from underneath the car or from the top?
Look at where the pushrod is and look forward of it, there should be a bolt head inline with the pushrod and you should be able to reach it from the top easily enough.