please help!!!

[2001convcamaro]

Hi Guys!

I am having problems with my 2001 3.8 camaro. When I leave it running in park it turns off in about 3-4 minutes. I can run it all day but if I leave it in park it will start hesitating and die. I took it into the shop and they told me that it might be the fuel pump. I payed for them to replace it and it turned out not to be it. I then replaced the fuel filter but it is not it either.
When the car dies I can start it but it runs bad. And then a harsh gas smell comes out the tail pipes. It then triggers a code but the code does not show up on anyones scanner. I am just out of tricks here. I changed just about everything I could change here. I put the good iridium spark plugs, MSD wires, fuel pump, fuel filter. Please help!

Ernest

[Hypsi87]

Originally Posted by 2001convcamaro

Hi Guys!

I am having problems with my 2001 3.8 camaro. When I leave it running in park it turns off in about 3-4 minutes. I can run it all day but if I leave it in park it will start hesitating and die. I took it into the shop and they told me that it might be the fuel pump. I payed for them to replace it and it turned out not to be it. I then replaced the fuel filter but it is not it either.
When the car dies I can start it but it runs bad. And then a harsh gas smell comes out the tail pipes. It then triggers a code but the code does not show up on anyones scanner. I am just out of tricks here. I changed just about everything I could change here. I put the good iridium spark plugs, MSD wires, fuel pump, fuel filter. Please help!

Ernest

Iwould check your 02 sensors. they might be bad.

[Vlad_Tepes]

or your TPS as well

[2001convcamaro]

I will check my o2 sensors tomorrow!

[1992RS]

How does the engine idle?? Is it rough? Low? high?? or what? Could be a number of things. I would check the o2 and TPS like these guys said as well as check how your motor is idleing. Check the MAF sensor also. Anything that helps your computer determan how much gas to put in the motor. My guess is that your getting to much gas and not enough air, that's why your smelling gas after you start it back up.

[89IROC&RS]

yeah, sounds like for some reason its running rich and drowning the engine. its odd that the code isnt in anyones scanner, how do you know a code is being set? is your check engine light coming on??? cuz when a code sets, it gets stored in the computers memory, you have to check the DTC history to find it. its right under current DTC list in the scanner. if the check engine light comes on, and there are no codes, you might have a bad PCM. as far as the park situation. it could be a computer glitch, or it could be a trans problem. my guess is that its the PCM. but i would definatley do a bit of looking before jumping to that conclution.

[2001convcamaro]

Thank you Guys!

I bought some fuel injector cleaner the consentrated kind and it worked perfect. I guess my injectors where dirty. I am not sure what the problem was but I am happy as a lark. I appreciate your time!!!


Ernest Morse

[Genopsyde]

weird

[Hypsi87]

Originally Posted by Genopsyde

weird

He could of had an injector stuck open. I have herd of this happening but not too often.

[89IROC&RS]

eh it happens, thats why regular mantanence of your car is important, not just when it dies, have you tuned up your car lately????

[top_down_camaro]

I'm having a simular problem with my 91RS but has gotten worse.
Mine started when I drove from Arkansas to Nashville Tn. I was about 5 hrs into the trip when i notice my Idle shot up wile on the freeway, seemed like i had the cruz on when I took my foot off the gas and sputterd for a split second when accelerated. When i stopped for fuel, My Idle was high, infact when I pulled up to the gas station it finaly came back down then it died before i could get it in park, i was about 30 min out from Nashville. When i filled up, the car wouldnt start. I let it sit for about 10 min and it finaly started but i had to put my foot into it, it was nasty and very rich smelling. Once i arrived to Nashville,I let it idle in the drive and it would die after 3-4 min so I changed the plugs,wires,cap,roter and tested TPS, there was no resistance what so ever so I replaced that as well, Now the only way I could get it to start was holding the butterflys open with a screwdriver, once it would run, i removed the screwdriver and killed the engine, it would start back up without opening the butterflys but it now idles at 35K and burns extreamly rich. I thought maybe the new was bad but tested it with an OEM meter and the resistance is fine. I pulled the IAC and tested the resistance as well and its inbetween the limmits as specified. The funny thing is it never blew any codes until i tuned it up (code 23 and code 15) but now i have replaced the TPS, It doesnt blow any codes ( after i cleared the history) Any idea's?

91 Camaro RS Convertable
5.0 Throttlebody

[hot_red_z28]

I was goign to say that he prolly has a clogged cat. The hotter a clogged cat gets, the more pressure it builds in the Y-pipe, eventually choking the engine...

[89IROC&RS]

sounds also like it could be a bad PCM. dunno if there is a code for that off the top of my head. PCM is the Powertrain Control Module. controls fuel, spark, idle speed, IAC valve, everything. so if that goes, it would explain your erratic stalling, then high idle, then rich, then lean. cat is very likely. oh and do NOT press the gas down when trying to start the car, its not carburated, gassing it wont help, and it might even confuse the computer, and over richen the mix, or cause the TPS to fail (sound familiar). but yeah, its definately an electrical problem of some sort, and i would be leaning towards a failed PCM.