Jinx099

I'd like to say firstly that my '85 GSL has been a pretty reliable daily driver. However, whenever I start driving it "spiritedly", especially in the canyons around here and auto-x, it will sputter every once in a while but then come back to full life shortly after.

However, the last time I went driving in the canyon, I had stopped and shut the car off for a while. When I started it back up it ran fine for about 30 seconds, but then it sputtered again, but this time to a complete stall. After it stalled I was unable to get it started again. I even tried jump starting it. I pulled off one of the fuel lines to the carb and there was nothing in it. And yes, I had a full tank of gas, thanks. My only theory is that the fuel pump did not turn back on after I stried to start it again and it was running due to the fuel still in the carb.

The only other time it has stalled was basically the exact same situation. But I left it overnight and when I came back it started right back up both times.

What is going on here? Any advice? Like I said it never does this at all for daily driving... only when I drive it hard.

Oh yeah and the fuel filter was replaced about a year ago because it was sputtering in auto-x, but the filter did not help.

PT Ray

Trailing igniter. Had this happen to me a couple times. The last time was two years ago when I bought my SE. I had picked it up 6 hours away, and 5 hours after picking it up, it went out on me on the interstate. I had it towed 150 miles back home the next day and guess what, it started right up. The ironic thing is, after I narrowed it down to the igniter, I remembered the guy I bought the car from had given me an extra dizzy with two good igniters on it that was sitting in the back of the car the whole trip (dooh!). Since this igniter also feeds the techometer, it will cause the meter to go hay wire. That's what removes all doubt of it being he culprit. But if you don't have an extra igniter, make sure this is the cause being they are $150+.

Jinx099

hmmm, but what about there being no fuel in the fuel lines?

PT Ray

If you think it is being starved from fuel, you can always pull the main fuel line from the carb and aim it into an empty container. Bypass the fuel cut relay (refer to Haynes) and turn the key (without turning over the engine). The fuel should start coming out of the fuel line and into the container.

Rx7carl

It may be the fuel pump. I had this happen with the original (20 year old) pump. It would intermittently cut out once it heated up from running for a while. Drove me crazy trying to figure out what the problem was.

Jinx099

Yeah, that makes sense and I believe that is the problem. I went to checker to check prices of new fuel pumps. They said it depends.... if it's external its only $40, if it's internal its $140... what gives?

I thought it was internal, but that price seems way high for OEM.

mar3

iTrader: (8)

'85 GSL = external...

Jinx099

Thanks for the info, I was about to check in my Haynes!

FB II

i agree with trailing ignitor right now. this happened to me around when i first got mine. i tried different pumps, new wires, cap, etc... didnt understand. then robert at rotary shack sent me an ignitor and bam. the car cranked right up. but, start with the cheapest thing to check/ replace i guess. hahah that's what i used to do.