Author Topic: 87 305 tbi dies when put into gear  (Read 8012 times)

Offline rthyssen

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87 305 tbi dies when put into gear
« on: January 18, 2011, 08:19:00 am »
i have an 87 chev 305 tbi 4x4 auto. it will start and idle ok and drive fine for about 2 mins when cold (live in wisconsin cold= 15 deg) but then starts to sputter and die. put it in N or Park and it will rev up just fine. put it in gear and it falls on its face. i have changed fuel filter, plugs, coil, wires, MAP sensor and checked the tps. i also checked the tightness of the throttle body bolts and checked all the vacuum lines. any help would be appericated. this is my plow truck and it snowed 8in in the last 3 days.

Offline topp

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Re: 87 305 tbi dies when put into gear
« Reply #1 on: January 18, 2011, 08:48:27 am »
Check your egr valve.
My '87 would do the same thing.  Turned out the egr was closing to slowly
'90 Suburban TBI 350

Offline rthyssen

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Re: 87 305 tbi dies when put into gear
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2011, 08:50:32 am »
thanxs will try that.

Offline VileZambonie

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Re: 87 305 tbi dies when put into gear
« Reply #3 on: January 18, 2011, 05:16:27 pm »
Check EGR sticking open, (usually sticking egr solenoid) as mentioned, tbi base gasket, fuel pump pressure, broken fuel pressure regulator.
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Offline rthyssen

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Re: 87 305 tbi dies when put into gear
« Reply #4 on: January 19, 2011, 09:52:54 am »
changed egr valve and solenoid and no luck. 

Offline rthyssen

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Re: 87 305 tbi dies when put into gear
« Reply #5 on: January 19, 2011, 11:51:17 am »
it will move in gear if you dont touch the throttle. is the best place to check the fuel pressue at the filter?

Offline Jim Rockford

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Re: 87 305 tbi dies when put into gear
« Reply #6 on: January 19, 2011, 09:14:05 pm »
so you are saying its idling too high in park and neutral? If so unplug your Coolant temp sensor next to the thermostat housing if it drops back down  the sensor is bad. common problem with TBI engines.
1973 k20 Camper special
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Offline rthyssen

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Re: 87 305 tbi dies when put into gear
« Reply #7 on: January 31, 2011, 01:12:53 pm »
unplugged the temp sensor with it idling and it died. anything else i can try?

Offline rthyssen

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Re: 87 305 tbi dies when put into gear
« Reply #8 on: January 31, 2011, 03:24:00 pm »
i feel like a real dummy. i have dual tanks. i switched to the other tank and it would just die. finally put a pressure guage on one tank 4psi the other one was empty!!! thats why when i swichted it would die. i had went to one tank a while back cause the other one has a leak at the seam. thought i left some gas in the other one. guage said 1/4 tank. put a hose on the full but bad feul pump tank. got the pump to pump out about a gallon. put that in the other tank and now it runs like a million bucks. thank you everyone for the help. guess you just cant help my stupidity. now this summer will pull both tanks replace pump in one and replace the other tank finally. anyone know a cheap place to find a tank? i can get a tank n straps for the local NAPA for $125 and a pump for $56.
« Last Edit: January 31, 2011, 08:23:19 pm by Captkaos »