Author Topic: 87 350 TBI starts but won't stay running.  (Read 8182 times)

Offline Quitefranklie

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 7
  • Newbie
87 350 TBI starts but won't stay running.
« on: March 22, 2015, 04:04:41 pm »
I have an 87 r10 350 5.7 with TBI. Two weeks ago I ran out of gas then filled up and again and everything was fine then while I was driving it started to sputter and die. I was able to get it running again. Then the same problem happened. I figured I must have pulled something up from the bottom of the tank into the filter. Replaced that. Still no dice. It'll start and stay running as long as I pour gas into it. Fuel pump is working. Not sure if it's putting out enough pressure though. Any ideas?

Offline Irish_Alley

  • Tim
  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 13333
  • Family is not an important thing. It's everything.
Re: 87 350 TBI starts but won't stay running.
« Reply #1 on: March 22, 2015, 05:31:05 pm »
are your injectors firing?
If you can’t tell yourself the truth, who can you tell it to?~Irish_Alley

When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth ~Sherlock Holmes

Offline Quitefranklie

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 7
  • Newbie
Re: 87 350 TBI starts but won't stay running.
« Reply #2 on: March 22, 2015, 05:55:41 pm »
are your injectors firing?

Yes they are.

Offline Irish_Alley

  • Tim
  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 13333
  • Family is not an important thing. It's everything.
Re: 87 350 TBI starts but won't stay running.
« Reply #3 on: March 22, 2015, 07:08:45 pm »
Is it cone shaped or dribble
If you can’t tell yourself the truth, who can you tell it to?~Irish_Alley

When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth ~Sherlock Holmes

Offline Quitefranklie

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 7
  • Newbie
Re: 87 350 TBI starts but won't stay running.
« Reply #4 on: March 22, 2015, 09:38:05 pm »
It's dribble.

Offline LTZ C20

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 3795
  • "I'm here for a good time" -George Strait
Re: 87 350 TBI starts but won't stay running.
« Reply #5 on: March 22, 2015, 11:45:28 pm »
The injectors should be spraying in a cone shaped pattern.
LTZ Cheyenne C20

Offline Quitefranklie

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 7
  • Newbie
Re: 87 350 TBI starts but won't stay running.
« Reply #6 on: March 22, 2015, 11:48:05 pm »
Okay. So can I replace just the injectors? Or do I need a whole new tbi?

Offline LTZ C20

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 3795
  • "I'm here for a good time" -George Strait
Re: 87 350 TBI starts but won't stay running.
« Reply #7 on: March 22, 2015, 11:59:54 pm »
First you need to determine if you have proper fuel pressure, that your regulator is working properly.
LTZ Cheyenne C20

Offline Quitefranklie

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 7
  • Newbie
Re: 87 350 TBI starts but won't stay running.
« Reply #8 on: March 23, 2015, 12:04:29 am »
.
First you need to determine if you have proper fuel pressure, that your regulator is working properly.

I'm going to test the pressure in the morning. How do I got about testing the regulator? Sorry I'm very new to this.

Offline LTZ C20

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 3795
  • "I'm here for a good time" -George Strait
Re: 87 350 TBI starts but won't stay running.
« Reply #9 on: March 23, 2015, 12:09:30 am »
Check in the manual for your year in the tech section on the regulator check. I'm not sure on that 1. Pressure should be 8-12 or 13. That should be in the manual also.
LTZ Cheyenne C20

Offline Irish_Alley

  • Tim
  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 13333
  • Family is not an important thing. It's everything.
Re: 87 350 TBI starts but won't stay running.
« Reply #10 on: March 23, 2015, 09:34:28 am »
Need to put a fuel pressure gauge on the supply line there's no spot made for one so you have to do it yourself. If you're getting proper pressure should be around 18
If you can’t tell yourself the truth, who can you tell it to?~Irish_Alley

When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth ~Sherlock Holmes

Offline LTZ C20

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 3795
  • "I'm here for a good time" -George Strait
Re: 87 350 TBI starts but won't stay running.
« Reply #11 on: March 23, 2015, 09:36:48 am »
Ok my bad. Pressures at 18 or so, not 8-13.
LTZ Cheyenne C20

Offline Irish_Alley

  • Tim
  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 13333
  • Family is not an important thing. It's everything.
Re: 87 350 TBI starts but won't stay running.
« Reply #12 on: March 23, 2015, 09:43:27 am »
a dribble is a sign of low fuel pressure. this can be caused by a weak pump, dirty fuel strainer (fuel sock) crap in the tbi or a dirty fuel filter. there also is a rubber fuel line in the tank that can crack and cause it to loose fuel pressure. but since it happened after you ran out of fuel i would think something is dirty but that could be just a coincidence.

are both injectors doing the dribble thing or just one?
If you can’t tell yourself the truth, who can you tell it to?~Irish_Alley

When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth ~Sherlock Holmes