1990 Chevy 360 engine RV van.Engine

I'm gonna guess the engine spits and misses and quits running.

My keyboard typed 360, actually it is 350 cubic engine (so he said) and he said it has about 90,000 miles on it.About three or four weeks ago, he knocked on my front door.He said he installed new spark plugs and a new fuel pump.All of the old vehicles I own have carburetors and all of the old vehicles I have owned before had carburetors on them.I have worked on my own old vehicles since back in the late 1950s, I know how to take old carburetors apart and soak the parts in carburetor cleaner and install new carburetor kits/parts.I don't know beans about throttle body and fuel injection.

Yep, the guy did say the engine spits and misses and quits running.I told him to spray some carburetor through the throttle body and see if that helps.He said he did do that, but it didn't help at all.Then I told him to spray a water mist on the vacuum lines and on the gaskets, if the engine picks up, maybe it has a vacuum leak somewhere, I don't know if he did that though.I am not going to buy an old van that doesn't run properly.I realize some throttle body engines can be converted to carburtors, I don't want to do that though. cuhulin

It's nearly impossible to diagnose something this vague over the 'net, but my gut tells me the first thing I would do is put a gauge on the fuel rail and measure the fuel pressure. Of course, if you do this in front of him and it turns out to indicate a problem, you may not have a lot of negotiating leverage any more.

Gage on a fuel rail? it's all Greek to me.My old 1978 Dodge van has a

318 engine and a two barrell carburetor.At sixty six years old, I am,,, I am too old a dog to learn any new tricks.I would like to find a similar Dodge van, but with manual shift transmission, no power steering and no power brakes.I can work on my old vehicles blind folded and keep them running just fine. cuhulin

Injection isn't all that complicated, ol' dog. ;) If you ask me, it's easier to service than carburetor stuff. And I ain't no spring chicken.

About an hour ago, was in my bathrooom.I saw he had the hood up on that

1990 Chevrolet RV van.I don't think I want to buy his troubles. cuhulin

A few weeks ago. I looked up new throtle bodys.For that van, they start out at about $303.00.Too much money for the amount of bread.Back to Memphis Belle on the AMC channel now. cuhulin

If you know how to deal with a computer controlled quadrajet you should be able to handle throttle body fuel injection.

I am still learning how to deal with my $1,440 dollar Velocity Micro ProMagix desktop computer,

let alone them new fangled vans. cuhulin

Well, I don't know anything about throttle body/so-called fuel injection.My neighbor whom wants to sell that 1990 Chevrolet RV van, he doesn't know either.Two mornings ago, when I looked out my bathroom window over there, I saw that he had the hood up.Thanks for y'alls ''expert'' thingys about throttle body engine that spits and misses and quits running.I learned Zero.Carburetors Forever is my Motto.so is, Flat Fenders Forever! I reckon I will cancel out on thinking about buying his new fangled van that I don't know anything about.''Big help'' y'all are! cuhulin

Dude, you posted a really really vague question about a van that doesn't run right. People tried to help, and you responded with more vagueness, that you don't understand what a fuel pressure gauge or a fuel rail is and told us more about how you like carburetted vehicles.

Keep in mind that the basic shit never changes. Engines still need fuel, compression and spark to run.

There are tons of resources on-line where you can do 30 minutes of reading and learn the basics of modern, or even older FI systems.

Why did you even bother asking the question if your attitude is that "new" cars (Fuel injection has been around since the '50s) are too hard to work on and you clearly weren't willing to put the time in to actually figure it out. Did you expect some magical answer, like "hit the front left tire twice with a freshly cut pine branch to cure the sputtering."?

snipped-for-privacy@webtv.net wrote:

I expected at least a decent answer, more than a Zero.I don't think I am a dude either, because meself and my neighbor doesn't know anything about throttle bodys, gage on a fuel rail, HUH! and or, fuel injection. cuhulin

You did get a decent answer. You were told to check fuel pressure. If you don't know how to do that, try asking instead of acting like your ignorance is our fault.

snipped-for-privacy@webtv.net wrote:

How much money does a fuel pressure gage (whatever that is?) for a fuel rail (whatever that is?) cost? How does it hook up? Any pictures? I still Say there is next to Zero help in this newsgroup on that stuff. cuhulin

A fuel Pressure Gauge is a gauge that is used to measure fuel pressure. They sell ones that specifically have an adapter for use with GM throttle bodies. I recently saw one at Autozone for about $30. I don't have any pictures as I don't own one of the vehicles in question.

But if you can find the fuel line coming into the engine bay, trace it around and you should be able to follow it to the throttle body.

The throttle bodies on this engine sit on top of the intake manifold, just like a carburettor.

The adapter that comes with the gauge is just a T fitting.

Remove the fuel line from where it attaches to the Throttle body, screw the T-adapter in, Screw the fuel line into the other side of the fitting, and attach the hose that goes to the gauge onto the schrader valve on the T fitting.

Once you get it all hooked up, turn the key on/try to start the van. The needle on the gauge should do something. I don't know what the spec for this vehicle is, but I'm guessing about 60psi?

If pressure is low or non existent, then of course check the pump, check for a clogged filter, check for kinks in the fuel line, etc.

If the pressure checks out okay, check the following:

1) Check the injectors (They're like electronic carb jets), they're roundish things that sit in the throat of the Throttle Bodies. I don't know the procedure for testing those. It's possibly they're not getting the signal to fire. 2) Check for vacuum leaks (sounds like you already did that). 3) Check for good spark at all cylinders (also check that the firing order is correct).

I can't really think of anything else right now -- those are the basics.

Jas> How much money does a fuel pressure gage (whatever that is?) for a fuel

I think I paid in the neighborhood of $10 for mine from Harbor Freight. On my car there's a Schrader valve on the rail that I just screw the gauge hose onto. More complicated on my other car, I'd need a tee of some sort.

More like 9-13 PSI

Thanks,I know air, fuel, and ignition is what it takes for an engine to run.In ''certain'' proportions to whichever kinds of engines, of course.I can float a few dollars for whatever kind of a fuel presure gage. ..................................................... That will be cashhhhhh onnnnn the barrelhead,,, sonnnnn,,,,,,, this old Greyhounddddd,,,, gets paiddddd to runnnnnn,,,,,, ....................................................

the fuel injection is tougher to trouble shoot, but when you finally get it running right, you generally get more horse power and better fuel economy. The electric fuel pumps on the GM vehicles can be a pain in the butt, as they are expensive and they are the fuel tank and they can fail at any time without warning. The fuel pressure test is a good place to start.