'88 Camaro (TBI) won't start/will start, need help

[Shannen Durphey]

Todorovic wrote:
> 
> My friend has a '88 IROC with a L03 TBI motor and auto trans.  It used to be
> that it wouldn't start once a month, crank like an idiot and then lights
> after a while.  Lately, problem once a week, no start, sometimes tow home.
> Past few days, problem every day PLUS it cuts out driving and then dead,
> tow.  SO, we tried putting some fuel down the throttle body and no
> start/catch.  The injectors are NOT spaying fuel at all.
> 
> I have a '88 TA with a L03 TBI (as I am sure you guys know)....so I parked
> it beside his, disconnected my distributor (so it won't start), removed my
> air-cleaner and looked. 
Disconnected what?  Coil from cap?  Power to module?  Reference line
to ecm?


 When I crank my car, injectors spay fuel like nuts,
> his, nothing....so what could this be.  
Can't answer without better info.  What exactly did you disconnect?

ECM. 
This is a guess, of course.
 He replaced the fuel pump
> (died recently) (It has
> pressure), fuel filter, has spark, but still NOTHING. 
You need spark, fuel, and compression to run an engine.  You say you
have spark, you said you added fuel, do you have compression?  Things
are getting pretty tough to follow.

 THEN, after an hour
> or so, just starts.  Runs, a little later, stalls and dies.  Computers says
> nothing (no faulty code flashes but 12 does indicating diagnostic mode).  I
> also noticed that when you
> disconnect his battery (to reset ECM), when you later connect it, no
> "click".  Also, re-setting the ECM does nothing.  He took it to a shop and
> they couldn't figure it out.  So basically, he is SCREWED unless we figure
> it out.  Car seems to run fine WHEN it runs.  ANY help is needed.
> Basically, the shop said either injectors OR injector control OR wires.
> BUT, both injectors give nothing.  Could it be the ECM.  This would be my
> guess.  However, it's just a guess. Unless the fuel-pump is not working
> properly sometimes for some
> reason.  There is fuel pressure, though.  He had this problem before but not
> bad so he didn't care.  Now it's going nuts.  Also, he replaced the
> Alternator (was dead), cleaned all he battery connections, replaced plugs,
> cap, rotor, air-filter, IAC valve, etc.  
You need to get a book with good info, and follow a logical order to
diagnose the problem.  If you're asking several lists, and getting
multiple suggestions, it's going to be very difficult to find the
problem.  Distributor provides spark and reference pulses to ecm.  Ecm
uses reference pulses to ground fuel injectors.  First, check for
spark.  If none, determine why. 2nd, check for fuel.  If none,
determine why.  Third would be compression (unless you know the sound
of an engine with no compression ; ))
If the shop couldn't find anything, you were at the wrong shop.
Shannen

No help. 
???????
 Thanks.  Igor.