Hi guys,
I have an 87 TPI 350 Camaro drivetrain in my chopped / channeled / lowered / scalloped 37 dodge 2 door sedan.
PROBLEM: Starts fine when it's cold, runs for about 10 to 12 minutes then stalls ( sounds like someone shut off the fuel switch) then won't start until it's a cold motor again. If you let it sit overnight it starts right up. Runs fine, revs like normal then stalls when the engine warms up. I think it has something to do with a temp switch that switches on after the engine warms up. ( I'm guessing when it changes from closed loop to open loop or the other way around).
It ran fine the first 3 years i owned it and now it's just a pain in the but.
I'm a carb kind of geaser but I don't want to change over cause the TPI just looks so cool.
I've changed the plugs, wires, ECU, coil, and even the injectors. Still does the same crap. The guy who built it owns a junk yard so the harness is all chopped up and has lots of dead end wires but again it ran fine for 3 years. Thought it might be the fuel pump so yesterday when it stalled I shot a squirt of starting fluid in the intake. It turns over but never popped one time so it's not a fuel problem.
I'd love any help from you guys that know the ins and outs of a TPI system. Any help?

If you want to check, either check fuel pressure at the Scrader valve by the dist for 45-55 PSI or, remove a spark plug and see if it is wet with fuel. If wet, good fuel.

Check for spark at plug with wire disconnected from spark plug. No spark, maodule inside may be overheating due to no dielectric grease between module and dist plate or pick up coil is open when it gets hot.

ECM coolant sensor, two wire one, may be opening up when it heats up. At operating temp, should read 200-180 ohms across it with harness disconnected. Five Kohms or more when cold. Chedck for continuity back to ECM with harness disconnected, mesasure into harness pins. Some resistance shows continuity.

IAC should be working? Engine idles when it warms up? Idles up when load, A/C, lights, heater blower, is turned on?

Where is the ECM coolent sensor located on the engine.
Fuel is good. It starts cold within a crank or two. You can restart it no problem for the first 10 min. everything is normal then when it warms up it just won't start even with a 200amp charger. Doesn't pop or anything. When it cools down cold like the next day or hours later it starts right back up again.
It's got me stumped. Thanks for the reply, jon

The ECM sensor is two wires and may be located in the pass cyl head or under the thermostat housing, the smaller one if the engine is equipped with cold start injector between cyl's 3 & 5. The cold start injector only lasts for 8 seconds.

You might check also voltage at the dist terminal to see if its getting ignition voltage. Terminal is marked BAT. Any spark? Timing light and a remote start button. Any plug wire will work. No light, no spark, overheated ign module inside the cap on the dist plate.

You have said you've changed other parts in the secondary ignition system, but nothing on the primary side, module & pick-up coil.

No spark, maodule inside may be overheating due to no dielectric grease between module and dist plate or pick up coil is open when it gets hot.



I think Everett#2390 hit it! :hurray: With the car cold. You can try using a hair dryer on high blowing directly on the module. If it stalls, your module may be bad or not enought dielectric grease.

I don't suppose it's setting any codes. If it is, let us know.

EGR may be a potential issue. A leaky fuel pressure regulator could also do it. You might check the plugs on cylinders 7 and 8 to see if they are more black than the others (typical signature of a leaky regulator on a TPI).

Everett usually has some pretty good advice, so I don't discount his suggestions one bit. You might look around on http://www.thirdgen.org since they have lots of TPI info to look through.

if the temp switch is the 2 wire style, make sure the insulation isn't worn out where the wire goes in to the plug, causing the 2 wires to touch and tell the ecm that the motor is cold.

Thanks for the info. When this first started I changed the module inside the dist cap. Then as it went on I changed the other stuff.
Looks like the ECM sensor might be the problem. I'll just replace it then I'll know it's good.
I'm thinking if there was no fuel pressure it wouldn't run for 10 min. then stall. If you stick a screwdriver in the shrader valve fuel squirts out just fine.
I just had it running again. As usual it started on the 2nd or 3rd crank, revs fine, idles fine. I shut it off twice before it warmed up and it still starts on the 1st or 2nd crank. Then it ran for about 10 min and shut down. I tried the spraying starting fluid in the intake and no fire again. I'll have to go out and check spark at the plugs.
Thanks again for the information

Another trick you might do, get a can of FreezeZone from the drugstore. FreezeZone is used to freeze warts.

Next time it quits, remove the dist cap and spray the module with it. See if it starts.

You also might check all primary wire connections to make sure there is no corrosion. As a corroded connection heat up, it creates a high resistance. High resistance eliminates full voltage and with saturating the primary side of the coil to induce a field, heavy current flows. Lesser current, little or no spark. Look for green crud, signifying corrosion. A stiff bristle brush and rubbing, or better, wood alcohol, and clean all connections of corrosion. Alcohol does evaporate.

You also might feel the coil after shutdown. You should be able to hold the coil for about 5 seconds. If lesser time, coil primary windings may be shorted and coil gets ungodly hot. I remember this problem got me on a regular points system. I could fry an egg with the coil it was so hot.

As a note, if you have a temp gun, any electronics getting over 147*F is cooked, as in well done. Be sure there is a good supply of dieelctric grease between the module and the plate. Should have been supplied with the module and use the whole tube.