My 88 Camaro RS starts up and then shuts off immediately. what should i do?

welcome to the team! there is a number of things that could be causing this. incorrect timing, bad fuel pump, blown head gasket, bad fuel filter, bad ignition coil, fouled spark plugs, a sensor problem, ect. the list goes on and on. i hate problems like this with my vehicles. it takes patients and it is a very tedious task to diagnose the problem. does the Service Engine Light stay on when the car is running? it stays on for a couple of seconds after start as a bulb test and then goes out unless your computer detects a code. is it stops immediatly, then the light probably never had time to go out. i would start by scanning for codes to find out if it is a problem with one of the sensors or if it is an emission related problem. you can retrieve codes by connecting a piece of wire between the top, right two terminals in the ALDL(assembly line diagnostic link) located under the drivers side dash pannel. it might have a little plastic cover over it and it might need to be removed. it is a 12 pin port that looks like a plug on the back of your computer. after the wire is connected between the two terminals, turn the key on, but dont start the car. the engine light will flash out the codes. an example is, code 24(2 flashes, pause, 4 flashes.) it will first flash code 12 as a diagnostic refrence. if it does'nt flash code 12, then the problem is somewhere in your Electronic Spark Timing system. it will flash codes 3 times each and then move on to the next fault code. when it is done, it will go back to code 12. hope your not confused!!! i cant think of an easier way to explain it.

[This message has been edited by nate (edited 01-14-2003).]