[Ram48]

I am helping a friend do some work on her 82 Trans Am
One issue is that the motor wants to and usually does stall when put in drive. It idles fine and driveability once rolling is fine .
Any help pointing me in the right direction to correct this issue would be great
Thanks
Ray Mc

 

[TransAmer99]

Could be the torque converter - has the transmission been serviced recently? It could also be that the carb isn't properly adjusted. If the bypass port (very small diameter hole in the throttle bore where the butterfly closes) is clogged, the carb can't properly meter the changing amount of air/fuel mixture when you increase engine speed from idle. Which carb are you running?

 

[Ram48]

Could be the torque converter - has the transmission been serviced recently? It could also be that the carb isn't properly adjusted. If the bypass port (very small diameter hole in the throttle bore where the butterfly closes) is clogged, the carb can't properly meter the changing amount of air/fuel mixture when you increase engine speed from idle. Which carb are you running?

She did have the trans rebuilt just a few weeks ago after she purchased the car. I will check on the carb make and get back to you. That may be a while as the owner works out of town for weeks at a time
Thanks for your help so far
Ray

 

[WHITE-68]

Try Checking all your vacuum lines as well..

 

[jules455]

The car has a tachometer...what speed is it idling at, should be 800 rpm and when put in drive should drop to no less than 500rpm. Could be slow running screw needs slackening off a little to settle the idle. Do this once the engine is idling properly and running warmed up.
As has been said, we'll know more when we know what carb is in use and as Bryon suggested make sure all the vacuum lines are on and tight, particularly the transmission line and more importantly, not leaking.

 

[Ram48]

The car has a tachometer...what speed is it idling at, should be 800 rpm and when put in drive should drop to no less than 500rpm. Could be slow running screw needs slackening off a little to settle the idle. Do this once the engine is idling properly and running warmed up.
As has been said, we'll know more when we know what carb is in use and as Bryon suggested make sure all the vacuum lines are on and tight, particularly the transmission line and more importantly, not leaking.

Tach has it at 750 rpm at neutral idle. and stalls when put in drive. if you two foot it you can keep it running and once the initial load is off the engine it performs well.
I should have carb info in a day or so. the owner is out of town and is going to have someone get it to me.
The car sat awhile before she bought it so a dried or cracked vacuum hose could be the problem
Is the Haynes manual for these cars a good idea to purchase or is there a better option?

Thanks again

 

[jules455]

Any tune-up manual should go some way to help trouble shoot, though having said that, there's much left out at times, I have Chiltons Firebird and Haynes but manuals on any American car aren't that plentiful in the UK...other members will have lots of good advice to follow I'm sure.
I would speed the idle up to 900 rpm, then see what it does. Check the fluid level in the transmission too. When driving, does the car find the shifts properly without delays?

Jules

 

[Ram48]

The Carb is a Rochester. I will not have the car here to play with for another few weeks

 

[rick57]

The Carb is a Rochester. I will not have the car here to play with for another few weeks

When a Q-Jet is working good they are great carbs. When they start giving you problems your better off throwing it away. If you VERY mechanicaly inclined you can rebuild and reset it but it can be frustrating.

 

[TransAmer99]

There are plenty of resources available on tuning QuadraJets. The first step is making sure you have the right one. By 1982, only corporate engines were being used in Firebirds, so you 'can' tune it like a Chevy. Earlier, Pontiac engines had Pontiac-specific Q-J's. If you choose to rebuild it and get a kit to do so, make sure it is one for your particular year AND that it is compatible with ethanol fuel blends.