Hello all,
As the title suggests, I picked it up last week and have done the following to it:
-Spark plug wires and plugs
-Gas tank clean
-replaced fuel pump
-replaced distributer

Car is sparking, needs a new EGR valve... it will very briefly start, get to ~600-1200 RPM then sputter out into a stall. Using the gas pedal stalls it immediatley. Tomorrow the fuel rack will be checked over to make sure thats okay, as well as checking the hoses to see if im even getting fuel to the block. My TPS is not properly attatched to the block.. I zapp-strapped it to the block (as the screws broke inside the block). Nothing seems to be getting this car to start and stay running for at least a second except giving it very miniscule blasts of ether, which will start it and get it to run for a brief moment (2-3 seconds) before sputtering out again. I also noticed a rubber hose coming from my vaccume selanoid that rats chewed in half, and i cant find where it attaches. In the meantime I blocked it off with a girthy nail. Would that be important?

My next area to check is the sensors, however it's not my forte. What sensors should I look out for, and how can I test them?

I'd check a spark plug to make sure it isn't flooding, but it sounds like you're not getting fuel so you're on the right track. I'd check/replace all vacuum lines before continuing diagnosing. Or at least plugging off all the unimportant ones. Then check that oyu're getting an appropriate MAP sensor and TPS reading. I'd expect either would cause your issue.



Edit: Don't forget the coolant/engine temp sensor while you're at it. That too causes start up issues.

[This message has been edited by Stubby79 (edited 09-23-2017).]

With that much sitting, the fuel injectors cannot be working correctly (if at all).

[This message has been edited by Gall757 (edited 09-26-2017).]

cleaned the gas tank but didn't replace the pump? My 86 sat for 5 years and the bump was locked up from sitting in the fuel for 5 years not moving, Can't image 18 years that pump can still do the same capacity as it once did, also what is timing set at, and check vacuum lines. Plastic crack easily on those tiny lines.

Does the fuel pump come on when you turn the key to ignition position, but not yet to start position? It should come on for about 6 seconds. If it doesn't, check the fuel pump fuse and relay(in the engine bay on the firewall behind the driver). Those two have gotten me before.