xxZ28xx

iTrader: (1)

Hi,

I bought an 1988 IROC Z28. The people I bought it off of said they did an engine swap and put an LT1 in it with a 30 over cam. How do I determine if its an LT1 by looking at it. Does anyone have a link to a pic or something. I was going to get the vin when I changed the oil/ oil filter and all that but cant wait that long I need to know what is in it now =D

Also I have a second question. It was idling high, then I revved it up almost pedal to the floor. Just a little quick tap and it went down to a low idle sounding normal. Could something have been stuck in there causing it to idle so high? Then when I revved it it blew it out?...

And I have two PCV valves its weird here is a pic of my engine

(the first pic with the air cleaner and all that attached has one PCV valve and that has no place on my engine that hose coming off it doesn't go anywhere I Just put that on there in hope to find where the other end goes. In the other pic you can see the second PCV valve)

Any info on what engine this is would be great thank you.

vetteoz

iTrader: (13)

It is not the late model ('93+) LT1 engine most commonly referred to on here.
LT1 has completely different water pump and dist is at front of engine

Maybe a '69 LT1 but looking at the rocker covers just looks to be a bog std TBI engine.
The casting # at back of block will give better indication what engine "originally" was

torque_is_good

you been hoodwinked son. Check the vin, are you sure it's even a Z? My hunch is you got yourself a nice RS with the LO3 and someone slapped on some badging

xxZ28xx

iTrader: (1)

No its an 1988 Iroc Z28 I looked up the vin. The car is nice.. really nice. It has ALOT of power thats why I was wandering if they really did put an LT1 in. The engine your talking about is that a good engine? Like I said it has a lot of power so I don't think I got ripped off because its still a good car lol it has to be its a camaro. I didnt believe them in the first place I just wanted to buy this car its really nice. The also said it had a 30 over cam in it. Is that good and how do I tell.

I bought the haynes manual because Im fixing it up. I got it running really really nice within the time I had it. If I took it to the original owners now they would probably want it back haha.

Can you give me a pic to the engine your talking about? Isn't there some kind of way I can tell if its and LT1 without the vin. Like the design of the block or something? Thanks for all the help.

lunati397

its not a LT1 becuase they are reverse flow coolant and no matter what manifold you put on it there will never be a coolant thermostat housing on the manifold

you got a 305 tbi good boat anchor

88fastgta

iTrader: (9)

yea man thats a 305 tbi..the guy stiffed you to make a sale most likely. my brothers 92 camaro rs looked just like that and like everyone was saying lt1 engines dont have a distributor in the back they got the funny looking water pump in the front and yours its definitely a stock sbc pump in the pic.

vetteoz

iTrader: (13)

Don't believe us?

LT1 engine with dist at front and special LT1 only water pump.Looks nothing like yours





Obviously backyard mechanics because cams are not talked about in "over"
Cams are speced in lift and duration ;
cylinder bore size is stated in over; as in how many thousands of a inch the engine has been bored out

88fastgta

iTrader: (9)

i hate when people lie to others who dont really know much about stuff... i bet thats just the stocker and probably has never even been swapped judging by the pics... did the iroc even come in tbi form?????

lunati397

30 over cam --- no such thing he had the block bored 30 over and maybe has a cam if he told you it was a 30 over cam he didnt have a clue what he was talking about and if the block was bored over then he would have gotten pistons and did alittle more to the motor

just for the sake of it maybe he got a truck engine 350 tbi and put it in it maybe even a 1500 LT (maybe where he got the lt1 from) "yeah jimbo thats one of them lt ones"

and as my old shop teacher told me way way back in the day when I got my RS 305tbi camaro if you consider your grandma pushing you in a shopping kart fast then its fast but until you really know what fast is you will believe it is

formula_novice

iTrader: (1)

I don't suppose the short block could be an LT-1 (old Corvette motor)? Not to be confused with LT1. I doubt it but just trying to be optimistic

88fastgta

iTrader: (9)

haha thats funny.... but if it really was the lt-1 engine i think the engine oil dipstick would be on the driver side

xxZ28xx

iTrader: (1)

Wow thanks for all the responses! I never said I didn't believe you guys by the way. and that LT1 looks a lot newer. So how can I find out for sure what it is? Maybe the guy I bought it off of got jipped to haha. He could of thought he bought an LT1 when really he didn't. Do you guys need pics of anything else? Do you know why do I have 2 PCV valves and one has no place to go?

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

Thats definitely not an LT1. Likely a standard 305 TBI engine. I hate when people lie to potential buyers to sell their stuff. Very shady. With that said, those 305 TBI engines, slow as they are, tend to be pretty damn reliable. So it'll last until you want to move up to something better.

Check the picture posted above about where to find castingn umbers stamped on the block. You'll find out if it's a 350 or a 305.

There is a small possibility it's a 350 TBI engine, (an L05), since no IROC ever came with a throttle body injected engine. So it's not the engine the car came from the factory with IF IT'S AN IROC. You can go searchin for vin numbers and spid sheets and whatnot etc all you want, but an easy way to tell if you have an original IROC is to look down below the fan and radiator. You'll see a bar that goes across that is the swaybar, and another one right next to it, called the wonder bar. If you know what to look for you can duck down under the car real quick and spot it within seconds. EVERY Iroc and Z28 from 85 on got a wonderbar from the factory.



The big red bar that curves back towards the left side of the picture is the swaybar, you will have one of those, and it will be black or rusty. The short red bar in front of it, THAT is the wonderbar. Yours will be black and/or rusty. But it will look very similar. It will be right in front of and below the radiator, between teh radiator and the sway bar.

If it has that, then you have an IROC. If it DOESN'T have that, then you have either have an 88 RS with IROC badges on it, or you have yourself a vin swapped stolen vehicle. An 88 RS should have that goofy spoiler on it too, but they may ahve swapped that. The likelihood of them swapping an wonderbar in is low due to the lack of awareness of it by most people and by how hidden it is in the car. They likely wouldnt bother.

Anyway, got any pics of the car?

88fastgta

iTrader: (9)

trust us its a 305tbi... the pcv is the postive crankcase ventilation system.... every modern car has that..... one side has a actual valve in it (you can shake it and hear it rattle) while the other side is just a tube... its suppose to burn escape gases from the combustion chamber in the cylinder heads, its part of emissions and its suppose to help relieve pressure build up inside the engine..

xxZ28xx

iTrader: (1)

Yeah Ill post some right now.

xxZ28xx

iTrader: (1)

Here are some pics of my car. Ill take more if you need them

lunati397

looks like an rs but no worries its still a camaro and no matter what engine is in there you can replace it with whatever you want hell im putting a duramax in mine

torque_is_good

are you deliberately screwing with us?

Come on man, nobody takes photos into the sun. Get the sun over your shoulder.

You could not have run the VIN and come back with it saying it's a Z.

xxZ28xx

iTrader: (1)

Do you want my vin number so you can personally run it and look yourself? Sorry about the sun thats like a couple day old pic was just trying to take one quickly thats why there all the same angle sorry. Why would I be messing with you guys? makes no sense...

Any way I dont understand why it wouldn't be an Iroc Z when both the vin on the car and the vin on the title match when I type in my vin thats what comes up 1988 Iroc Z... I know there is more than one vin on the car where are the others?

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

That's definitely just an RS. If you have that goofy rear spoiler those are somewhat rare. Not really desirable, but rare. Very unique.

Looks pretty clean, even though 2 of the pictures are awful, lol.

Is it a 5 speed car by any chance?

xxZ28xx

iTrader: (1)

Thank you haha I want to fix it up really good =D Ill soon have the money. Oh I looked up the vin a couple times and it keeps telling me its an IROC Z but when I bought it from the guy he told me it was just a Z28 camaro... But I didn't think they made them in 88 and going back to the vin again idk why it would tell me it was an IROC haha.

xxZ28xx

iTrader: (1)

Its automatic... Im new to fixing up cars and all that pretty much new to cars this is my first car well my second but my first. The first camaro I had I didnt even get to drive so I bought this. How do I tell if its a five speed?

Thirdgen89GTA

iTrader: (5)

This is a dirty, but stock TPI engine.


This is a LT1 dirty but stock LT1 engine in a thirdgen. Still messy wiring from body work being done.

xxZ28xx

iTrader: (1)

My engine looks more like the TPI without that thing on top. My injectors and stuff are up there. My oil cap is in the front and not the back like that but everything else looks the same.

Thirdgen89GTA

iTrader: (5)

No, your engine is a TBI car.

That "thing on top" IS the TPI. That Long Tube Runner" style intake is what makes TPI a TPI.

What you have is a Gen 1 small block with TBI fuel injection. Not TPI. There is a large difference between the two engines when it comes to the intake, heads, and engine control system.

xxZ28xx

iTrader: (1)

How good would you say this car is?

Thirdgen89GTA

iTrader: (5)

Good as in what? Performance? Price Paid? Condition?

only you can tell us that. We've only seen blurry pics of the engine, and over-exposed, low contrast cell phone pics of the exterior.

Personally, being that they passed it off as a LT1 swap, I'd say you've been screwed and the car probably is not in great condition, probably run down and in need of basic repairs.

xxZ28xx

iTrader: (1)

I think the people I bought it off of were semi retarded because they sold it to me thinking they had an LT1 in it. They had everything messed up in it. the battery wires were coroded it was horrible.

I bought a new battery, new battery wires, a new temp sensor, a new thremostat & gasket for the housing, new oil filter & oil (plan on doing oil change soon), my gauges dont wrk. My spedo is like snapped from the trans I need to reinstall a new one. I dont know whats wrong with the rest but some want work. I took my gauge cluster out and the little copper pieces are really dirty you think that could pose a problem? But when I got it it ran like poop. Wanting to cut out and idling all weird. Now it runs fine just idles a little high for some reason and I dont know why..

Just overall car is it good..

I paid 1000 for it cash, its in ok condition the interior is messed up but my T-tops dont leak. My shocks are out on hood and trunk. but this is all petty stuff that im going to repair.

And what is your opinion on the engine I should put in?

How do I know if my trans is bad?

Thirdgen89GTA

iTrader: (5)

Honestly with the way you describe it and it being a low option car to begin with I'd say you got taken. If the trans is bad then that car is worth less than $500.

xxZ28xx

iTrader: (1)

thats funny kinda sucks good thing I can care less about money... I dont know how to tell if the trans is bad I really havnt had time to drive it I need to register it and buy tires.

There is a clanking noise inconsistant with the engine it sounded like something broke off and is ratling around & its under my car somewhere. It goes away when you rev it and it doesnt seem to effect engine performance so I dont know what it is. My check engine light is not on any info on this? Like things I should check so I can determine if its something bad or not. When I drove it I had no problems with it shifitng and stuff so I don't think the trans is bad. And I dont think my engine is bad because my brother in law said the way we were revving it the engine wouldn't of survived. He said if it was a rod or something it would have snapped or went threw my block or something

xxZ28xx

iTrader: (1)

And you said its a first gen what does that mean?

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

You got a running, seemingly straight car for $1k - that's not bad. They didnt make you pay for an LT1 swap car, so I wouldnt fret over that too much.

There are several generations of chevy smallblock. From 55 I think to 92 they had First Generation smallblocks. In 1992 with the LT1 they had the second generation smallblock - most of the parts dotn interchange from Gen I to Gen II. Then 1997 they had the LS1, Gen III. Now they have Gen IV etc, but those are minor revisions of the LS1 (Gen III) family of engines.

xxZ28xx

iTrader: (1)

Yeah lol thats what I got from it. Since it is my first car... its the fastest car I owned lol. I like your car by the way its nice. Once Im all done with this I plan on having mine all blacked out with black and red leather interior. I wanted to keep it all original but Im just going to do it this way. Im going to end up re wiring everything to I just know it because I have 3 wires that aren't going anywhere and im pretty sure they need to go somewhere its probably important. just like the temp sensor everyone is like "thats not going to make it run better" the hell it didnt you unplug that and it runs like crap. but yeah the chords are broken I need to find out what they are one is down by my starter one behind the block and on by the driver side of the block I should take pics and post them.

Thirdgen89GTA

iTrader: (5)

Depends. There are 2 temp sensors and a secondary fan switch.

If your coolant gauge is dead, then that doesn't affect the PCM, that connects to the sensor between the first two cylinders on the driver side. I think its an orange wire, its been a while since I looked.

The connector on the passenger side between the two rear most cylinders on the head is for the secondary fan on dual fan cars. If you have a single fan car it'll just be a plug.

The important temp sensor going to be located on the intake, I think its on the front near the water neck on TBI cars. On TPI cars its on the front of the intake a little towards the passenger side from the water neck. Its the important sensor that feeds the ECM coolant temperature.

xxZ28xx

iTrader: (1)

Look in my pictures you can see the new temp sensor I bought its gold its the important one your talking about. I will take a pictures of the wires that are disconnected/broken see if you can shed some light on it. Ill post them later. All my gauges are dead except for my battery and I dont think its reading right

torque_is_good

yup, it's a automatic as there is a TV cable on the throttle body

you have the 700R4 4 speed automatic coupled to a LO3 305 TBI engine in bone stock form. I'm sorry about the vin thing but that engine was neve rput into a Z. It was an option for an RS. It's not a big deal but how can the title be clean?

FWIW, last year I paid $500 for an 89 RS with a tranny that shifted, an LO3 which ran ok but consumed a little oil and had 4 new tires and new brakes all around. It's a FL car so absolutely no rust. The tires alone were worth the $500

I've since rebuilt/restored it completely

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Look again:
https://www.thirdgen.org/1988-chevy-camaro

Thirdgen89GTA

iTrader: (5)

Thats what I thought too, I know i've seen TBI Z28's and IROCs before. Its one of my thirdgen pet peeves that GM let sheep dress like Wolves.

torque_is_good

holy cow!!!

in a Z?????

learn something new every day

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

I had no idea either. I've NEVER seen one....

Thirdgen89GTA

iTrader: (5)

I've seen plenty, it seems alot of people wanted all the flash without the boom.

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

Sometimes they regret it and shove it into a trailer in shame and forget about it for 20 years

hotrodln

[QUOTE=xxZ28xx;5033957] Since it is my first car... its the fastest car I owned lol.

Congrats on your first car! regardless of what's under the hood, you got a nice project car to work on and enjoy.....my adivce would be to go to some local car shows and see if you can find somebody driving one of these.....see if you can get any advice that way. It's hard to get meaningful opinions on the condition of your car via the internet....if it runs right ( after a tuneup) save your money for new tires, paint, or a good stereo! Good Luck!

xxZ28xx

iTrader: (1)

Thanks everyone appreciate the help. I look forward to fixing it up. About that clanking around sound. I jacked it up just enough to see under it, fired it up and was looking around down there. I put my hand on the oil pan and could feel the knocking through there... Does anyone know what this could be? Im having a mechanic look at it tomorrow but I would like to hear your opinions..

xxZ28xx

iTrader: (1)

Just letting everyone know that this is a 350 TBI engine =D

lunati397

that there is one of them lt ones then probably blew the original motor and put a truck one in maybe with a rv cam

thomas1976

Good running 350 TBI with decent: exhaust, heads, roller cam and tune will produce around 300 rwhp @ 5600 rpm.

Keep investigating, check the head casting, lifters and cam, this will be helpful to set up the fueling and dial in the tune.

xxZ28xx

iTrader: (1)

Thanks, Today Im going to go back under it. Im looking for the vin but cant find it. Where my transmission is there is a hard plastic case being held on by a couple screws. Should I take this off to see my vin? Its right next to the oil filter so close their touching.

xxZ28xx

iTrader: (1)

Did Camaros come with stock dual exhausts? Because thats whats on my car. It sounds pretty nice. I love the deep rumbling of them cant wait to buy tires and get driving lol.

xxZ28xx

iTrader: (1)

They said they pulled it out of a corvette, You have a pic of this engine?