I got my dads camaro a few weeks ago and well its been sitting in our garage for about 12 years and it wont run and i need some edvice on restoring it back to life.

Hey, dolpfan, welcome to TGO. Take note too that a search is always a good thing on site as there have been thousands of questions asked and answered. Specific questions, in the right forum, are generally the best.

Best of luck in your restoration! You have a great time ahead of you.

JamesC

I'm sure there's plenty of people here who can help you out but we'll need more information. What does it do now? Does it crank but not start? Will it not even crank?

PS. Since you're in Aurora be sure to check out the "Chicago suburbs and NW Indiana" board. There's a bunch of people there in your area who may be able to give you some local help.

Thanks for the help it doesn't start but thats because the battery is probably dead. I"m getting one this weekend so i hope it starts

Just charge it.

Lets see some pics.

Congratulations on your acquisition.

FWIW, This section is for discussing the history of third gen cars and how to restore them to original condition. As James C points out, general maintenance and mechanical questions are better asked in the appropriate forums.. If you go to the general engine forum (By clicking the link below), you'll find all the experts who can help you out with general fixing.... (Not all the Ace mechanics on thirdgen.org check into this history and restoration forum).

http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/tech-general-engine/

And yea.. How bout some pix

congrats on getting the car and yes how about some pictures, and some details on the car please :-) year color etc etc

Hey sounds like the beggining of a very cool deal for you! To start I would say try and take in alot from this site. TGO has MOUNTAINS of great info on our cars. After that, give that old beast a standard tune up; like new plugs, wires cap and coil, along with an oil change. Dont forget to check all your other fluids too. Make that your starting point and work from there!

Dont be afraid to ask for help either! I know it helps me to get out of the garage and post up my problem (or search) before I break out my supertool (20 oz Framing Hammer) and go to work on the issue haha.

Lastly no matter how much you start to hate your cars issues, just dont give up and keep at it. It all pays off man, ten fold.

Welcome to the site. I'd probably at a minumum drop the oil out of the pan,put some fresh oil in there and turn the crank by hand to lubricate the internals before trying to fire her up.

Once you get it running you (might) end up replacing some leaky motor seals on a car that's sat for that long.

Any questions post away we'll all help yah out over here.

Tony

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here are some pics its all stock with 15" rims and a superchip(what my dad says) oh and i charged the battery and i put the key in and it made the door is open noise and i turned it forward and the stero and a/c kicked on and then i tried to start it and ........... nothing! the battery went dead so i'm charging it again.....at least i'm moving forward

Looks good!!! Since you got some pictures outside I'm assuming that means you got it running?

no i took it out of the garage; i took it off the charger because its raining i'm giving it a natural shower. i also found the repair manule in the attic that might be useful.

Another thing anyone know a good tire shop online or in the chicago? i think i might just get some stock wheels form a abandion camaro in the junkyard Mines are all flat

I'm sure if you post in the "Chicago Suburb" board somebody could recommend a good tire shop in your area. There's quite a few members on there from the Aurora area. We're in the south Chicago suburbs so I don't really know any place up by you. If you need any parts for your car keep us in mind. We're not too far from you so you could pick the items up to save on shipping. There's a link to our website below.

thanks i will be needing new interior parts but i want it to roll and start first

BAD NEWS I JUST MIGHT HAVE LOCKED THE ENGINE! I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU DONT HAVE ANITFREEZE YOU COULD BLOCK THE ENGIN MABEY THATS WHY WHEN I TURN IT ON THE AIR AND RADIO WORK BUT WHEN I TRY TO START IT IT DIES.

If you didn't run it you shouldn't have locked it at all.

Have you tried to turn it over by hand? If it turns keep working on it.

If it DOESN'T turn by hand your in big trouble. Prolly tight.

That statement is hard for me to understand. So does the engine turn over when you try to start it? If you don't have any coolant in your system then you might want to sort that out before you get it running. Hopefully you put fresh gas in it?

Yeah, I second that fresh gas thing. Theres no way whatevers left in the tank will start the car. You might try borrowing a good battery from someone else it sounds like yours may be junk and as for the tires you can just air them up, they may seal once you start driving it again but regardless they're dryrotted and junk I'm sure.

Go to a tire place and see if they'll put a used set on it if you're hard up for cash, thats what I do

What I really need to know is .....I want to put a crate motor in it and need a pretty good shop around the Aurora area to take it to. Any suggestions? Either that or a shop that will rebuild the engine for me.

I was just told that the motor is a 305 Throttle body engine. It also has a 400 trans that was put in it before my dad had to put it into storage. Just need a good shop that does engine work. I want to get the engine chromed out so I should just get a new engine that is already all chromed ...right?

first off. Are you gonna work on it or just pay other people to do it for you? If you want to learn we will help you but you have to be willing to listen. Just becaused a engine has chrome on it doesn't make it anything special. All that is, is valve covers and such. you can put them on any motor. If I was you I would first drain all the fluids out of the engine and trans and replace all the fluids. then try and turn it over. if it won't start then try and turn it over by hand and that will prove you have other issues. Take baby steps. Its more rewarding if you do it yourself. you learn and have fun and make it your car.

i know your excited about the car but these are things you NEEEEEED to do before you do anything. PLEASE take our word of advice. the last thing you wanna do is get to anxious, start the engine and lock it up/or hurt it in any way.

1 Drain radiator and put in NEW fluids
2 Drain oil, let it drip for a half or or w.e just make sure its all out. replace with NEW penzoil oil and new filter
3 drain that gas tank, that gas will eat your engine up in a heart beat
4 make sure ALL wires are good, none eaten through by mice, etc
5 borrow/buy a new battery
6 check plugs, make sure theyre not coroded or anything

all this stuff will cost at the MOST 200 bucks. its better than 500 for a new engine.

be safe and good luck

How many miles are on the car?

62000

You seem new to the car game. Lets begin...

-Drain all engine fluids (flush the cooling system/oil) and gas tank and change out the thermostat (cheap insurance). Replace with new oil and filter, antifreeze, and fresh gas (at least 5 gallons). Leave off the radiator cap. You will need to check the the level of antifreeze while the engine is running. When the thermostat opens, you'll know and will have to add more antifreeze (50/50 mix of regular green or all make) Also, replace your radiator cap (more cheap insurance). The old one may not hold pressure.

-Replace the fuel filter! It will be full of junk I'm sure.

-Replace the air filter and clean out any debris.

-Replace the PCV valve

-Replace plugs and wires. No reason not to after 12 yrs. Remember, ONE plug/wire AT A TIME! This way you won't screw up the firing order of the engine.

-GET A NEW BATTERY! Check your yellow pages for stores that sell seconds. Seconds are just batteries that have cosmetic flaws and were failed for general sale. 99.9% of the time they are as good as one you would get at napa. Cheaper also!

-Before you crank that motor, squirt some oil into each cylinder. This will help to free up the rings if they are frozen.

-Disable the ignition system and allow the motor to crank. This will prime the oiling system in the engine. After about a 1-2 mins. time, hook ignition system back up.

-DOUBLE CHECK EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE THUS FAR

-Cross your fingers and turn the key. Don't get worried if it takes a couple times to get the engine to fire.

-Once the engine is running check the trans fluid. It needs to be at the cold level at least when first running. Fill with fresh Dextron III with engine running. if low (to the cold line.)

-Check for leaks under the car (IE. antifreeze/oil). If leaks are major leaks are found shut off car and fix the leak!

-After the thermostat opens and you add the remaining antifreeze needed, install your radiator cap.

-Let the engine idle and warm up to operating temp. If temp starts to spike, shut off and repair as necessary.

-After the engine has ran(15-20 mins) and reached operating temp, shut off motor and change the oil and filter again. Now that it's warm, the oil will have all that old sludge/crap suspended in it. Trust me, it's cheap insurance.

This is just for the motor. Remember, check the brakes (fluid level, condition, and the brakes themselves) power steering fluid, rear diff fluid before you drive off anywhere!!! Hope this helps!

Good advice. Especially regarding the brakes. Think safety first. Brake fuild is extremely hygroscopic (absorbs moisture) and it's very important to have it changed as a precaution. Also check for cracked or leaking brake lines. Failure here could have catastophic results depending on your driving situation.
Also be sure the hand (emergency) brake works. They may need adjusting or can even seize over time from lack of use.

Another simple but important thing is to replace the wiper blades.

Also all the seals (weatherstripping) should be treated. Silicone emulsion works great.

Stagnant coolant as it ages can cause corrosion over time as well. Don't be surprised if you have issues with the water pump and possible radiator & heater core leaks.

Good luck.

Also, time to put emotions aside. Check the price of EVERYTHING you need. Then check Ebay, community shopper, penny pincher ect, to see if its worth fixing. Let say everything you need is 8000.00. Well for 8000.00 you can buy a 2002 formula with a LS1 engine. Or if its 10000, you can buy a ws6. If its 3000, might be worth it. The engine only has 62000, how long did you run it without antifreeze? Then, you would only warp the heads. What color is oil, cant imagine you melted the engine. Try to find member that lives in Chicago that could take a look at it. Tell them you have steaks and beer, you will find plenty of help.

Don't feel overwhelmed by it all, its basic maintenance , and if you find that parts are busted, let us know what they are and we can find performance parts (should you want them) . Where are you in the process currently

(hopefully following what numerous people have mentioned about the fluids)