chevycamaro

I am from the wet side of the mountains here in WA. I have a 1992 Camaro Z28. 5.7 350 TPI, auto, t tops (leaky). The car is totally stock from what I can tell besides the Alpine Deck in the car. I bought the car before christmas and it has been sitting since. I am hoping to make it a fun street car, but not a daily driver.

The story i got on the car is that the motor and trans have only 1200 miles on them and were rebuilt last year. the car idled and ran oddly adn the guy said it was becaszue of the IAC and that it was the only part that wasnt replaced onthe motor while it was out. I took it for what it was and thought whatever since there werent any knocks or bad motor sounds, just a crappt idle. plus the body is super nice, and pain looks pretty good. I loaded it in the trailer and headed home. Parked in the drivewayt and been sittin there since.

Now, a few weeks ago, i was researching a little on how i might be able ot make sure it was the IAC before i spent a hundred bucks on a new one wastefully. I unplugged the IAC and TPS along with spraying the throttle body with cleaner and hoping it would run a little better. after trying that it wont run at all now, so i gave up and its been sitting longer while i work on finishing 4 wheeler and dirtbike projects.

I would like to get the car running decent for the summer so i can drive it and actually use it so it doesnt sit. longer plans will be a motor build. I want to build a decent 400-450rwhp motor for it cheaply and apparently that means that the TPI will go in the recycle bin for a carb swap. doing a turbo, blower, stealthram or mitrous is out of the question. just too spendy. I want a motor, subframe connectors, then just clean it up to a nice car and drive it.

Anyone have any words of advice on what to do with it? I wanna get it running and be ale to drive it short term if i can till i get a motor built...

AmorgetRS

iTrader: (6)

Welcome to the forum! What part of Western WA are you in?

Keep a FI system on it, don't hack up a nice 92 Camaro by putting a carb on it.

If it is stock it isn't a 350 or the t-tops are aftermarket. In 91/92 the Camaro was N/A with t-tops and the 350.

klause83z28

I Agree with AmorgetRS. Keep the injection set up and don't go to carb. I do have a few questions for you though. You said you thought the Iac might be bad? Before you unhooked sensors to rule out possibilites, did you see if the ses light was on? That would have helped you further. Also, from the way you describe, it doesn't sound like an iac anyway. Usually a bad iac will cause a very high idle, or one so low it will barely run(like 400 rpm idle.) See if you can hook both sensors up again and see if you can at least get it to fire. You may also have a burned spot on the tps, You can get a dvom and do a quick check for the operation on that.

You also mentioned the car had the motor rebuilt with low miles when you bought it? You may also be looking at something simple like a vacuum leak. Sounds like you found a good car, just needs little work.

Cheers!!!

chevycamaro

I am in Granite Falls area. The car as for as i know has a 350. I think it says 5.7 Tuned Port Injection on the rear and has the 350 emissions sticker on the underhood. I havent done any extensive research on the car. I should probably do a vin check and run the numbers on that motor. THe car has been sittin in the driveway since about christmas while i make room in the garage to get started on whatever needs to be done with it.

The guy that i boughti t froim said that the motor and trans were gone through, but he had no proof, so i assume that hes probably lying. Anythin to sell a car, right? lol.

I would like ot keep the stock TPI system and not hack up the car, but since the TPI system will only make mid 300 hp, i want to dump it. I just cant see spending 2-3k on a long block, 2500 on a stealth ram then god knows on how much on whatever else to make it all work together. Seems like a lot of money when i can just build a 383 with a nasty cam, edelbrock airgap intake, and a Holley 750 and make 400-450 rwhp for way less.

Heres a couple pictures. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id...690668&theater,

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id...690668&theater

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id...690668&theater

AmorgetRS

iTrader: (6)

The Stealth Ram isn't 2500 bucks, you don't need the ECM, wiring, etc, just the Stealth ram and the fuel rails. I think it's maybe 750 and will run on the stock TPI wiring, etc.

I can't see the pics, but I am guessing it has aftermarket t-tops. You can tell what engine it came stock with by checking the 8th digit of the VIN. If it's a 8, it's a 350, if it's an F, 305.

AmorgetRS

iTrader: (6)

Ok, well, I still can't see the pics because you need to login to Facebook to see them.

firechicken76

iTrader: (3)

would you consider a gen III engine? a 5.3 can be found at a junk yard for under 1000, and you could make 400-450 for alot cheaper than you could on a gen 1.

chevycamaro

I will considxer anything right up to and including a 4 cylinder cummins diesel with twin turbos. The thing is I want it tgo be a simple useable and reasonable deal. I would definately do a LT1 or an LS1 motor but in both of those, there are extra costs that don't necessarily get addedd iknor thought of till its too late. Say ok. Can go get a newer motor bfor 1000. How much extra for the wireing, connectors, bran boxes, mounts, aftermarket programming? And on. Top of that how much work is it to get it all to work properly. Having to wire in all the sensors,and engine parts to the appropriate computer and various spots on the car? Seems easier to me to just cut it all out and go old school carbed.

I would prefer some kind of fuel injection, but it just doent seem realistic at this point. It would be nice to get that 20 to 25 mpg on the highway though. No card will do that...

jeff_blake

iTrader: (1)

welcome to the forum, i as well am in western wa! maybe we can meet up and hold a meet once i get my iroc complete

firechicken76

iTrader: (3)

there are extra costs, but there is with any engine, I mean if you want 400-450 and get 20-25 mpg, its about the only way. You could get that millage with a tpi setup, but No where near the power, you would need to bore/stroke, heads, intake manifold, cam, etc.....lots of money and might not even make 400, or you could carburated it, put some good heads on it, convert to a roller cam etc, but then your getting 10 mpg. OR you could get a 5.3 truck motor, put a mild cam in it, and a set of heads and make well over 400 and still get over 20mpg, even if it does cost a little more, its worth it.

chevycamaro

I am down to meet up whenever aw well, as of now my car woud have to be towed or pushed though, lol.

firechicken76

iTrader: (3)

id like to meet up sometime too, does anyone do a third gen run or car show in wa?

chevycamaro

So i have been hearing about these 5.3 truck motors. what all is it going to take to make it work though? how many hundred of hours is needed for custom wire harnesses or making them, and motor mounts and headers and do i need another trans mission or what? I dont know anything about SBC after the 350 went away in 1998. al the new metric sizes are foreign to me....

as for keeping the TPI, unless I keep the stock stuff and just add a cam, I wont bother only because for all the money its too limited. I almost wonder if i should junk the damn car and go with a old truck, blazer or another car like a malibu or a Nova. Older Chevelles and camaros are just too spendy...

AmorgetRS

iTrader: (6)

If you are interested in doing a LS series swap (which the 5.3L is), check the engine swap forum. There is a subforum in there specifically for LS swaps. You can use stock LS1 manifolds that flow as well as shorty headers. The wiring can be expensive, but there are complete guides to mating your LS wiring to the stock wiring.

If you really do decide to get rid of the car post it up for sale on the Forum before sending it off to the junk yard... give someone else the chance to save it.

firechicken76

iTrader: (3)

well, thats the debate about price, you can do the stuff yourself, or have someone else do it, not sure what the wiring harness cost, but i dont think the xmember and motor mounts are too much, there have been TONS of successful swaps, like our mod said, check the swap forum on here, also www.ls1tech.com has a good one.

chevycamaro

I did a little looking and i think it is going to be out of my bufget to do such a swap. Finding a donor car or a complete eng, trans, wiring and all is hard to do for less than 2-2500. then all the extra parts like the special headers, and required K member. I keep coming back to a caeb setup. I really want EFI of some kind, but at the end of the day ist all about the money. i just wish that the TPI wasnt so limited on breath.

AmorgetRS

iTrader: (6)

I don't understand why you think a carb setup will be cheaper. You will need a new carb, intake, and dizzy. ~300 for a carb, 150 or so for a dizzy, and another 150 or so for an intake manifold... 600 bucks. Add in the fuel pump, some new lines, or a regulator, etc etc and it really adds up.

Or

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/WND-7540P/

If you are thinking you will be making 400-450 HP with a junk yard carb, intake, and dizzy I think you are kidding yourself.

firechicken76

iTrader: (3)

for sure, you will need some good flowing aftermarket aluminum heads, i much bigger cam, a good flowing intake, headers, carb, and maybe even a rebuild on the sbc.

to make 400 with a gen 3, you only need headers and a cam. it might cost a little extra to get it in, but the potential after that is sooo much higher, not to mention the fuel efficiency improvement.

or take a junk yard 5.3, bolt an ebay turbo on to it, run low boost, and get 400+ and better millage than stock. you dont need a 6 speed trans, you could run a t350 or 400.

Al Hasse

Yes, as a matter of fact we have a group from the Pacific Northwest converging on Portland next weekend (11-13 Mar) to put their 3rd gens on a dyno. A few from the Seattle-Tacoma area, Portland of course, and we might even have one from BC make the trek down. Not everyone making the trip will dyno, just those who want to. There will most likely be a cruise after, Saturday or Sunday.

firechicken76

iTrader: (3)

Can you message me more info about it? Cost to run on the dyno? Location etc....

Al Hasse

PM sent

I forgot to mention the location in the PM. It's in Lake Oswego, just outside of Portland.

jeff_blake

iTrader: (1)

i keep running into more and more people from WA on here. im down to go to one when this Car gets running properly. mine will probably be the ugliest but oh well. im young, and slowly getting there.

chevycamaro

I will get a built 383 short block built locally here with keith black pistons making 10 or 10.5 to 1, Competition Xtreme energy 280 cam for 1800 or so, Pro Comp aluminum heads for about 650 ready to install, then a Holley 750 will be about 275, Edelbrock performer RPM is about 200, and a MSD HEI will br 200 or so, then some headers of some kind and i should be pretty much setup and rockin.

A LS1 or LT1 is camaro will be 2500-3k to buy to have all htat you need. then you should rebuild the motor just out of principle, bigger cam, aluminum heads, throttle body and all that, then the wiring, k member, special headers...... I see the endless priject now.... the way that i can see this adding up, it will take a couple years to do the swap and i will lose intrest by then and just get pissed and sell it. thats why i just wanna make a fun, fast, simple car to enjoy....

AmorgetRS

iTrader: (6)

I am all for not going with the LS1 swap, but I still believe you will save very little money going with a carb setup over a Holley Stealth Ram. Plus, that 383 won't make 400 wheel HP. You'd be looking around 300 rear wheel I would guess.

Also, you also know that the 700R4 won't live behind that and neither will the 10 bolt... so add another 3k to your budget.

firechicken76

iTrader: (3)

I dont think you know enough about the lsx/ltx engines. for 1, you dont need to buy an ls1, you can buy a truck 6.0 or 5.3, they come stock with aluminum heads, to make 400hp all you need are a set of headers(700), and a decent cam(300+200 for springs)...you can still find ls1 or truck engines for around 1000, also low millage motors are out there, you just have to look. i guess telling you to go look around and search is pointless, because i already did and if you were interested you would of done so by now, so im not going to talk you out of building your carburated sbc, but dont be suprised when it makes less than you are looking for and only gets 10 mpg.

chevycamaro

Heres what i found for the Holley Stealth Ram. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HLY-550-821/

I am lost on what it is that people are buying for 500 bucks that is a HSR? Is there a different version that doesnt require its own computer?

chevycamaro

I looked and did find some 5.3 and 6.o motors, but there again, it appears to be such a chore. the motor yes con the can be had for 1000 or so, but then how much is the rebuild to start fresh, then the wire harness for 1k or more. the Hawks K member for 1500, and then having to get a trans for more $$$. I am just lookingto make a fun car on a realistic budget. For you guys that have bottomless budgets, thats cool, but i do not, so im looking for a little street fun on the cheap (with the understanding that i cant make 1200 hp for 500 bux).

firechicken76

iTrader: (3)

why the hell would you need a tubular k member?
http://www.hawksthirdgenparts.com/sp...irebird-1.aspx

get ur self some the motor mounts and the xmember for under 200
http://www.hawksthirdgenparts.com/82...ossmember.aspx

after that, you can adapt the harness yourself, or pay to have it done.

if you look hard enough, you shouldnt need a rebuild on the 6.0 or 5.3.
use the stock exhaust manifolds or pay about 700 for some stainless works.

its not going to be cheaper to build a carb 400hp sbc....all the advertised hp in summit and jegs is also at the flywheel.

chevycamaro

I dont have a need for a tubular anything besides maybe subframe connectors. I didnt know that you coud to just motor mounts. I was reading one of hte message board threads about LS swaps and it said somehting about needing a special K mamber and you could either buy one for 1300 or have one fabricated. something to do with oil pan clearances. will have to go back and look.

I did a little more looking before work today, and i found a bunch of writeups on LS swaps. It looks like if i do it i will want to get a 5.3 or 6.0 and do the car intake and injectors since the truck inake is less desireable. then locate the special flywheel and trans. i am working 12 hour days 7 days a week so it leave minimal time to read anything. I will see waht i can find as i have time here at work here and there. I found a guy online that has a page full of swaps that are done for 1500 and less. I am sure i will spend more than that, but i cant get crazy. He said that proper harnesses can be had from Ebay for 350 bux or so, and that the biggest expenses were the motor, trans, wire harness, and then accessories.

One thing that i wonder about is how much wiring is rewuired? Is the engine/tranny pretty much free standing with its cmomputer with minumal wiring between the motor and the car? Or are there **** tons of wires that have to be gone all over he car for various sensors of all kinds.

It has been a long time since i was into the engine building. so i am minimally educated in EFI. i am learnng all this as a i read and see all the new things that have come out since back in mid 90's.

AmorgetRS

iTrader: (6)

The stock TPI computer and wiring will work with the HSR.

You don't need to buy their computer and wiring since you already have the TPI wiring.

chevycamaro

So what, I get the HSR. Is that 1 or 2 pieces? I thought maybe its the top only and it bolts t the bottom runners? so say i get that, then all i need is the fuel rails and injectors? or also a throttle body? I found a HSR with 30 pound injectors and a 58mm throttle body for 500 bucks on CL, so that peaked my intrest. If all i need is that and a set of fuel rails, that seems feasable to my budget motor. Thanks.

firechicken76

iTrader: (3)

Good luck on the build, but I dont honestly see 450 tothe wheels..maybe 300 with a good set of heads and cam.

AmorgetRS

iTrader: (6)

The HSR is two pieces. It's a manifold and plenum.

For the fuel rail you have two basic options:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HLY-534-186/

and

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HLY-534-185/

One has an adjustable Fuel pressure regulator, the other does not.

If you can find a used one for 500 bucks, I'd grab that.

I doubt you will need a throttle body, the stock TPI one will work fine, but if it comes with a 58mm one you can try them both and see if you notice a difference. If not, sell the 58mm to someone else who thinks they need it.

As firechicken76 said, you won't be seeing 450 or even 400 to the wheels, 300 is a fair estimate.

firechicken76

iTrader: (3)

why are so many hard core third gen ppl against lsx?

AmorgetRS

iTrader: (6)

I think is completely misunderstood my comment. I love the LSx swap, however for some people it isn't the best option. He seemed very adverse to it.

chevycamaro

I am not against anything. I am just looking for the cheapest way to make it a fun car. although i am willing to spend a little, I just want to get the most for my money. The LS or truck motor just seems like alot of work, but iam looking into it and the stealthram. the miniram looks cool, but not for me. i think the accel superram would be cool, but its 3 times the cost. i am searching ebay ans CL natinally to see whats out there. I dont even really have any power goals anymore. i just want to get the damn thing running so i can actually drive it and not stare at the blue tarp covering it. I am going to take it to a mech pretty soon just to get it going and than when i have the money for a motor I will get the motor and the induction suystem and get on the swap... thats the plans for short term. i need to get the tarp of of it too and get he t top seals replace so that i can keep the water out. the drivers side floor is getting wet so i have to shop vac it out ever week or so.

firechicken76

iTrader: (3)

i dunno how much you have to spend, but i bought my car with the ls1, t56, locker rear, 3.73's, slp exhaust, wilwood 4 piston brakes, tubular control arms, strut tower brace, CAI, subframe connectors, eibach lowering springs, kyb shocks and struts, edelbrock panhard bar and torque arm, drews cross member, slp motor mounts,02 gas tank, 02 driveshaft, 02 radiator and fans,a speartech harness adapter, and a set of ls6 heads for $6000. motor had 35k on it when i bought it too.

chevycamaro

I dont currently have that much to spend. I figured that i would buy the short block for abour 2000, then save for another month for the heads, then save another couple months for the rest and have it all together or at east have all the parts by midlle or end of summer. if i sold my car, i would only get 1800 or so out of it, but i could just look for an older one with a 5 speed already in it and do a carbed motor in that. My main thing when i bought my car is that i liked the 1992 specifie things lie the F1 rear wing, the 90-92 Z28 wheels, and the 90-92 interior specifically the steering wheel and gague cluster. I hadnt learned about the limitations of TPI till i got on here and started researching it.... so i am looking around at different possibilities. Maybe a mid 80s t top monte carlo SS, early 80s 2 door malibu, 70s Nova, or something like that. I know that i cat afford a camaro or Chevelle, its just not realistic. Thats why i picked the 3rd gen camaro. plus i have already had 4 of them as projuects of various levels and never completed one, so i thought it would be a good choice now that i can afford to spend a little here and there.....