five7kid

iTrader: (14)

I had previously announced that I was putting a 2000 LS1/T56 in the Camaro.

That's still true, except the Camaro it is going into has changed.

This is a 298k original miles completely stock LG4 California car 1982 Berlinetta. Just passed California smog, newly rebuilt carb, new EGR valve, new O2 sensor, new exhaust (I think it's a Flow). Idle is a little high, but I don't have any tools with me to adjust it.

Really makes my "first" pale by comparison. Of course, it doesn't have near the power right now, but no rattles, completely reupholstered and repainted, all new weather seals, brakes, etc. After all that was done, the owner since 1985 donated it to charity, which is how I obtained it.

Almost makes me want to keep it like it is.


NOT!


So, the "first" car will stay in the family. I'll keep driving it while the new one gets the 4th gen drive train treatment. And, #1 will still be available next season for my son to race. When he graduates from college, the title will be transferred to him.

So, I'll still have a carb'd 3rd gen for awhile.


(No, the dog didn't come with it.)

Apeiron

Good news. All the cool kids have 2 Camaros you know.... one carbed and one F.I.

Tobias05

NICE! new desktop wallpaper...or as soon as i color out the tow hitch in ms paint, haha.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

I wondered who would be the first to notice the hitch. Probably the only 3rd gen in the free world with a 2" receiver and trailer brake controller. Also has air bags in the rear springs, which really makes it ride rough. Those will come out as soon as possible - I've got a headache from getting jolted around in it already.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Makes you wonder about some people.

What I'm talking about:

I've been driving the car around for a couple of days before I drive it home. Idled too fast when warm, dieseled when shutting it off. First time I went to start it dead cold, could hardly get it to start or stay running. Went to Wally World and got a basic tool kit (don't have anything with me away from home). Pulled the air cleaner off before starting it this morning, discovered the fast idle cam was tied down with a twist tie - this is a newly (and apparently well) rebuilt carb. I had already determined the choke thermostat was fully opening the choke when hot. Removed the twist tie, adjusted the fast and curb idle, starts right up cold and doesn't diesel hot.

You'd think after spending all the money on a thoroughly rebuilt carb that they'd spend a few minutes adjusting it rather than disabling it.

Sonix

iTrader: (1)

Congrats on the new car. Nice feeling eh? New car... Then finding all the bugs the PO left on it.

But :HOLY COW!?!? I'm surprised it hasn't fallen into pieces yet! 300,000miles?!? Sure looks in good shape though. Do you already have the LS1 drivetrain purchased? Any modifications to that planned, or put it in as is? (ha, yea right)

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

The miles were put on commuting in California - meaning many miles each way. I wonder if the engine has been rebuilt, but they said it hasn't. The tranny was rebuilt 40k miles ago. It also has all new exhaust, with later type cross-flow single inlet/dual outlet muffler. Actually sounds pretty good.

I already have the LS1/T56. The following have been deleted from the PCM: rear O2 sensors, A.I.R., EGR, fuel tank pressure. I plan on headers, but that's about it. For now. Also rear end/rear suspension mods.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

I left the car at the airport long term parking because I didn't have time to drive it home when I last reported. Another trip back there last week, one way plane ticket, drove it home Thursday/Friday. I let the air out of the air bags, still rides pretty rough. Gas mileage wasn't impressive, timed the speedo and found it was doing 80 at indicated 75, so I just kept it at 75 actual (3.23 gears, no OD, 2900 RPMs at 75 MPH).

I took it to the Colorado emissions test station yesterday during lunch - bad choice, long line. I kept it running while I waited, they finally pulled me over to a lane, told me to shut it off and pop the hood. They did their underhood, cat, and gas filler inspections, then left it sitting while the cars in front of it were tested. By the time they pulled it up to the dyno, it had cooled off again. They hooked up their equipment, started it, put it in gear, and it would stall. After 3 or 4 attempts, they unhooked it, gave me a no-test slip, and sent me packing. Of course, a block away, it was warm enough again and would stay running - although admittedly not very smoothly.

I looked it over more thoroughly this evening. First thing I noticed was the EGR vacuum source was hooked to the vent of the EGR solenoid - not sure how much that matters (the '82 system is different than the '86 - the valve is tee'd off the vacuum source with the solenoid, the solenoid vent is connected to the back of the carb airhorn for filtered air - weird, I don't think much of it). I switched that to the proper config, then checked the timing and found it at 4 degrees - spec is 6. I set it at 8 (a little extra usually helps, and even more so at altitude). Adjusted idle speed, and attempted to adjust IAB - it wouldn't respond, dwell meter was pegged at zero. Checked the idle mixture screws, one was at 1-1/2 turns out, the other <1 - that would explain the poor idle. Set them both at 4, started it up again, and was able to get the IAB to 30 degrees. Readjusted idle speed, checked TPS, sitting at .8 volts, adjusted that down to .5 (spec .48 +/- .1).

Got the Mity Vac out and checked the choke pull-off - it looks like a new unit, but it leaks. Oh, well, set it as close as I could and let it be. Next checked the thermovac - it won't do anything with vacuum applied to the line that goes to the carb, checked the flap valve directly, pulled right in and held. Fiddled with the hose connection configuration to the thermal switch, finally got it to operate. Finally checked fast idle, right at the 2200 RPM spec.

Put it all back together, let it sit for about half an hour, went out for a test drive. Much, much better. Idles smoothly at 575 RPMs, come up to a stop and it goes silent like it used to, but now it keeps running without needing to feather the throttle - before it was silent because it had died. A little crisper on the throttle, but 10 or 12 degrees timing would probably make it better. Ran the Auto X-ray during the test drive, tach is about 100 RPMs fast (I set idle with the Auto X-ray, not the tach). Speedo needle and VSS agree. WOT indicator works (I forgot to check WOT TPS voltage), O2 sensor responds, MAP responds, went into closed loop, basically everything looked good. Must have a 160 degree thermostat, it never warms up much above 170. No dieseling when shutting it off (idles at 800 in neutral instead of >1000).

So, we'll see how it does tomorrow morning after sitting outside in the cold all night. I expect it to start, stay running, and be drivable before fully warming up - unlike the last two mornings. Then we'll give it another shot at Air Care Colorado. If it passes, I can get 5-year collector plates and never have to test it again.

I still can't believe how maladjusted everything was. They gave me the CA smog test results, amazed it would pass the way everything was set. Oh, yeah, the SES light would come on when sitting at a light before I first adjusted the idle, hasn't come on since. I checked for codes before I did anything tonight, but it had already self reset. After the adjustments, it set Code 41, but that's from disconnecting the EST connector while setting the timing.

Sorry for the long, rambling post, but thought I'd chronicle the difference proper adjustments will make.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Ah, yes, much better! Yesterday morning I had to scrape frost off the windows; I'd hit the gas, turn it over to start, I'd scrape, it would run for about 5 seconds and die. Did that about a dozen times while I scraped the windows. When I took off down the street, had to pump & feather it constantly for about 2 blocks.

This morning, one pump on the throttle, started immediately and kept running. Let it run for about 15 seconds, put it in reverse, backed out of the driveway, kept running smoothly while I drove up the street and out of the neighborhood. Never hinted at dieing, idles smoothly and at lower RPMs than before. Very nice! Although it could probably use a little more timing advance.

We'll see how it does at the test station this afternoon.

scooter500

iTrader: (1)

That's good to hear its running about alright. What do think the total for an engine swap like your planning might run up?

ryan91rs

iTrader: (1)

you said the dog didn't come with it? so do you ride the Shepard's back or something, i mean it's nice but the car is an option too. It may be slow but at least it won't smell in the rain.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

$6-7k, depending upon the bells & whistles I end up getting. If I go with headers, exhaust will probably run $1500 on its own.
The dog wouldn't leave his master. He was friendly enough and all, but couldn't get him to get in the car. So far the car doesn't smell in the rain.


Took it back for the emissions test. Line was shorter, got to it pretty quickly, put it on the dyno with the facility cooling fan pointed at the nose, then disappeared for 10 minutes. Had me concerned it would cool off and go back to open loop, but halfway through the test sequence it was given a "fast pass", and I got my certificate. Now has 5-year collector plates, won't need to go through emissions again as long as I own it and keep the registration current.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

299,907 miles right now. Still hasn't fallen apart. As you can see, runs better now than it did when I picked it up 1500 miles ago.

Need to get my son's '92 Lumina out of the garage so I can start on this thing.

Sonix

iTrader: (1)

haha, it's in a lot nicer condition that my 110,000 mile car that's for sure... It's all about maintenance.

So now after tuning it up and getting it to pass the tests, you're going to yank out the engine and put in an LS1 eh? What a shame, waste of a "perfectly good" LG4. Oh well, someone with a V6 might want it eh?

89RsPower!

car looks to be in really good shape, especially for the age! I hope you keep it looking bone stock on the outside, it looks so slow and innocent, you should even keep the trailer hitch! lol you'll really suprise some people when you fly by em at the track! just keep the hood shut n tellem its a hopped up lg4.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

I planned on the plain innocent look - I guess some people call that "sleeper". I hadn't thought about keeping the trailer hitch to maintain that image - I'm removing the air bags right now so my teeth don't continue to get rattled at every pavement seam.

Although the engine condition is probably maintenance, the rest is restoration.
----------
Know anyone????

89RsPower!

yeah the term sleeper is thrown around a lot, personally I think of a "sleeper" as more of something along the lines of a late 70's malibu wagon that looks like grandma's grocery getter that runs 11's at the track, where as a camaro in any form is still a sports car/muscle car even though many of em in stock form can be extremely underpowered and slow people that don't know any better (ie. young kids, dumb girls don't know that).. I just think the idea of keeping it looking stock since it's in such nice shape to begin with is a cool idea plus at the track the "car guys" will see an early 80's berlinetta and if you can keep the noise level down, which is pretty easy with an ls1 until you go WOT depending on what you're running for exhaust, will expect a 15-16 sec car, and be completely shocked when they see a low 13 high 12 (times based on if you kept it bone stock with a stock suspension setup).. I wish I had the money and time to do a project like yours, not to mention reliable transportation while doing it (sorry for the long rant, I'm in the middle of what was suppose to be a low budget quick c4 project that I went too overboard with and still needs more work, and my dd 99 TA which has always been faithful to me for the most part, except for breaking rears, decides it's time for the waterpump to start pouring coolant with no prior warning when I'm broke from the vette and going to college/working 7 days a week, and thinking no prob I'll just go to the store and get one, but nobody around here at all stocks them so it was a 4 business day wait on a friday to get the part..so its been dissassembled for 6 days now awaiting a part and I have to wake up at 5 in the morning to put it back togather to make it to work on time..) sorry about the long rant in your post, I needed to vent and I really think what you're doing is awesome, too many people these days are into the all show no go thing, its nice to see someone doing something extremely pratical, a huge performance boost and most likely gas mileage boost, instead of a big hood, shiney paint, huge wheels with rubber bands around em, and big bright red brake calipers with 15 inch cross drilled slotted rotors on a stock 305 tbi car.. Ok now I'm done, just wanted to express the amount of respect and envy I have for what you're going to do. haha

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

I've driven it to work every day this week. This morning it fired right up again, never hinted at dieing, nice smooth throttle response, quiet enough that you don't have to turn the radio way up to hear it - really nice. I'd like to keep it that way after the swap.

While under the car last night, I noticed that the muffler, which is quiet but still has a nice tone to it - is 3" inlet dual 2-1/2" outlet, but has been necked down at both the inlet and outlets to accommodate LG4 piping. Couldn't find any markings on the bottom or ends. I was planning on full duals with the LS1, so this muffler may be what I've been looking for to put in Camaro #1 - I hate the Flowmaster. My wife has been driving that car, last night she took off while I was removing the air bags, and the thing sounds worse on the outside than it does on the inside, and I get tired real quick with the noise inside.

Yes, I'll take understated, functional and quick to bling any day.