Pre buy questions
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
From: North Carolina
Car: 1986 Iroc
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: 7004r :(
Pre buy questions
Hey guys, I am looking at possibly buying a 1992 Camaro rs.
It has a 5 speet with a 350 that is carbed. he is asking 2500 Im not sure where that engine is from, and neither does the guy that is selling it, and he also says the guy who he bought it from told him it has a mild cam. thats about all he knows about the engine, but i have a concern with the original trans holding up to the engine, depending on where its from, any way to tell there? BUT, the car has no drivetrain issues, it runs very well, but my only concerns are a few gauges that are not working, the fuel gauge he says has never worked, and the tach is stuck on the bottom pin, he says its just not pluged up, and the temp gauge doesnt work, but he does have a 3 gauge cluster he has set up, the temp gauge on that works when it wants to, so how easy would it be to fix these gauges? thats about all, THANKS!
It has a 5 speet with a 350 that is carbed. he is asking 2500 Im not sure where that engine is from, and neither does the guy that is selling it, and he also says the guy who he bought it from told him it has a mild cam. thats about all he knows about the engine, but i have a concern with the original trans holding up to the engine, depending on where its from, any way to tell there? BUT, the car has no drivetrain issues, it runs very well, but my only concerns are a few gauges that are not working, the fuel gauge he says has never worked, and the tach is stuck on the bottom pin, he says its just not pluged up, and the temp gauge doesnt work, but he does have a 3 gauge cluster he has set up, the temp gauge on that works when it wants to, so how easy would it be to fix these gauges? thats about all, THANKS!
Supreme Member
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 9,192
Likes: 19
From: Cary, North Carolina
Car: 1992 RS
Engine: Carbed 350
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.42 posi
Re: Pre buy questions
Where are you located? I ask because, in my little world, $2500 ought to buy a perfect running, all gauges working, no dents, pristine interior, still 6 out of 10 paint car.
I've never piad more than $800 for a 3rd gen (my current 1992 RS), and everything was in really great shape with it except one dent. Might keep looking ... if you can get to the south, this is Camaro heaven here, cheap cars (relatively) compared to rest of the country, and most rust free.
But to answer your questions ...
1) 700R4 tranny was behind factory 350 engines, so no isues there - like any other automatic it'll work until it doesn't, then it's rebuild time.
2) Dfeinitely get those engine block ID numbers and verify it's a 350. Most folks don't know a 350 from a 305 (because externally they are identical) - the ONLY way to know is to get those block ID numbers and google them. Everyone assumes that if it's a V8 and it's a Camaro, it has to be a 350 (which is more often NOT the case) - RS cars never had 350's in them.
3) The wire for the temp sender is green, a single wire, exits the main driver side loom just behind the driver's head, has a single female spade connector on it - the temp sender is driver side head between $#1 & #3 spark plugs.
4) Fuel sender is in the tank - have to drop the rear axle, the exhaust, the panhard bar, then drop the tank, and replace/fix the sender and float - need to replace fuel pump at same time (since you went to all that trouble) - takes a single person 1 full day in the driveway to drop the tank.
I'm not familiar with tach wires, sorry.
I've never piad more than $800 for a 3rd gen (my current 1992 RS), and everything was in really great shape with it except one dent. Might keep looking ... if you can get to the south, this is Camaro heaven here, cheap cars (relatively) compared to rest of the country, and most rust free.
But to answer your questions ...
1) 700R4 tranny was behind factory 350 engines, so no isues there - like any other automatic it'll work until it doesn't, then it's rebuild time.
2) Dfeinitely get those engine block ID numbers and verify it's a 350. Most folks don't know a 350 from a 305 (because externally they are identical) - the ONLY way to know is to get those block ID numbers and google them. Everyone assumes that if it's a V8 and it's a Camaro, it has to be a 350 (which is more often NOT the case) - RS cars never had 350's in them.
3) The wire for the temp sender is green, a single wire, exits the main driver side loom just behind the driver's head, has a single female spade connector on it - the temp sender is driver side head between $#1 & #3 spark plugs.
4) Fuel sender is in the tank - have to drop the rear axle, the exhaust, the panhard bar, then drop the tank, and replace/fix the sender and float - need to replace fuel pump at same time (since you went to all that trouble) - takes a single person 1 full day in the driveway to drop the tank.
I'm not familiar with tach wires, sorry.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
From: North Carolina
Car: 1986 Iroc
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: 7004r :(
Re: Pre buy questions
Where are you located? I ask because, in my little world, $2500 ought to buy a perfect running, all gauges working, no dents, pristine interior, still 6 out of 10 paint car.
I've never piad more than $800 for a 3rd gen (my current 1992 RS), and everything was in really great shape with it except one dent. Might keep looking ... if you can get to the south, this is Camaro heaven here, cheap cars (relatively) compared to rest of the country, and most rust free.
But to answer your questions ...
1) 700R4 tranny was behind factory 350 engines, so no isues there - like any other automatic it'll work until it doesn't, then it's rebuild time.
2) Dfeinitely get those engine block ID numbers and verify it's a 350. Most folks don't know a 350 from a 305 (because externally they are identical) - the ONLY way to know is to get those block ID numbers and google them. Everyone assumes that if it's a V8 and it's a Camaro, it has to be a 350 (which is more often NOT the case) - RS cars never had 350's in them.
3) The wire for the temp sender is green, a single wire, exits the main driver side loom just behind the driver's head, has a single female spade connector on it - the temp sender is driver side head between $#1 & #3 spark plugs.
4) Fuel sender is in the tank - have to drop the rear axle, the exhaust, the panhard bar, then drop the tank, and replace/fix the sender and float - need to replace fuel pump at same time (since you went to all that trouble) - takes a single person 1 full day in the driveway to drop the tank.
I'm not familiar with tach wires, sorry.
I've never piad more than $800 for a 3rd gen (my current 1992 RS), and everything was in really great shape with it except one dent. Might keep looking ... if you can get to the south, this is Camaro heaven here, cheap cars (relatively) compared to rest of the country, and most rust free.
But to answer your questions ...
1) 700R4 tranny was behind factory 350 engines, so no isues there - like any other automatic it'll work until it doesn't, then it's rebuild time.
2) Dfeinitely get those engine block ID numbers and verify it's a 350. Most folks don't know a 350 from a 305 (because externally they are identical) - the ONLY way to know is to get those block ID numbers and google them. Everyone assumes that if it's a V8 and it's a Camaro, it has to be a 350 (which is more often NOT the case) - RS cars never had 350's in them.
3) The wire for the temp sender is green, a single wire, exits the main driver side loom just behind the driver's head, has a single female spade connector on it - the temp sender is driver side head between $#1 & #3 spark plugs.
4) Fuel sender is in the tank - have to drop the rear axle, the exhaust, the panhard bar, then drop the tank, and replace/fix the sender and float - need to replace fuel pump at same time (since you went to all that trouble) - takes a single person 1 full day in the driveway to drop the tank.
I'm not familiar with tach wires, sorry.
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