I'm supposed to pick up my car wed, cross your fingers. The guy that's been working on it everytime, my car pulls a whammy on him. It seems that the factory put more than just normal everyday camaro parts on it. The weird thing is when we look up the VIN number it doesn't say anything about my model having these parts on them and the guy my dad bought it from bought it straight from the dealer and had nothing else special put on it. It's supposed to be a regular sport coupe but supposedly the factory didn't make it that way.

 

Ok looking up the engine options and having looked under the hood etc, my car has the

1985 Z28
Base (V8): RPO LG4 / 305 CID 4-bbl carb
Opt (V8): RPO L69 / 305 CID 4-bbl carb High-Output ($680)
Opt (V8): RPO LB9 / 305 CID TPI ($680)
Opt (V8): RPO L69 / 305 CID 4-bbl carb High-Output ($680) but yet my car is a regular sport coupe.

 

If you have a Sport Coupe, as first mentioned, you will have a LG4 (H- 8th place in the VIN), not a L69 (G- 8th place in the VIN). Pretty much all the VIN will tell you is the engine. What transmission do you have? What does your SPID label in the console have listed? What are these "parts" you mention.

 

What's the VIN engine code (eight digit) and the RPO codes?

Assuming you're 100% sure that the engine was never swapped, it's a definitive possibility. I've heard countless stories of engines being put in the wrong car, cars being built with wrong parts, parts swapped between two cars on the same line. One time I heard the story of a build sheet for one car showing up under the carpet of another car.

My dad had a 76 Plymouth with all sorts of wierd problems from the factory. He used to claim that it had to have been built on either a Monday morning, or a Friday afternoon.

 

Well I have that because it had the High Output carb on it until we switched to a Edlebrock 650 cfm. I was told to take it to a GM dealership and they would give me a print out of every single part that is on my car. I also have the F41 suspension. We've always had a hard time getting the correct parts for this car. And it had the one owner before me and like I said he bought it straight from the dealership. I keep thinking this car is morphing on it's own or something.

 

Screw the dealership. The VIN number and RPO codes will tell you pretty much all you need to know. You just have to know what you are looking for to figure them out.

Lucky for you, this forum is full of people who know

edited for content. Bypassing the language filters with special characters is against the rules!

 

Well I can give you the VIN number but figuring this crap out is a tough one. Ok so as I posted above the L69 has the high output carb. But the weird thing is that before we put on a high preformance carb on it I had the High output car orginally on it when it's supposed to be an LG4 not an L69.

I found somewhere, where it says the LG4 is standard on Z28s yet mine is not a Z28 as well as it has the F41 suspension. This is what I've decoded from my VIN number so far.

1G1FP87H0FL480184
Nation of Origin: USA
Manufacture: General Motors
Make and Type: Chevrolet
Restraint System:
Carline / Series: F-Body Camaro Sport Coupe (all modles except Berlinetta)
Body Type: Coupe 2 Door Sport
Engine: RPO: LG4, Engine Type: V8, Fuel System: Carb, Displacement: 5.0, Cubic Inches.: 305, Producer: Chevrolet
Check Digit: 0
Year: 1985
Assembly Plant: Van Nuys
Plant Sequential Number: 480184

Ok so as I posted above the L69 has the high output carb. But the weird thing is that before we put on a high preformance carb on it I had the High output car orginally on it when it's supposed to be an LG4 not an L69. This damn car is confusing as hell.

 

GM sold it as an SC, so there goes my rebadged theory.

Someone who knows more about 305's would be able to tell you if there are any exterior differences between the LG4 and the L69. However it's possible that you just had a carb swap.

Edit: Actually, if you got the suspension, it might not be a carb swap. Someone with more F-body knowledge should answer this: Was the H.O. carb and Z28 suspension availible on the SC as an RPO option?

 

All I know is that high output carb is what he pulled off of it. But there are or things that are on it that are not supposed to be and the factory is the only ones who could have put them on there. But I'm kinda new at all this stuff so I can't exactly what those other things are until I talk to the guy who is working on my tranny. I'm having to have it rebuilt.

 

No suprise there. Another old-school TH-700R4 bites the dust.

Yeah, talk to your boy, and see what he says, then post back here. I'm interested in what he thinks is exactly wrong with the car.

 

Me too. He's had it for 3 weeks now and just when I think I can go pick it up my car pulls another whammy on him. I tell him, you know what I have no idea about this car anymore, your guess is as good as mine. Because like I said it seems that this car keeps morphing or something. My father and I have been working on this car going on 5 years now. I'm now finished with the motor and I had to get the tranny rebuilt. We have all performance parts on the engine with timing gear. After the tranny is fixed onto the interior.

 

Mystery solved.

1. The VIN says H=LG4
2. The 700R-4 Automatic was NOT available on the '85 L69's F-Body. '84 only.

 

What parts other than the HO carb shouldn't be on the car?The H in your VIN indicates LG4 as 90TA stated.Someone could have done a carb swap,maybe even a carb intake swap.The L69's intake would be aluminum if I remember right where as the LG4's would be cast iron.please correct me if I'm wrong here.Look on the block pad right behind the alternator for the engine code and the last 5(?) digits of your VIN should be stamped there if it's the original block to the car.The F41 suspension was an option on the Sport Coupe as was the rear spoiler giving it the somewhat the appearance of a Z28.Does you car have full gauges,I know again not definitive cause it was an option.It's possible that the assembly plant,especially since we're talking about Van Nuys,could have made a mistake or two.
By the way what was the problem in the first place that caused you to take her to your mechanic?Carfax shows she was first registered in TX too.

 

That's correct, the guy we bought it from was thr orginal owner I believe he bought somewhere in Dallas. The problem we took it to the mechanic for was to have the tranny rebuilt. All I know is some of the stuff on this car is not supposed to be there from what the vin # is saying.

 

That's why an RPO check would be much more accurate. It would tell you if, like coolram said, it came with the upgraded suspension and other stuff as an option.

FYI: In 85 the Camaro had these RPO codes:

D80 Spoiler (included with Z28)
F41 Suspension, sport
N90 Wheels, aluminum (std Z28)

I didn't see any carb options listed, but as was previously stated a carb or intake manifold swap would be very easy.

Edit: Like I said before, your best bet is to talk to your mechanic and get a list of everything he thinks doesn't belong on the car. Then go get a pen and paper and jot down all the RPO codes, and post them back here with your mechanic's list.

 

I think the Carbs were the same for the LG4 & L69 from 85-86 (no L69 in 87)

 

I'm not sure what you are getting at when you say "high output carb." Maybe you are getting confused just because you have a 4-barrel carb. Both the L69 and the LG4 used the Rochester quadrajet carb. Depending on the engine it may have been jetted different, but there would be no physical difference that you could see.

 

I don't know anymore this car has got me so turned around it's pathetic. I'm supposed to pick the car up tomorrow, so I'll let you know then.

 

Still, the VIN says it all- originally a LG4, only. Anything else is swapped. Again, what are these "other parts" to figure out what model?


If it had been a Factory 1985 L69 you would have:

1. A Manual Tranmission, Period. Zero Automatic L69's in '85.
2. 3.70 rear end.
3. Electric Fans.
4. Larger Exhaust Manifolds and Exhaust (same used on the LB9).
5. An Intank Fuel Pump along with a engine mounted fuel pump.
6. Required G80 Limited Slip Differential, QAC 235/60/15 or QDZ 245/50/16 tires

Just to name a few.

Looking at the sequence number on your VIN, your car was built during the last quarter of production when the L69 was no longer available.

 

Well I'll take you guys word for it all I know is we've had nothing but problems trying to get the right parts to fit this car. Also you guys gotta remember I'm a chick so you can't expect me to know everything, I'm still learning here.

 

90TA you stated right that the L69 wasn't availible after April '85.Cdartz the calibration,old school jetting,was specific to the L69 I believe but you're right the Q-Jet itself was probably the same.The Sport Coupe could be optioned with everything but what was specific/only availible on the Z28 or the Berlinetta.
Sambora don't get discouraged about these things.I know it's aggravating but in the end once she's running right you'll smile.And as far as knowing everything there's something new for all of us to learn everyday.

 

Yeah but a lot of the time I feel like you guys thinking I'm stupid and that I don't know my stuff because I'm a chick, but I do just not as much as you guys do. My sister thinks I'm a car freak because I'm a member of all these car clubs.

 

SamboraSixx:

I can imagine your frustration trying to get things to work when you had been misinformed of having an L69 when you really have a LG4, but there are those of us that can help you through it. You just have to be our eyes as we cannot see it first hand.

If you have the chance when you get your car back, see if maybe the build sheet is still under the drivers seat. It should tell you exactly what the car started out as, and is now if the original owner didn't have anything done to it.

Until you mentioned it, I had no idea of your gender. There is nothing wrong with being a car chick. I think it is great. They tend to be the best learners. Anyone that thinks you are stupid should look back on themselves.

 

I was told long ago the only stupid thing you can do is not ask.How will anyone ever know if they don't.Now there may be at times silly questions and you may get silly answers to questions.Now that Philosophy 101 is over I,myself,have learned just enough to be dangerous.

 

It is a very-real possibility that Sambora's mechanic is wrong about the carb. For all we know it's a stock SC with the F41 RPO and an LG4. It would be the simplest explanation.

 

L69 and LG4 both used the same computer controlled carb in '85. Period. The only difference was the state of tune.

 

Actually the Cam was the real difference in the two. Possibly the exhaust manifolds & other exhaust stuff, the Intake, heads, pistons, crank etc were the same. The Air cleaner was sometimes different too.

John

 

Ok well picking it up tomorrow. It was supposed to be done weeks ago. Cross your fingers I get it back tomorrow.

 

We all have our fingers crossed for you Sambora that everything will work out fine.
Okfoz the air cleaner on the L69 was very different than the LG4.The L69 uses a dual snorkel where as the LG4's uses a single inlet.Also I believe the L69 cars used a single electric fan as opposed to the belt driven clutch fan of the LG4(good for 10 to 15 HP).

 

On Camaros that was true, but in some years, 83-84 for sure, the Firebird L69 and LG4 Air cleaners were the same on the TRANS AM.

I have one from an LG4.

Sometimes they are different

JOhn