What's up gentlemen,
Just thought I'd introduce myself on the local board. I picked up an '89 RS 305/auto a couple weeks ago and found this site. It's all stock for now execept for an Edelbrock cat-back. Waiting until I get it running right, but I hope to be at next months Auto-X. I noticed a few of you do the drift sessions, anybody run solo II?
Later,
Corey

 

Solo II, like track autocross? I have, once. Put a bolt through my driver's front tire (track trash) and had to stop. I dind't do very well, becasue I'm pretty new at it. Haven't gone since due to scheduling conflicts. I ran my GTA with crummy Aquatread tires front and rear, fully stock. (Missing cat-back doesn't count as a mod, does it?) Definitly fun to try, it let me know just how the car could handle in wet and dry conditions. (It rained before my second run. NO traction out back....)

As of yet, all I have on the GTA is an Edelbrock cat-back, also. (small world, eh?)

 

Glad you got a chance to check it out. I only ran in a bone stock 2001 Focus a couple times before my wife pulled the plug. I was borrowing her car so I figured I better listen Sucked because I placed 2nd both times and got to within 2/10ths of a class win second time out in H-stock. 11 cars, the biggest class at the time. PAX time of 8 out of 89. Coulda been a contender..........
Now I've got the Camaro but I have a few bugs to work out before I put it on the track. The car doesn't have an interior yet either so that will put me in C-Modified. FYI cat back is open in stock class, anything you want. Same for shock absorbers (not springs though), tires ( OEM wheel size +/- .25 in of stock offset), & brake pads. You can run a fully blueprinted "stock" car with double adjustable dampers, R-compound tires, etc...But I think that goes against the spirit of the stock class, good cheap fun!

 

Welcome aboard, HawaiianRS, nice to see another ThirdGen enthusiast. A couple years ago I used to go to autocross at Barber's Point. At the time John Pinero was dominating his class with a '91 Z-28.

Post the where and when autocross schedule and I'm sure some of us will show up to shred some tires.

 

Here's a link to the main page
Schedule is:

Solo I / Regional Racing Schedule

May 15 - Hawaii Raceway Park

July 10 - Hawaii Raceway Park

September 5 - Hawaii Raceway Park
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Solo II Racing Schedule

May 1 - Hawaii Raceway Park
Heat 1: All Stock
Heat 2: ASP,BSP,CSP,DSP
Heat 3: ESP,FSP,All Modified
Heat 4: All Prepared,STS,SM

June 5 - Hawaii Raceway Park
Heat 1: ASP,BSP,CSP,DSP
Heat 2: ESP,FSP,All Modified
Heat 3: All Prepared,STS,SM
Heat 4: All Stock

July 3 - Hawaii Raceway Park
Heat 1: ESP,FSP,All Modified
Heat 2: All Prepared,STS,SM
Heat 3: All Stock
Heat 4: ASP,BSP,CSP,DSP

Aug 14 - Hawaii Raceway Park
Heat 1: All Prepared,STS,SM
Heat 2: All Stock
Heat 3: ASP,BSP,CSP,DSP
Heat 4: ESP,FSP,All Modified

BTW I'm having a little trouble working out the last few bugs. I hate to do it, but if I can't find the cause; does anybody know a good mechanic?

 

Welcome to the forums! If you like SCCA / Auto-X I recommend you check out the Drift Session SuperLap Series. Its a bi/tri-monthly event at HRP with a focus on roadracing, not drifting. I like it better because you get alot more track time than SCCA or Auto-X. And its short course lapping, no cones. You get to practice in the morning, and then its time attack all afternoon. I think there is one coming up on April 23rd 8am to 3pm. Its $75 to drive (but again, you get like 10 times as much track time as SCCA / Auto-X).

What kind of problem you having with the car? Maybe we can help out?

 

Hey Corey, nice to have a racing guy on the board. I'm planning to get into SoloII this summer, maybe more if I can afford it.

I want to try SuperLap but my car isn't near ready for that kind of racing right now. Probably be hitting the dragstrip until I replace this soft v6 suspension.

Suppose I need a helmet, are motorcycle helmets okay?

Scott

 

The drift session sounds great, you do end up spending the whole day for about 5 minutes of track time at the Auto-X. Right now I think even Solo II might be pushing the car a little much for the shape it's in. I'll need to go through the brakes and suspension before I'd trust it at full speed on an open track.

I'm kind of at a loss on how to describe the problem with the car.
I started out with the basic "neglected car tune-up" Cap/rotor/wires/plugs/o2 sensor, inspected all the vacum lines, set timing, changed oil. Still wasn't running right so I started reading out the distributor which read good but the wires to the pick-up were dry rotted and everything under the cap was severly corroded. For slightly more than a new pick-up and module I got a reman dizzy from Checkers. That helped out with the low rpm bog I was getting, and improved the starting as well. Now the car runs pretty good, but not great.
Considering that it was only $750 (91k decent body/no interior)most people would probably be content to leave it as is and enjoy it as an island beater, I have a little higher hopes. I feel that with only 91k it could run as good as new, which it doesn't. It has some steady vibration at idle (in drive) with a fairly consistent miss, it's also still a little rough under acceleration at low RPM's. My tach reads high so it's usless, but if I put the car in "2" you can feel it smooth out and quiet down a little over 25-30mph. Above that the motor feels as strong and responsive as a stock LO3 has any right to.
I still have a small exhaust leak to get welded, it seems too small to cause any issues but you never know. BTW the leak is at the cat/y-pipe junction. On my car this is just a clamped connection. Wouldn't it have been a flange stock?
I'd like to get it on an occiliscope(sp) or at least a scan tool eventually.
This is my first Chevy so any help would be greatly appreciated. I'm not familiar with all the little things that can go wrong with these engines.

 

Sounds like a tuning or sensor issue. Does the SES light come on? I used to have issues with my old L03 and I never did find out why. I had a rough idle, I suspected it was because the cat was deleted and the tube for EGR was welded shut. Ended up pulling the motor before figguring it out. But I know Anthony (acescarrsRS) fixed his L03 issues so he probably knows more about them than I do. Maybe send him a PM or something. And I'm sure someone on these boards can help you out with a scan tool.

 

Wow! I haven't really posted on the boards in a while. First off, welcome aboard HawaiianRS. Glad to see more 3rdgen Hawaii people slowly making it here. Let's see if I can help you out a little with your RS.

First, the way you described how the cat is hooked up on the y-pipe side with just the pipe slipped in & just a clamp is stock. Only on the other side of the cat will there be a regular flange connecting it to the I-pipe going to the rear.

As for your rough idle..........where do I begin lol! Shawn(CrazyHawaiian) knows all the pain I've been through with idle,backfiring,rough moving,etc.etc.etc. with my car. I posted alot on it & to be honest, I'm not quite sure I really solved it.

Just like you, I did the usual tune-up stuff to try & locate the problem. Mine turned out to be a distributor problem(thanks again for the dizzy Shawn). Everything pretty much smoothed out after that.

Here's a list of some other things you could check on or just as suggestions.

1. EGR valve clogged
2. oxygen sensor
3. IAC motor (it's on the left side of the throttle body if you're facing the car) try doing a search. there is an article on checking & resetting this thing.
4. Bad coolant temperature sensor (this sensor gives info back to the ECM & will cause funky problems if bad. It's located on the intake manifold right by the waterneck)
4. Rebuild of throttle body...Yes, they actually do sell a rebuild kit for it, just like a carb!
5. Bad grounds....don't laugh cause sometimes this is a problem...computers are so finicky!

Hmmmmm...that's all I can think of right now but if something else shoots into my mind I'll post again. On a final note, these LO3's are very durable motor's & run very well when all is in tune. But man, when one small thing goes out of whack!!!!! All hell breaks loose on these things. Good luck & I hope some of this info helps!

Laterz, Anthony

 

Thank for the tips. It's frustrating because I' fairly sure the motor is basically sound. It runs great on the top-end it's "off" down low. I did end up replacing the dizzy, I've heard a bad knock sensor can cause problems so I'll check that along with the coolant sensor.

 

I just came to realize something only now lol HawaiianRS(Corey),....I'm the one you are buying the 83Z28 from. Can't believe I didn't realize it earlier lol. Anyways, I'll be ready this Saturday when you take it. Laterz!

Anthony