batman-matt

anyone know any excellent full diagnostic centers in vegas that aren't complete criminals?

birdtojag

iTrader: (1)

Not really, but what are your symptoms and maybe we can help.

burnout88

That's going to be really hard find. And I have found that mechanics are terrible with pre-obd2 cars. That have to do old school diagonsics and most have lost those all of those skills. Thirdgen org is your best bet.

batman-matt

thanks guys. sorry this is so long but i just bought this and since i dont have a lift or adequate room in the garage and cant work in the driveway (damn h.o.a.s) i have to resort to taking my car to a decent full diagnostic center to review bumber to bumber and give me a run down of all that's wrong. the guy was pretty up front and said he installed new injectors,
spark plugs,
smog,
new radiator,
new standard gm starter,
new new a/c.
the issues, leakeing coolant near intake valve, apparently no big deal,
light grey smoke coming out of the exhaust w/. light watery black residue,
this morning i noticed a small hole in my muffler,
it takes a min to start up and stalls out if i dont feather the throttle,
almost no rust and any is just surface seeing as it has always been a vegas car
get error 32 when diagnosisng check engine light
egr solanoid needs replacement,
and he recommended not banging on it since the transmission is running fine - no slippage, but it's original and may go out soon since the car total has 133k on it

batman-matt

spoke to a guy at precision tune auto care the chain any one ever used them or heard anything about them?

batman-matt

im going to sound like a complete nube here but what does pre-obd2 mean

burnout88

OBD = On Board Diagnostics. The earlier computer systems in cars are called OBD1. All cars built prior to 1996 with computer controls are basically considered OBD 1.

In 1996 the gov. mandated the next generation of computers systems put in cars provide extensive standardized operational and trouble code data. The systems after 1996 are actually much easier to work on and diagnose and are the "OBD2" systems.

Since there are very few cars left on the road that are older then 1996 with computer controls most new mechanics are not even trained on how to repair or diagnose them or simply do not want to spend the time they require to fix them.

batman-matt

thank you for that. Is it possible to upgrade that say If I were to put in a new engint/electronic control transmission and performance chip, In my theory that would fix this issue but by then I'd know enough to completely diagnos my own issues lol but my point is it is possible to update the computer right?

birdtojag

iTrader: (1)

Not really update, but you can tune an aftermarket chip. The stock chips are not reprogrammable. Sounds like you have some work ahead of you. May have issues the diagnostic center may have not found. What are the symptoms of what is going on? Fix what you know is wrong now and see what else is going on.

TheScaryOne

iTrader: (3)

I have the same starting problem you do. I couldn't find a place that wasn't crooks to diagnose it down here in Tucson. "Oh, well, before we could diagnose, your MAF sensor's wires appear to be heat shrinked, and that's bad." "No it's not. I crimped those butt splices, I filled them with dielectric grease, and then I heat-shrunk them. They're flawless." "Well, we can't continue your $180 diagnostic until we do $150 worth of soldering on your MAF wires." "Here's the $180. I'll go solder my own wires for free."

If that's the engine that came with the car, it's the newest computer, barring improvements made to the part over the years after production stopped. My car has a updated part number computer, which is supposed to be better in every respect.

And with 133k on that transmission, you'll be rebuilding it within 15k. Get a rebuild kit from Dana and ProBuilt and have your tranny shop rebuild it with that. Should last a LOT longer than it did the first time.

batman-matt

Thank you TheScaryOne for your help. I don't know nearly as much as I would like to about cars, which is why I am going to school for auto tech and computer Sci, which will help. This is my first car that I have owned and it is a little intimidating but it's a learning process. I'd feel a lot more comfortable utilizing someone who has massive experience so that I don't misdiagnos an issue and in turn make issues worse since this is my daily driver. I knew I'd eventually have to rebuild given the age but all in all the car is in excellent shape. but your advice I will deffinately take to the bank and continue to use the boards for help. Thanks all

TheScaryOne

iTrader: (3)

Want some advice from someone who didn't change his own oil three years ago? Buy tools instead of repairs, and learn auto theory and concepts rather than makes and models. How useful will you be if you learn about the LS7 engines, and for some reason, Chevy quits making them? Not very. But if you learned about how an engine and all of it's systems work, then it doesn't matter than you learned on an LS7, you can translate your knowledge to any car.

My starting problem started after I overheated the car one day. I have no idea what it is, and the car has since been demoted from daily driver. I can tell you it hasn't been my coil, wires, distributor, ignition module, plugs, battery, starter, or battery cables. It also wasn't my IACV, TPS, or any of the gunk inside of my throttle body. I'd have to say after cutting out 2/3 systems that is has to be fuel related.

Oh, and for the transmission, since you're looking at that within the next year (3 months/3000 miles/12000 miles a year) or so, here's the link for the rebuild kit. http://www.700r4l60e.com/store/produ...&cat=19&page=1

When I got my transmission rebuilt one of my planetary gears was hanging on to the gearset by barely anything. If I'd have tried, I could have popped it out with my fingers. My torque converter quit locking up, and fried my transmission with heat. I was probably another half hour drive away from grenading.

batman-matt

you have been so much help, thank you. I am new to this and it is a little intimidating especially since the only person I have to turn to in my family is my aunts boyfriend who I don't know very well but hand built his 67 ss camaro and various other prostock cars that he used to race. But I have always had a passion but never had the opportunity since my highschool didnt have auto shop and I didnt think about school for this until recently. So now I am eager to learn. One more question though. My "Uncle" suggested upgrading to a turbo 400. I did some online research as to why but I here from other members a 700r4 is better. Is this true and why?

batman-matt

I'm not going to pretend to know what is wrong with your car but I wasn't sure what iacv or tps meant so i researched it online, found a list of other conotations for engies and found something about crank sensors thought maybe this might be an issue with your car since it would make sense...anyways here's the link maybe it will help http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crank_sensor

TheScaryOne

iTrader: (3)

Ah. These cars don't use a crank sensor. They're a little old in that respect. Pretty basic computer system, batch injection (half of the fuel injectors fire at once), so we only need a few sensors. LT1's and LS1's fire sequentially, which requires a whole new group of sensors, and why I think they whoop us in Power/MPG.

Community Colleges usually have EXCELLENT automotive programs, along with discounts on tools AND job placement. Taking a couple of extra classes along with your normal schooling should get you going. And a Camaro is a great place to start. There's millions of them, plenty of parts, and a large knowledge base to pick at (here).

Do yourself a favor though. Buy tools instead of repairs. I've seen a shop charge 200% markup (300% total) on a brake rotor. $185 each from the shop, $60 at the Checker across the street that they were going to BUY IT FROM. Most shops have a huge markup on parts, which is why they discourage you bringing your own parts.

I've personally done brakes on all four wheels, valve stem seals, put in a tranny shift kit (in a parking lot, at night, in winter, in the rain >.<), changed all of my fluids, pulled the throttle body apart twice, swapped the entire v-belt nightmare for the nicer serpentine setup (with all new components. Except alternator. It's old, and nasty, and from a junkyard, but it works great.), I've changed the tranny mount, the torque arm mount, as well as everything I said up above. Right now the fender, hood, and front bumper cover/ground effect are all pulled off of the car. It's an ugly mess. But I've easily saved thousands of dollars by doing it all by myself.

birdtojag

iTrader: (1)

I would keep your 700R4 and get it rebuilt. Turbo 400 trannys are 3 speed transmissions and 700R4 are 4 speed. The 4th speed is an overdrive gear. That makes for better gas milage, and that is key to driving these days as a dayly driver. These cars are pretty simple compared to what is out there today. Like TheScaryOne said, buy tools and not someone elses labor. We are all here to help each other and get these things working better. I have extensive knowledge about cars and how they work. A lot of shops charge way too much and half the time they don't have a clue on what they are doing. If you have any questions or problems, please ask us on here. We will get you going the right way.

drknow90rs_ss@y

iTrader: (3)

What he said!! Trust Chris (birdtojag) he is an auto mechanic and knows what he is talking about. He may smell a little funky (He always has this smell of chlorine about him, IDK why...) but he knows his stuff. they are very simple cars and the problems can be simple to fix.

batman-matt

i do have a question when looking into buying the car it ran fine looked clean as hell, no abuse, sounded great but wasn't driven far or often. seller said it needed to have the intake valve for coolant fixed but wasn't a serious issue and will still run fine. I started it up tonight to go to the store and smelled serious coolant burn and even in idle my oil pressure was right above 45. When I turned my car off I heard a loud hissing coming from center passenger side of the engine compartment under the air induction system. The hose connecting to the injector right above the spark plug bank is cracked horribly and was wet however I didn't see anything dripping. I did however see a puddle right below on the block. Crazy thing is the coolant container is almost empty but when the engine is cool my brand new radiator is full of coolant. It definitely needs all new fluids and a tune up but this recent issue scared the hell outta me. any ideas? oh i also looked into picking up a haynes or chilton guide which is better? I assume Chilton.

batman-matt

you guys rock!

drknow90rs_ss@y

iTrader: (3)

Is there any way you can take a pic of the hose and post it?

drknow90rs_ss@y

iTrader: (3)

Or at least describe it better. Such as on the top of the engine , on the drivers side, next to the accordion looking black rubber thing towards the front. Most of us have really torn into these cars and know them backwards and forward. I always get the chiltons but either is good in my opinion. The more descriptive you are of the problem, the better!

batman-matt

yes to the left of the black accordian looking thing (if I'm looking towards my windshield from under the hood) directly where that bunch of wires is and where I think the coolant intake is. I was told that hoses can just be fixed by cutting the cracked end off and pushing it forward, well that was done and now this one is split.

batman-matt

those rubber hose in the pictures to the right of the frame is the cracked hose and where that plugs in on the cam head is loose

batman-matt

the first pic is coolant and oil dripping off on the other side of the block, and the second pic is of where the coolant hose plugs into the head it's loose as hell

batman-matt

and these last pics are of the air intake, I think it just needs some cleaning, what works good, and the second pic is off all the damage the leak is doing any help is well appreciated

birdtojag

iTrader: (1)

The leaks you are describing are not coolant leaks. That hose that is cracked is your PCV hose to the throttle body. You might be able to cut that end off and re-attach it with a hose clamp. The second set of pictures shows the power steering pump. Could probably clean that off with some brake cleaner and wipe it off. Then see where the leak is actually coming from. Your throttle body doesn't look too bad, but if you want to clean it, use a lint-free rag and some carb cleaner. That usually gets the crud off the plates.

batman-matt

the hose easily slipped off and it was so brittle it easliy broke in half so I'm going to pep boys to pick up a new hose it says 1911 A so I assume by sight or number I'll be able to figure a new one out that is pre bent. That leak has gotten a little worse it is a mix of oil and coolant, and instead of being a slight leak it's kind of messing up my driveway so as soon as I can buy some rhino risers I'm checking it out. Thanks for your cleaning tips. This leak is really starting to annoy me since when I looked at the car and drove it there was nothing wrong then after the seller took it onto the freeway and over to me when he delivered the car it's developed this leak. Also the car starts vibrating but not quite knocking when I de-accelerate or when in idle. cam heads sound like there is a slight ratcheting from them but I assume that could be due to the fact that it badly needs a tune-up and new fluids.

batman-matt

What all is included in a full point inspection and tune-up?

drknow90rs_ss@y

iTrader: (3)

You will want to check all of your hoses and replace whatever is leaking. Also, I am going to walk you through a good way to check for vacuum leaks. Do you have a cheap propane torch? The kind used for brazing copper and other household chores? If not, borrow one. You will need to open the valve part way (About 1/2 a turn) With the engine running, you will want to take the UN-LIT torch with the propane leaking out and point it to all of the small rubber or plastic hoses and lines (Just the black ones) follow them all the way to the ends. Act like you are painting them slowly. Listen to the engine. If you hear any noticable changes in the engine, you will want to check that area. Does this make sense? If you can do this, then you will have saved yourself about $80.oo. (What is usually charged for this sort of "Diagnostics")

batman-matt

yes I do infact my dad is a carpenter and has a lot of tools

drknow90rs_ss@y

iTrader: (3)

Oh, By the way: On the back of the power steering pump, you can take a wrench (1/2", I believe) and tighten the nuts up by turning them clockwise. They are probably loose, hence the leak.

batman-matt

seems a little dangerous though, to the engine at least, didn't know if propane even a little would screw it up? and I know I need new hoses. That besides the tires is the first thing I'm buying and replacing! btw that pcv hose snapped very easily and was barely even attached to both the throttle body and the elbow plug into the cam cover. I assume that that plug should not easily slip out (which it did)

batman-matt

Thanks for your help will try in the day when there is light. Any details on what sounds i'm looking for, the engine already sounds like it's running a little rough

drknow90rs_ss@y

iTrader: (3)

The engine will be fine. You can run the engine on it, in fact. Yeah, the plastics and rubber hoses shouldnt be so brittle. Definately replace those.

Beater79TA

In addition to all the help you're getting here, sign up on www.lvcfo.org .. That's the Las Vegas Camaro and Firebird Club and the third gen owners on there can give you some local shop recommendations and help out.

birdtojag

iTrader: (1)

That would be a good place to meet some other local Third Gen lovers!

batman-matt

indeed and I am a member of lvcfo not officially but thats why i want to get my car in top condition so that I can be proud when I go to meets and actually be a member and not just online. These cars have so much to offer I'm glad I've always liked these cars, just can't wait till I get all issues solved, and modernize and upgrade my z28 to handle anything I want to throw at it.

drknow90rs_ss@y

iTrader: (3)

There are lots of performance parts for these cars made by a variety of different manufacturers. The combinations are endless.

batman-matt

yes indeed, I have already started planning out what I will do when money and time is availible, and of course after I take care of neccesary issues to make it safe for daily driving. It apparently is but after seeing the all the hoses issue, and the leak, and knowing the transmission will go out soon (even though it's not slipping yet) and knowing I need new fluids, and maybe some tightening adjustments and a new serpentine belt just cuz I'm extra cautious and never want to pay to have my car towed; I'm not driving till I know for sure I have those issues minus the trans fixed. Then she'll just be a daily driver till I either graduate with my AAS and asc cert, or till I save up plenty of money to buy some crappy beater to drive so I can soup her up or do it all in the span of a week. Alredy making a wish list and comparing quality of those parts and then researching best price. I think that's the way to do it. worked for my computer lol so the principle should be good

batman-matt

my only issue is deciding on which engine to put in in the future and which exhaust I want for my current powerplant. Thinking borla but looking into hooker only problem is hooker doesn't have any full kits for my 5.7L 350. and as far as my knowledge rests to this moment I dont know of every component that is needed or will fit or how to fit each individual part. So I'm thinking play it safe and just go for a borla system but thats a whole different forum. Oh and you should see the list of bookmarks for suppliers, manufacturers, and distributers I have for my future plans - too long! lol

batman-matt

but as far as diagnostics and tune-ups go which gives better instruction haynes or chilton? nd what all is included in a tune-up?

drknow90rs_ss@y

iTrader: (3)

Of the two, chiltons is the best imo. Even better, though is the GM service manual. Kinda pricy, (Around 75.oo but well worth it!) but it has everything! Thats what I use most . I think you can get it from borders, amazon.com, or your local GM dealer. They are year-specific, and have all of the wiring diagrams, etc.

Tune-up: New cap/rotor/plug wires, New spark plugs, check timing, new pcv valve, change oil/filter, check/change air filter. Another thing would be to change your o2 sensor, as it can cause your vehicle to run poorly and get bad fuel milage. Also change your fuel filter. Thats a major tune-up, done my way.

batman-matt

once again you are the man thanks for the help as soon as i start getting some cash flow im getting this stuff done and showing up to the first event i can get too if you're their I'm buying you a beer!

batman-matt

okay so until I can get to a place that will sell me a new pcv hose on the passenger side (I should have one on either side I'm assuming) I have used a great combination of medical tape and high heat electrical tape to repair the hose and keep it super tight on the ends so it all has a strong hold everywhere. When I removed both pvc elbow connections into the valve covers to clean them I noticed that the one on the driver's side has some metal bottom to it with what looks like a stopper inside, and the one on the passenger side is missing that whole metal part. It's just a plastic elbow plug with a short stub sticking down into rubber seal in the valve cover. felt around inside; it's dirty and coated with thick black stuff I'm assuming it's fuel since it smells kinda like fuel a lil. There is no metal piece inside so I'm assuming something happened with the previous owner. So in theory all I need is actually to clean it all out and replace the part. Is this assumption correct?

soocrispy89

hey sorry if someone already posted about this but i got an 89 firebird gta n i was having a plume of blue smoke coming outta my exhaust but that cause i had 6 piston rings shot and oil was coming outta the dip stick. so i mean that could be one of the problems.

batman-matt

I'm so hoping that's not it! my experience is almost non-existent, dont have use of the garage or tools (yet) and money is super tight so I so hope that's not it! big fear though

batman-matt

luckily no blue smoke just light grey until I get it moving. My friend said just use injector cleaner in the tank and put 50% premium and 50% racing fuel (oddly found at terribles gas stations in vegas but purchase can only be put into a gas can, not your tank unless car is on a trailer). Open it up on the freeway, drive around for a little while and the problem should be fixed since it wasn't moved much in the past year. and gas out here is horrible now-a-days.

drknow90rs_ss@y

iTrader: (3)

Look for a product called "Seafoam". I have heard it is sold at pep boys. In addition to cleaning your engine really well, it has entertainment possibilities as well!!!! Look on you-tube and run a search for "Seafoam" You will laugh your a$$ off!! LOL!
BTW; I like beer....

batman-matt

beer is good and yes thanks i was looking in the aftermarket prodeuct review board and read a bit someone suggested the 3m diy but mostly people chimed in that you cant go wrong with seafoam.

drknow90rs_ss@y

iTrader: (3)

Very funny and really works!