I'm looking at buying a 92 camaro RS 305 TBI with 125k miles on it. It's in great shape. Nothing wrong. I was wondering if it mattered if it has this amount of original miles on it. I have seen several third generation ones listed in autotrader with over 100k miles but most have a rebuilt in them or the 350 swap. Is 125k miles alot for the original engine? What is the average life of a TBI stock 305 before being replaced? thanks for any input.

 

they go 200k easy.

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-Tas
'89 Formula WS-6

305, TBI, auto, 14x3 chrome flat based open element with K&N, Milodon 160* thermo, functional Formula hood, cross-flow Flowmaster, '99z28 rear pipes and tips....

To be installed eventually far far far into the future: Yours if the price is right and I don't have to ship :
Hooker 1-5/8" 50 state legal headers, Dynomax 3" I pipe (PN 44063 and 43248), Catco 3" cat, and injector spacer.

Super GRK_Taz World
F-Body Dual Exaust
EFI & Intake Options
AOL IM: superGRtaz

 

It really depends on the car. If it's 125,000 gas pedal mashing, tire burning, donut turning, sliding sideways around every corner miles, then it's gonna be pretty beat up and unreliable.

On the other hand, if it was owned by a little old lady who bought it brand new in '92 and only used it to go visit the grandkids in the next state twice a year, then it'll probably last forever.

I've got a '92 with 138,000 miles on it and it runs perfectly (well, almost perfectly) I say mine will be good well beyond 200,000 miles.

If you don't know enough about cars to tell what shape it's in, I say find someone who does (relative, friend, etc...) and have them check it out with you.

Thomas.

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1992 RS Camaro - Red
305-TBI/5 Speed Manual- 3.08 geared rear
1.6 Roller Rockers / Adjustable Fuel Regulator with high flow pump / Open Air K&N Filter / TBI Spacer / ADS Super Chip & custom burned Off-Road Only chip / MSD ignition
Headers - 3" Cat'Back - Flow Master - dual chrome tips
Adjustable Coni shocks & struts & 16" factory wheels

 

The only thing that matters is it's upkeep. Even if it was lead foot man driving the car.
If the oil, fluids (power steering, trans, coolant) were changed then I would just look at the exterior and interior condition. If you're just looking for a car to have fun with then definatly get a friend to look it over. Best way to go about that is to contact the seller and tell him you want a mechanic to look it over. Don't go to HIS mechanic because you know he'll say nothings wrong (duh).

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, Jon (350 TBI!)
91 Red My website

 

So I'll be ok to redline my car at every shift point as long as I change the fluids?

I agree that regular maintainence will make a vehicle last a lot longer, but I disagree that it is the only thing to consider.

I can usually tell what a person's driving habits are by looking their car over. If the tires are good, steering boots are good, no dings on the rims from curb hoping, both rear tires have equal tred, oil is full and clean, tranny fluid is not burnt, etc .... then they most likely have good driving habits and the car has been taken care of.

If the rear right tire has no tred, rims are banged up from hitting curbs, front tires are worn only on the right sides, steering boots are missing, etc .... then no matter the fluid's cconditions, the car has been drivin pretty hard and will require a bit of work to be reliable. If I looked at a car and it was like what I just described, then I would pass. I could fix all of those things, but they are just a sign of how the person treated the car. It's the things I can't see that would worry me.

Granted, if the person was driving the car pretty rough, and did all the upkeep, you wouldn't see any of these signs. In that case, look for smoke out of the exhaust and other signs of internal engine damage.

Thomas.

[This message has been edited by Stoopalini (edited July 17, 2001).]

 

I agree. a beat on motor is a beat on motor now matter how else it was taken care of. I run my 92 305 w/96k on it 600 to 700 miles a week. not being babied but not abused either. still at 27 plus mpg on the freeway thanks to the 2.73's compression is almost identical in every cylinder. but the car only had 60k summer only miles when I bought it last November. absolutly no problems with it since.

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'92 firebird t-tops
305tbi,670cfm tbi, 2 1/2" Dynomax catback, 9x3 K&N open element

 

Check my sig. Bought it with 162,000 on the clock. I did the usual stuff like brakes, shocks, struts, oil change, tune-up. Got mine for $3K in spring of 2000. How much is the one yer lookin' at?

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92 RS w/t-tops 305 TBI Auto.
170K miles and don't burn a drop o'oil
-K&N Truck filter #1500 w, open ele.
air cleaner
-Dynomax 2 1/2" cat-back
-B&M TransPak
-Jet Stage2 Chip
-180* T-Stat w/ 185* Fan Switch
-JVC CD--Alpine speakers & 4ch. amp
Rockford 2ch. to 2 MTX 12" subs

 

Bought mine in February and it hasn't let me down once yet, but its been very well taken car of (owners dad was the service manager at a big chevy dealer around here) and will continue to be. CUrrent odo reading is 121K, got it with like 117K. It survived driving 96 miles to the strip, 3 runs with the motor still hot, and 96 miles back after i drove it to and from work that day as well, and did so the next day like nothing ever happened. I've heard they'll run 200K if they haven't been run to hell and back.

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88 Camaro (not an RS, or an IROC, justa camaro.)
305TBI/700R4/2.73
14" Open Element and Flowmaster 80 seires

Next up: headers and gears

 

bought mine with 58k on it a few years back for 8g's. its got 112k now. sometimes i changed the oil on time. sometimes i didnt. ive redlined it nearly everyday for the last 3 years, and the only thing ive ever done is a tune up. ya, one since i bought it. i let it run for about 8 months lean, few months with no muffler.... im not nice the the car, but guess what. its never died on me, except when ive done something stupid. which was twice, one: air cleaner rubbed thru the 12v+ wire on the coil to blow fusable links at 80mph at 1am in bfe. 2: hooked my amp up to an "always hot" wire, and the amp drained the battery. those are the only times it let me down. well i take it back there was one itme when it wasnt my fault. a pin on the main harness broke at the firewall plug, and i had to hard wire the accessories wire into the car around the main firewall plug.

the engine runs fine, i get good milage as long as i dont have the 454 on. which makes me run lean, causing the ecm to retard the timing, and crap on the engine cuz i get lots a knock. only thing wrong i would say is that she needs a new timing chain, belt tensioner and a tuneup. maybe next year

 

I bought my 305 TBI in 1996 for $6800. It had just under 50,000 miles. It now has 91,000 miles. I don't drive like a granny, but I don't beat the crap out of it either.

My list of unplanned costs:
-1 $20 fan switch.

-chad
'92 RS

 

Bought mine last June'00 with 114K on the clock, now its got 133K and still going. It hasn't been the most reliable car I've ever owned but I can definitely see it running for another 50K miles. It's been through SIX owners!! (according to carfax) So I have no idea what its had to endure. Right now I've got a pretty bad oil leak and I'm not sure where its coming from (bottom back of the engine) and I've had to replace the alternator twice (usual F-body BS), a hose broke on me in the fuel tank and I think the EGR valve is malfunctioning, giving me codes at cruising speed. But the car still hauls when I need it to, and if I don't do anything stupid, then it'll be there for me everytime I turn the key.

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~Luke a.k.a. pianiy
'91 Firebird :: 305/TBI(L03)/700R4/T-tops ::
Mods: Catco cat - B&M Shift kit - TA tail lights - GTA rims - K&N - MacEwen guages
Stereo: Pioneer DEH-P8200R - Pioneer 6x9's - Kenwood 8" Tube
::R.I.P.::'87 Firebird - Firebird parts - Selling an '80 Firebird for a friend
Moderator of tranny board over at TransAmGTA.com

 

These engines were designed to see 4500rpm! Not for a long peroid of time at once but in spirts it's probably good for the car. It loosens up the carbon buildup. Look at the suspension and that right rear tire check is a good idea to see how much abuse the car has seen.
Definatly look at all the fluids right away. He might have changed the fluids to sell the car. So if the fluids look new then ask him right away "when did you change the fluids?" if he pauses then he might be shady about it.
Good luck and if you're looking for cheap and easy speed then don't look at an RS.
If you plan on "upgrading" the car in the future for more speed...I personally would look into a TPI setup just because it takes less time and the MAF adjusts well to hp goodies.

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, Jon (350 TBI!)
91 Red My website

 

I got a 92 camaro with tbi set up.... i bought with 120k, and it know has 178k. I did this in less than 2 years!!! When i first got the car, i thought it was fast. Now i know it just peppy. I get spanked by rice burners all the time!...tonight i raced a 96 v6 camaro, i took him until about 65mile an hour. But I still love my car, and its a fun road trip car. After some mods and engine rebuild it take any rice burner on the road! (ask the owner how often it over heats in the summer with or without the ac on =) camaros tend to overheat a lot

 

If its an auto, I would also pay close attention to the tranny.

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92 Camaro RS, LO3, 5-spd, T-tops

Performance:
K&N Open Air Filter, Edelbrock performer TBI intake, Fastchip Prom, Timing +4 degrees, Centerforce clutch, Xact 8mm wires, SLP 1 3/4" Headers (coated), Flowmaster Catback Exhaust, Z28 Grille w/aftmkt fog lamps, MacEwen white-face guages
Electronics:
Alpine 8030 Alarm System, Valentine One Radar Detector (How did I ever drive without one?), Pioneer DEH 7450 Head Unit w/6-pack CD changer, Pioneer DEQ 7600 Sound Processor, 2 Kenwood KAC-846 Amps powering 2 12" Pro Red subs, 2 Pioneer 6x9 and 2 MTX 4x6 speakers.
NEXT UP: TBI mods, 3.42 gears w/Torsen posi

 

I have a seriously heavy right foot, but I keep up the maintenance religiously with good products. (K&N filters, valvoline racing oil) I have about 225,000 miles on it and when I replace the timing chain in a couple of weeks that'll be the first time I've broken a seal on the engine.

 

I just bought my 89 RS TBI about a couple months ago. It has 93k on it right now. I got it at about 89k. So far the only thing to go wrong was my water pump.. I also threw in a 185 degree fan switch cause it did run a little hot. But my previous car was an 87 LT with 134k on it.. I beat the livin hell out of that car.. and aside from a mint carb that was never adjusted rite after the rebuild that hting ran rock solid every damn day that i started her up. I still have it and i plan on rebuilding that block and throwing it in my current car. I think every is rite about checking up on the cars previous driving history. But I think you can rest assured that if you keep up with the maintenance, she'll run chevy strong forever
Best of luck!


Tom