Ok here’s my dilemma. I love my car, but lately it’s getting me frantic. I’ve recently spent over 2000 dollars this past summer trying to get it in good shape. I bought new GTA wheels, new Eagle GSC’s, an Accell 300+ ignition, a TPS sensor, had a complete tune-up, changed all the fluids, charged the ac, got it aligned, had all new exhaust fabricated, and had rear brakes/rotors done. Whew!

It just doesn’t seem to want to run right. It has an odd stumble at 1500-3000 rpm(under light or no throttle), has a vibration problem over 75 mph( I had an aluminum d-shaft put it..that didn’t help), I’m smelling anti freeze for some strange reason, and now I can feel the T5 starting to go(the synchros).

Any one of these problems alone wouldn’t be bad, but all at once? I really want to keep it because it’s fast and looks great …plus, it’s a G92 TPI 5spd car. And with the recent demise of the Firebird, I’m sure it might be valuable someday. I’m just feeling that I’m in over my head with this car. I’ve owned it for 6 years now..is it time to let go?

Any opinions are welcome.

thanks

 

Look at it this way. You've already spend 2G's might as well spend more.
Or look at it this way. When something breaks you have the perfect opportunity for upgrades.

I'd keep it. You almost never get out what you put in. I've lost my a$$ too many times for me to dump my cars when things start going wrong.

 

Don't sell it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You can get a T-5 out of a junkyard for not a lot of cash.
I'm sure that you could find out WTF was going on with the throttle stumble with a mechanic buddy somewhere.
Maybe you have a bad heater core, and that's why you're smelling antifreeze.
When you take your car to get tires, in my experience they're balanced by the most cracked-out boneheads on the planet. That's why I did my own after the first change. It's probably something as simple as a bad balance job on your tires!
That car sounds awesome AND it's a 5 speed. Keep that thing!

 

I understand what you're saying. The problem is, is it worth spending potentially a lot more money?..or would it be better to cut my losses and sell it while its still worth money? I don't expect to get my money back, thats a given with these cars.

If I could get the problems it has diagnosed correctly, I would be inclined to tackle one at a time.

 

Do you have mechanical knowledge? If not, this could actually turn out to be an investment. Learning to work on your bird will save you money in the long run by giving you the know-how to do things yourself instead of paying someone else's bills.

I had a 70 GTO. After spending about 2 grand on it I traded it straight up for a 92 form 350. After putting about 3500 into that I got rid of it because the rear end was about to bite it. That's all that was wrong but I figured why put more money into it. Between the 2 cars I lost arount 5500. I'm still kicking myself in the **** for those deals.

I believe tire places balance tires to somewhere in the 50-65mph range. It's generally fine but can cause problems at higher speeds. I start vibrating a little around 105.

 

I've felt like you do before, and I've had my Trans Am for about 3 1/2 years.
I guess it all boils down to how you feel about the car. What other car have you driven in that felt the same way? You can make the car any way you want it, and have the satisfaction of knowing you did it yourself. Does that make sense to you? I don't EVER want to get rid of my Trans Am no matter what I have to do to keep her alive!

 

I hear ya...I love the car...I'm an amateur mechanic( I can handle simple repairs and do bolt on stuff).

I had the tires balaced twice and then had new rims and tires put onand had them balanced...it still vibrates. I though the aluminum d-shaft would cure it. Maybe that needs to be balanced?

I didnt start smelling coolant until I had the guy top it off at the oil change place. I dont see any leaks though.

???????

 

Maybe some just got spilled

 

Well, here's my Take on it.

These Cars are old, and they arent incredibly reliable to begin with.

Now, with 15 years and 150+ thousand miles on most of them, They are really starting to show their age.

Some of us really love these cars, for whatever reasons, and are willing to put the time and money into keeping them up.

But, in order to keep things up, you had better be one of two types of people.

1.) The kinda guy who in general likes working on the car, and Is able to repair and replace anything that dosent require special tools, on his own.

2.) The Kinda guy who has a silver spoon loged between his asschecks.

So, If you Don't fit into the second Catagory, You had better prepare yourself for alot of work in the coming years Keeping it going.

In the mere 2 years I have had my car, I have replaced the following non-performance related items, and this is just what comes to mind...

1 fuel pump
1 starter
2 starter solenoids independant of the starter situation
Had to ditch the entire CCC setup Because of failling parts
Had to ditch the AC Because the clutch started whining
1 Alternator
1 Power steering pump
1 Smog pump ( actually just ditched it, but will have to replace it soon )
The Govenor in the tranny
The steering colum
All the fusible links, and numerous other electrical gremlins
Exhuast
front calipers, pads, Rotors
Rear shoes
Front wheel bearings, Centerlink, Idler Arm, Pitman Arm, Balljoints, Tie Rod ends, Steering Box.
Welded the crack that formed behind the steering box
Tires, Springs, all the Bushings


And countless other things I have forgot to mention.

So, that being said, If you don't feel up to the challenge of replacing all those things, and more, in the years to come, and your unable to pay someone else an Arm and a leg to do it...

Sell the car, and either buy something reliable ( toyota ) or buy something with a warranty.

 

I hear ya loud and clear...I've probably replaced more than that in the 6 years I've owned mine. It's just the "weird, why is it doing this" stuff that scares me. That's when I start trying to diagnose it on my own and keep throwing money at a problem that doesn't go away. And if I did blow the tranny, I'd have to get a Tremec for peace of mind($$$$).

So, I am no stranger to the money pit that is these cars.

 

Whos to say a different car will be any better? At least you have 6 years of history on your current car.

 

Could be a non-functional EGR valve $49. The said symptoms is very similar to my 5.7 TPI GTA. Make sure you also get the EGR solenoid switch $30.

 

I definently disagree with that. Tires, tune-up, fluids, alignment, brakes, all cars need that stuff. Wheels are an item you wanted to buy. Do some research, spend a little dough and you'll have the car in good shape. You can either buy another car that will need work, or have payments on either a used car with no warranty that will brake down and need fixed, or a new car that sucks. If your in this dillema you obviously arent going to go out and buy a new vette. I love my car, and have the above options also. Im sticking with the BIRD.

 

The EGR would cause hesitation like that? It happens in every gear. I think I had the soleniod replaced 2 years ago.

I'd say they are pretty reliable cars. I have 110k and still have the original drivetrain. My 85 TA had 140k when I sold it, all original. It's all how you take care of it I guess.

 

154,000 miles on my 91 firebird. Never cracked valve covers. Orig. engine, tranny, rear, everything but the obvious.....alt, batt, h2o pump, starter, etc. Not bad in my opinion. I chirp em in third.

 

No, These cars are not terrible, but With something like a Toyota Celica, On the average you wouldn't have even had to replace any of those things.

Friend of mine has an 81 Celica for example. 181 Thoudsand miles and it has never had anything replaced except brakes and oil.

Another Friend has a 78 Corolla Wagon, 425,000 On original Driveline.

 

Hell yeah, go drive a Celica or a Corolla. I have a buddy thats had the same huffy for 20 years. Only had to replace the tires.

 

About the coolant smell... Even I have been a doofus in the past and spilled coolant on my headers. Smell doesn't go away for a while. At least it's not like the time my fuel pump decided to crack in half and spray fuel near the headers. I still don't know how it didn't go up in flames.

With that vibration... Ever think ball joints or wheel bearings? I thought I had a brake issue until my drivers side front bearing let loose and the wheel DESTROYED the spindle. And at the same time I also found my ball joints were shot when my dad took a look at it.

 

Its sure isn't worth much to the other guy because you never get that money back when you go to sell it. To get somewhere in these cars you have to invest a lot of money...there's no way around it. Is getting there worth it to you? Considering what you have tied up in it and the fact the car sounds pretty neat already, I'd keep it. Also consider what kind of plans you have in the future for this car (think about how far you've already brought it). You know your car well, you know its kinks and i assume you know by now what needs to be done, and thats good. If you're into these cars you know you'll just end up buying another one and up dumping a lot more cash into that just to get it to where you are right now in addition to fixing all the all the potential problems it could have. Is that worth it? Hell no.

 

I hope you're right about the coolant smell. Although, the guy had one of those hoses and shot it right into the overflow bottle. I don't see how he could spill it. I do notice that the level is a little high though. I checked the interior for it too(i.e heater core) and I dont see anything.

As for the vibration, it seems to be coming from the rear. I had the front end done a year ago, but I never had wheel bearings done. I did them on my other car, but I also noticed a high pitched noise that accompanied the vibration when they were failing. I don't have that on this car. Maybe its worth replacing the bearings anyway.

 

I agree. I'm probably going to keep it. Its just that I was worrying it was getting cancer and the thought of looming major repairs was scaring me. I also took it to the track last week and felt the trans getting weak. Not to mention that I can't seem to break 14.4's anymore and my trap speed has dropped to 94-95 mph.

I was thinking of replacing it with a 86-90 4+3 Vette. But, i guess she'll stay.

 

Maybe lower control arms? The previous owner of my car got in a minor fender bender. Somehow, one of the LCAs was bent. Caused a lot of wheel hop and the car always had a bit of weirdness in the steering. I didn't know this, though, until I had an alignment done. The guy's like "Anybody ever rear end you?". But I have a feeling this could happen if you really crank it into a big pothole or something. So, what did I do? Lakewood LCAs.

Yeah, I've replaced ALMOST everything on this car. LOL It's worth it to me. 305 blew up (at least one cyl had 0 compression, but the engine blowing up is a complicated story of previous owner rebuilding buffoonery). 355 going under the hood this week. Custom built by me.

 

I've actually replaced those already too. Lakewoods-a bargain!
I thought the aluminum d-shaft was pre-balanced, but maybe it needs to be balanced again.

Good luck with that motor. I figure when mne goes, I'll either build it for nitrous or get a 350.