I hope something is wrong because my car would use to have good and bad days but now it just seems to have bad days. And I swear I think I used to could take 2nd gear up to about 60mph or so and now floored it only gets to 35mph. Will someone PLEASE HELP ME OUT!!!

------------------
1992 Camaro RS 3.1L
T5 Manual 5 speed
Cold/RAM air intake
Z-28 Exhaust
8.5mm MSD Ignition wires
TB Coolant bypass

Soon to be a 3.8L turbo RS

AIM screen name - Stopsign696

Kills:

95 (****) Probe GT,94 Mustang GT,91 CRX (dont ask me why he raced me),2nd Gen Z28 (350) haha to you V8 guys!,1992 RS 305 TBI (good race),First Gen Integra, Old Escort LX
More to come

 

What do you mean? It redlines at 35 in 2nd and used to redline at 60? That sounds very bad...

------------------
89 Iroc-Z LB9 305 TPI auto 2.73 posi:
3" Dynomax "cat" back,K&N filters, TB bypass, 3" pipe in place of cat, cleaned and flow-matched injectors, 180' thermo, mild ignition mods, synthetic oil, kicker sound system, soon to attempt engine swap...

 

Yes I know it sounds VERY BAD I mean its terrible. I have to floor every gear up to 3rd just to keep up with people at the light. And my car would used to put you in the seats! Come on guys help me out here.

 

Sounds to me like it could very well be a plugged catalytic converter.

------------------
Working on:
'84 Z28 LG4 305
Added dual elec fans.
145 MPH IROC Speedo
Building 430 HP 350
using primarily GMPP parts.
Block is in shop!

Awaiting results from all 8 ASE tests.

Starting to look like the Kicker poster child!

 

Oh and get this my car seems to run better and faster with above half a tank of gas. Doesn't make sense huh!? Oh and my dad got a tune up on my car while he was driving it about 3 months ago....help

 

WHEW! Thats exactly what I though! So in a couple of days Im taking it off and getting a pipe put there (I know guys its bad for the air but I have NO money. As soon as I get some Im getting a high flow one so no flames please). I told this to my friend (Im not saying he knows ****) but he says even if it is I wont be able to notice much of a gain. Anyone???

 

A decent check to see if your cat is plugged is first put your hand over the exhaust and see if you have a decent amount coming out(CAN GET VERY HOT WITH A PLUGGED CAT !!!!!). Then you can drive it for a while and look at the cat, if its glowing red then its plugged. go fig... Cats get plugged for a reason, you might have a misfire. when fuel gets dumbed into your exhaust it burns.

------------------
91 Camaro RS, 305 TBI
No mods yet...Hopefully:
Convert to dual-cat with headers and Borla catback exhaust.
Edelbrock MPFI system.
RAM air hood & Z28 wing.
Z28 cam.
ABS system.
Positraction rearend with rear disc brakes.
Rebuilt front and rearend suspension with polygraphite bushings.
Strutbrace.
Rollbar.

 

Well I was told to go hit my cat some and see if I could hear anything rattling but I couldnt. But I do hope this is my only problem! UGH!

 

How about a new fuel filter?

 

I was also thinking that also. Heck while we're at it this is what I figure it my problem...1 maybe a clogged cat, 2 clogged fuel filter (it needs to be changed anyways), 3 bad oil filter, or 4 a clogged muffler. Oh and thanks guys you have given alot of help so far. But I need alot more

Thanks!

 

Hey Monkie, how about your TPS?

------------------
92 Bird 3.1L Auto
Best $750 I ever spent....

DRIVE IT LIKE YOU STOLE IT!

Kills:
93 Mustang LX (Before Mods)
98 or 99 Dodge Stratus (tough one, edged out at 40)
97 Grand Am 3.1 V6

Mods-Jet Stage 2 Performance Chip, Accel Cap/Rotor, Accel 8.8 MM Wires, Accell Coil, AC Delco Rapidfire Plugs, Dynomax Catback, K&N

AIM name OVRCLCK350

 

I dunno maybe. Im gonna get all the guys I can to tell me what they think then print it out and go look. So come on guys...

 

Just DO the following (super-low-cost):

Jack up car.

Replace fuel filter.
Unbolt Catalytic Converter/y-pipe, you may need some penetrant to get 'em off.

Take a big chisel and a hammer, or somethin' similar, and proceed to gut that old converter out (completely-don't leave anything left in it) You won't have to remove the y-pipe to do this, but if it's bolted in front, it would make this a little easier. Check for what will look like charcoal up front as the chunks come out. If this is the case, it's already started attempting to push your exhaust gasses forward, so you may wanna check all your gaskets forward of that as well. Pull one of your plugs and look for that run rich condition, along with heavy carbon deposits. If this is the case, you'll wanna take them all out and clean up or replace them. While you're at it, replace or clean your O2 sensors, or all this work won't pay off as well as it would if you did. You should be out any more than 5-10 bucks, more if you're replacing your plugs and O2 sensors, less if ya don't. Hope this helps, good luck.



------------------
Dan Young
1995 Z28/M6
Groton, CT

1985 Z28/A4
(Prospective purchase)

 

I will do all that the first chance I get. But I dont really wanna gut my cat. Im just gonna either get a new one or put in a pipe for the time. SO, Ill do all that except the cat gut thing. Cause I heard when you gut the cat it makes the car smell like eggs. And I dont need that, got a date this Friday and she wouldn't really like that.

 

Monkie, when I yanked off my stock cat to put a high-flow one in there, I found out it was just an empty shell! Apparently the previous owner gutted it before I got it. I had no rotten egg smell; and amazingly I passed NJ inspection (at state centers!) for 3 years. Of course this was before the IM/240 dyno-emissions test, but I was still amazed.

How's your timing? A $30 timing light will help you out, and you'll use it many more times in the future, too. It sounds tho that only "really bad" timing would cause your car to act like that; definately check the cat first.


------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

 

Maybe your engine is getting worn out, from all those 60mph 2nd gear races? Over-revving an engine like that does wonders for an engine's life. Do a compression check and a cylinder leak down test to ensure that your engine is still within spec. Also, a full tune-up may be in order.

But another fact: no matter what level of power you get your engine to make, after a period of time, it doesn't seem as fast as it use to...even if it still is.

 

Sorry buddy, but I have never redlined my car. I run it to 4500 max. Oh and Tom I know this might sound stupid but I heard somewhere that the 91-92s didnt need timing. Might be totally wrong tho.

 

Your signature shows your car is a 92 RS 3.1L V6 so your stock timing should be 10 degrees BTDC. Your timing could be your problem and should be checked and adjusted if needed.Check your cap and rotor they might need to be replaced.

 

How do check and see if the cap and rotor are bad or good?

 

"Monkie's quote: ...And I swear I think I used to could take 2nd gear up to about 60mph or so and now floored it only gets to 35mph...."

Care to explain to me where you didn't over-rev your motor? Unless you have an automatic with 2.73s, I would sure say you are at redline. Even if it is NOT redline, you cannot keep running an engine like that and not expect to wear it out quicker. I'm probably older than your father and been driving and hot-rodding probably twice as long as you've been alive. Don't try to BS me.

Constant high revs are one of the quickest killers of an engine (along with running an engine hard when it is cold and not changing your oil on a frequent basis).

As for 91-92s not needing timing...no that is false. They have electronic ignition, and you have to disconnect the EST to properly time the engine. If you do not disconnect the EST, it will read somewhere around 18-20* BTDC instead of the base timing of 6* BTDC (as used on an L98).

 

Dude, take it easy I didnt say you were BS. And what does it matter if you are older than my dad? ANYWAYS, it WAS around redline but I have never redlined. And I wont, it just freaks me out. I think its gonna explode there or something. I just seriously think I am loosing power. today I went out and ran my car and I was at 4,000RPMs in 3rd gear and I was just hitting 60mph. Does anyone think this is strange? Should I be faster?

 

To check the distributor cap and rotor you have to remove the distributor cap and look inside at the terminals for wear,cracks, corrosion and other junk. Look at the rotor and check for corrosion and wear, if it looks kinda black and burned it needs to be replaced. Make sure when you remove the plug wires from the cap that you put them back on the correct terminals, you can mark them with tape or something to make it easier to remember where they go.

 

If you notice it losing power more after driving it for a while, I would definately say to get rid of the cat!

I don't know where the rotten egg smell would come from on a gutted cat, because the rotton egg smell comes from a cat that is being worked too hard, such as a rich condition.

Oh, well.

Good luck!

------------------
Working on:
'84 Z28 LG4 305
Added dual elec fans.
145 MPH IROC Speedo
Building 430 HP 350
using primarily GMPP parts.
Block is in shop!

ASE Certified Master Tech

Starting to look like the Kicker poster child!

 

If it just is lacking the power it used to have then it could be the forementioned.

However, by the confusing nature of your post, I read it and probably other people did to that you used to be going 60 in second at 4500 and now at 4500 you're going 35. If this is the case (numbers are fake and unrealistic by the way) then you have one thing wrong. A slipping clutch. That's the nice think about manuals it's all mechanically linked. At each RPM aslong as the clutch grabbing it must be going the same speed in each gear at selected RPM. A slipping clutch has the same problems, slow acceleration, lower speeds at same RPM. There are several ways to check for a slipping clutch such as hard launching and putting it into a high gear when at a low speed and flooring it (if the motor revs to the sky and the car barely moves....). Good luck!

------------------
1984 WS6 Trans Am Hartop
Former L69 Car under restoration
1984 WS6 Trans Am T-top car
4-bolt main 350, headers, Holley 650, T-5 and 3.23's.
Daily driver and restoration
13.98 @ 101

 

It might be that. But I dunno. The reason I might agree with you is because sometimes when I gear down while stopping and have it into 2nd and start slowing down to a crawl you can feel it start slipping. It will kinda jump alittle. But as far as strong launches I can burn rubber no problem. What do ya think? Thanks!

------------------
1992 Camaro RS 3.1L
T5 Manual 5 speed
Cold/RAM air intake
Z-28 Exhaust
8.5mm MSD Ignition wires
TB Coolant bypass

Soon to be a 3.8L turbo RS

AIM screen name - Stopsign696

Kills:

95 (****) Probe GT,94 Mustang GT,91 CRX (dont ask me why he raced me),2nd Gen Z28 (350) haha to you V8 guys!,1992 RS 305 TBI (good race),First Gen Integra, Old Escort LX
More to come

 

The best test for a slipping clutch is to put your car in its highest gear (5th) at around 30-45 mph and stomp on the throttle.

On any manual car/motorcylce that I've owned, that's always been my first sign that I have a clutch going.

As for the general condition of your engine, check the condition of your spark plugs. You may find one plug is abnormally dirty while the others are fine...than would indicate a weak cylinder/plug, they may all be fouled (need a general tune-up) or they may be all fine. (And you are just becoming too use to the power of the engine).

Unless you notice a "rotten egg" smell out of your cats, I suspect that you won't notice anything by switching it (other than the typical placebo effect). If you truly think it is your cat, just have it removed and have a straight pipe welded in its place. You should notice a definite increase in power if the cat is truly plugged.

Another possibility is your injectors might need cleaning. With all this expensive gas, there are probably a few unscrupulous gas stations passing off "bad gas". It was really common in the early 70s for gas stations to sell regular at premium prices. Sort of like putting cheap Scotch in an expensive bottle, most won't notice the difference.

 

I have to argue the rotten egg smell always occurring with a bad cat. When mine plugged, I never got the bad smell, just the performance drop. It is typical, but I'd venture to say maybe only 75 to 80% of the cat's I've replaced have been preceeded by the bad smell.

If you have the bolt on flange (I doubt it on that car) you could take it loose to see what happens. When mine went, I actually took a chisel to put a hole in it, and would've welded it back closed if that wasn't it. Maybe a way for you to test it?

I would also do what has been stated to test for a slipping clutch, I completely overlooked that one!

Good luck!

------------------
Working on:
'84 Z28 LG4 305
Added dual elec fans.
145 MPH IROC Speedo
Building 430 HP 350
using primarily GMPP parts.
Block is in shop!

ASE Certified Master Tech

Starting to look like the Kicker poster child!

 

you can get a hi flo cat at www.racenet.net for either like 80 90 or 100 depending on the size...
since i have an auto they are probably not very similar, but my car does not like going above 30 in second

------------------
90 IROC 5.7l (L98)
ram air, K&N's, air foil,Flows

LIKE A ROC

 

Definitely sounds like a bad clutch to me. I can't think of any other way the motor would do 4000rpm at 60 in 3rd gear. Given the amount of torque these cars have, burning rubber from a standstill should be no problem even with a bad clutch. Try the clutch tests mentioned in the earlier posts and tell us what happens.

------------------
'88 IROC 305 TPI
Crappy 700R4 slushbox
Gutted airboxes
180 degree T-stat
Advanced base TPS voltage
Relocated IAT sensor
Momo steering wheel (gotta luv it)
Ram-air setup coming soon
Flowmaster muffler (puke)
Taylor SpiroPro wires
Accel cap and rotor
Kills: '94 Z28, Olds Aurora V8, bunch of Mustangs, T-birds, ricers, and others who assumed a 12 year-old car would be too slow.

 

might be because you "really raced an escort today" wow you shift @ around the same R's that you dump the clutch @ to get going. you are prolly killing your clutch. cross your fingers and hope it's just a clutch. @ least you can still do mad "burnouts" @ each stop light. I dunno Monkie, I try to like you but it seems like you abuse your car too much and try to act like you know more than you do. oh BTW, you said my car looked like crap. does it look that bad for a 12 1/2 year old car?
<IMG SRC="http://www.nconnect.net/~briones/camrear.jpg" BORDER=0>


no flames intended... only sparks. I can't help it but....... my car is almost as old as you.

 

My car (305 TBI 5 spd) will hit 60mph in second, but I am just hitting the red line.



------------------
Godti
'89 Trans Am (Red)
305 TBI 5spd

 

SlowCamaro88SC

I dont know when or it I said you car looks like **** because that is the first time I have seen it. Now I love how you stretched out what I really said there

@ least you can still do mad "burnouts" @ each stop light.

First off if you are saying I cant do burnouts then that shows how much you know. I dont know one Camaro that cant do a burn out. And I dont burnout at every light. That is how you get tickets (hint hint). I did burn out next to the escort because he shouldnt have raced me to start with. So I gave him a little show.

wow you shift @ around the same R's that you dump the clutch @ to get going.

Ummm, no. I can actually drive a manual very good. And if you wonder when you race the higher the RPMs the faster you go. So thats why I choose to run them up when I race. Oh and to get a GOOD burnout I have to pop the clutch at 3500+ RPMs. So now that you know that lets move on...


And yes I found out the problem my clutch is wearing. So I need to get a new one. So thanks you guys for all the help!



------------------
1992 Camaro RS 3.1L
T5 Manual 5 speed
Cold/RAM air intake
Z-28 Exhaust
8.5mm MSD Ignition wires
TB Coolant bypass

Soon to be a 3.8L turbo RS

AIM screen name - Stopsign696

Kills:

95 (****) Probe GT,94 Mustang GT,91 CRX (dont ask me why he raced me),2nd Gen Z28 (350) haha to you V8 guys!,1992 RS 305 TBI (good race),First Gen Integra, Old Escort LX
More to come