The old camaro is really having some problems. Today I took and out and really gunned it and something happened, It started to make a loud kind of knocking noise and started to surge. When I stopped, the car just died and took a long time for it to start. WHen I finally got it going again it was still making the same noise and surging. To get it to start you really have to keep giving it gas or it will stall. I have no idea what is going on. I would really appreciate if you could shed some light on this situation.

 

I just tried to start it again and to elaborate on the sound its making. It is kind of making a popping sound and you can see vapors or gas spitting out of the carb. The car will not idle or stay running unless you are constantly giving it gas.

 

Sounds like a valve train part for an exhaust has failed.

Rocker broke, nut backed off, push rod broke, cam lobe rolled, stud pulled out, etc. Or, possibly a broken intake valve spring.

It could be a blown head gasket between #5 & #7 (look at the firing order and you'll see why that particular place will cause that particular symptom) but it's highly unlikely.

I expect you'll find the problem pretty quickly when you pop the valve covers.

 

How old is the timing chain?

 

Yep. Agree that this is a valve problem. Did it over rev? Symptoms of bent valves, more specifically, an inlet valve(s) staying open and firing into the intake. Would explain the popping and gas and vapours in the carb. Do what RB83L69 has said and also check dizzy for spinning and check compressions on each cylinder.

Good luck.
Andy.

 

No I did not over rev. The timing chain is brand new so is everything else in the motor. I just bought this car and the motor was newly built. The motor has over 2000 miles on it and it drove fine from PA to Florida.

 

No I did not over rev. The timing chain is brand new so is everything else in the motor. I just bought this car and the motor was newly built. The motor has over 2000 miles on it and it drove fine from PA to Florida.

 

freshly built.... ahhh.... see, no one goes selling their freshly built motor unless they've got 2nd thoughts about the build quality or wanted to go a completely different direction half-way through and decided to just throw other parts on. Probably built a good bottom end, then cheaped out on the top-end (cheap valves, or rushed cam break-in).

Once you get the valve covers off you should be able to tell pretty fast what's wrong. Report back once you've done so

 

I'll go at it tomorrow. Will keep you guys informed and I really appreciate your help.

 

sellmanb, as the person who sold mike the car I can tell you there is nothing cheap about it. I sold the car because I couldn't drive it in PA thanks to our emissions laws. Actually, I had listed the car as a roller so I could keep the engine, but mike opted for the whole thing. those sort of generalized assumptions don't accomplish anything.

 

had he stated he bought it from a board member I wouldnt have been so eager to jump the gun. My aplogies.

Most the time (yes, that generalized statement ) when someone freshly builds a motor and plops it in a car, then sells it... it's for a reason. You've gotta admit it does seem suspicious

 

you don't have to apologize, but I apologize for flying off. I do miss the car and hate to see it giving mike troubles. and you are right, if it was me I would think it was suspicious.

I'm leaning towards something simple like a nut backing off...

 

Ok boys, here is what I have found.

I'm still learning so if I use the wrong name for something forgive me.

I took off the left valve cover and noticed that the 4th (from the front) is extremly loose, doesn't even meet up with the rocker. I am able to move it side to side and up and down. Also, if I try to start the car I noticed that theres a lot of oil on the valve next to it (the 5th one)

Let me know what you guys think and let me know what I should do.

Mike

 

4th from the front on the left side is #3 exhaust. That's exactly the sort of thing I described in my answer to you.

If the exh valve doesn't open, then any fuel that gets into that cyl, when it burns, won't escape into the exhaust system; instead, pressure will remain in the cyl, and when the int valve opens the next engine cycle, it will spit back into the intake tract. Which is why I gave you the diagnosis I did; "The simplest expanation that fits all the facts is usually the right one", as a much smarter man than I am once said.

First thing to do, is try just adjusting it. If it turns out that the nut has no "lock" left to it, go to the hardware store, and get 16 3/8"-24 (fine thread) nuts, and use them as jam nuts on all of them. If one is loose, then the others are probably not in the best of shape either; and jam nuts are cheap insurance.

If that doesn't fix it, you probably have a wiped-out cam lobe. But don't worry about that yet; try the other, and if it doesn't work, cross the other bridge when you get to it, and not sooner.

Don't worry about the oil on the other valve.

 

When I said I can move the push rod up and down I meant nearly an inch of movement. That can't be normal

I will try tightening the nut and see if that makes a difference.

 

nevermind. I am complete idiot. The rocker is broke. I can't believe I didn't see that before.

 

Does anyone know what could have caused this? Maybe a timing problem?

 

a hammer, a mean dog, or angry neighbor

nah j/k... i have no idea, I'm sure others do... That's pretty messed up though. Good thing you caught it

 

Valve lash set up wrong.
Defective rocker.
Pushrods too long.
Cam too big for the springs.
Spring pressure to high for the rocker.
Geometry way off on valve train due to mismatched parts.

A lot of things could have caused it.

 

My guess would be, the material it's made out of.

Aluminum ones are famous for doing that when run on the street. Out of the clear blue, no warning, no obvious cause, just.... snap. If those weren't brand-new when the engine was put together, its time might just have been up.

Aluminum fails by a mode known as "fatigue". It's one of the reasons why aircraft are REQUIRED BY FAA RULES to have certain parts replaced - that's REPLACED, not inspected - every so many hours of operation or so many landings or so many instances of attaining cruise altitude and returning to the surface. It's because after some number of cycles of stress, it will break; suddenly, completely, with no warning, no cracks, no nothing. It's why alot of those of us who have been doing this for a while, won't run aluminum ANYTHING MOVING on the street; it might seem like a good idea at the time, but this is the inevitable result. It's not a question of "if", it's a matter of "when". Looks like "when" just came around for that one.