Ok, I was the guy a week ago having idle and maf problems. Well it occured to me that since I bought the car two months ago it has never had a tune up and I have no idea when its last one was so I figured that before I began other trouble shooting procedures I should at least take care of "routine" maintence.

So here is what I'm thinking:
(Car has 143,000 miles). Change oil and filter(fuel filter has already been changed), spark plugs and wires, cap, rotor, coil, clean IAC and set minumun air(which I started but havn't finsihed). I also was going to clean the PCV and EGR valve. I have to take the Plenum off to get at these right? Do I need a new gasket? I was also thinking I should replace the O2 and timing chain. Is there anything Else I should do? Any suggestions are welcome. ~Arnold

 

AB,

I think I mentioned it before, but in case I didn't...

Treat any newly acquired vehicle like you've resurrected it from the junk yard. You must assume that NO maintenance has been done. Start with all fluids and filters. Engine and transmission oils and filters ($40), differential oil and additive ($15), coolant ($15), fuel and air filters ($10), PCV valve (AC/Delco only - it's a long story) EVAP filter (if equipped), vacuum hoses, compression or cylinder leakage test, etc.

Continue through the ignition system (NOT just spark plugs), and then the control system and adjustments, like IAC, TPS, timing, oxygen sensor, etc.

Once it's running right, continue with brakes, wheel bearings, steering and suspension, belts and hoses, exhaust, and body lubrication/adjustments.

Once you've performed all the required routine maintenance, you can assume that everything should be normal, then attack those things that are not.

I'm guessing that the distributor cap, rotor, wires, and plugs will solve most of your problems. If not, they will at least be reliable and you can proceed to the control adjustments. TB cleaning, TPS and timing settings, and minimum idle air adjustments should help.

If you've exhausted all other possibilities, you might have failing injectors. Since the fuel filter will already have been changed by then, a quick pressure test of the system will eliminate the pump and regulator as possibilities. After that, you can performa a power balance test of the injectors to determine which if any are not flowing correctly.

One of these steps should get you closer to solving the problem, and would cost you a total of less than $200 if you do the work yourself.

The timing chain shouldn't really be an issue unless the engine is reaching the century mark, and then might not be stretched enough to even bother.

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Later,
Vader
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"I'm gonna talk about some freaky sheet now..."
Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0
KaleCo Auto Parts

 

So in doing this is it customary to buy a new distributor? Thanks so much for all the info!~Arnold

 

Another thing to consider is brake fluid. It should be flushed and replaced every 2 years as well.

Fluids people never seem to change on a regular maintance schedule.

#1 Brake fluid
#2 Antifreeze
#3 Diff fluid
#4 Tranny fluid

Check an owners manual for schedules. These fluids don't last the life of the vehicle and only seem to be changed when something is wrong or needs repairs.

My truck gets a complete fluid change every 2 years except the antifreeze because I now run dexcool.

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Follow my racing progress on Stephen's racing page
and check out the race car

87 IROC-Z Pro ET Bracket Race Car
383 stroker (carbed) with double hump cast iron heads and pump gas
454 Big Block almost ready for the 2001 racing season

Best results before the 383 blew up
Best ET on a time slip: 11.857 altitude corrected to 11.163
Best MPH on a time slip: 117.87 altitude corrected to 126.10
Altitude corrected rear wheel HP based on power to weight ratio: 476.5
Best 60 foot: 1.662

Racing at 3500 feet elevation but most race days it's over 5000 feet density altitude!
Member of the Calgary Drag Racing Association

87 IROC bracket car, 91 454SS daily driver, 95 Homebuilt Harley

 

Silly question....how do you change your brake fluid???

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85T/A 305/QJ work in progress.

 

to change the brake fluid you could suck it out of the MC or do a gravity bleed.

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ICON Motorsports

1st & 3rd

 

Just bleed each of the brakes, putting new fluid in the resevior to keep it full. If your fluid is old and nasty, it will be an opaque green/brown color, the new fluid will be clear to transparent light yellow/green. Just bleed each corner until you get all the old fluid out of the line and cylinder, and the new fluid is coming through.

 

No, cap&rotor not distributor. It might be worthwhile to get a rebuild kit for your distributor though. You could also get aftermarket ones if you have the cash and if it's high enough up on your priority list (not likely).

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Base: 89 Iroc-Z LB9 auto 2.73 posi
Exh: 3" Dynomax muffler, 3" Pipe in place of cat
Ign: Accel 300+ wires, cap&rotor
Fuel: Cleaned and flow-matched injectors, afpr, !air pump&diverter valve
Sound: Clarion deck, Kicker speakers and amps
Suspension: KYB Shocks, BMR Strut Tower Brace
Misc: TB Bypass, Synthetic Oil, Flexlite Transmission cooler,
free mods, hopefully engine swap and 4th gen seats in the works...

 

I can almost guarantee they are in bad shape by now. These are super easy and fairly cheap to replace. Get good tubing, and replace one at a time. I think I did all of mine on my car for about 15 bucks.

 

Vader is so right (as usual. My dad and I changed EVERYTHING when we bought my car a year and a half ago, and WOW did it make a difference!! Definetly spend your money there first!

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1987 Chevy Camaro IROC-Z
L98 TPI 350 (5.7L)
TH 700R-4 Transmission
Borg Warner 7.75" 9 Bolt Rear End

Current Mods: LT4 Hot Cam, Comp Cams 1.52:1 Roller Rocker Arms, Edelbrock TES 1 5/8" Headers, Hooker 3" Aerochamber Cat-Back System, Performance Resource Chip, Accel Ignition Coil, Cap, Rotor, 8.8mm Wires, K&N Filters, JET TPI Air Foil, All Free Mods, Falken ZIEX Z-Rated Tires.

Best ET (w/o LT4 cam): 14.32 @ 97.7mph
(corrected for elevation)

7.5" 10 Bolt with 3.42s soon to come!

 

Thanks for all the replys guys. I have been pretty busy with work and school but I am going to try to make an order to summit tonight. I will let you know what kind of improvment it makes. BTW, about two weeks ago I cleaned the throtle plates and sprayed TB cleaner around the IAC and set the TPS. THe car hasn't died since but it still sets code 33 so I think that they were unrealated. Thanks again!~Arnold

 

I think these guys covered everything, but this might be worth a reading anyway:
https://www.thirdgen.org/messgboard/...ML/000545.html


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-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!

 

oops wrong thread

[This message has been edited by RedFirebird (edited December 02, 2001).]