Synthetic_black

Alright I bought a Camaro. Previous owner got rid of the 305 for a 350 after he cracked the block. not sure what 350 it is smallblock chevy. He said it came from a Caprice. One of these days I'm going to get the # off the engine to identify it. But I've fixed several things on it. He didn't have any of the vacuum lines lines hooked up correctly. Fixed those now it runs better. He actually had two vacuum ports one on the intake manifold and one on the throttle body open just sucking air. I replaced loads of stuff like plugs wires distrebutar cap rotor. the original 305 intake manifold is still on it. TBI. Original computer Prom all that. It ran like crap when I bought it. It was running way rich. After fixing all the vacuum leaks its running much better. Doesn't burn your eyes standing next to it. The radiator fan doesn't kick on ever. It will turn on when I turn the A/C on. I found the coolant temperature sender on the passenger side head and grounded it Nothing. thats #1 Also it always smoked I thought it was just because it was really rich but after fixing it it doesn't smoke at idle only when I first start it. As soon as it warms up its clean. But if I rev up the engine hard it makes puffs of blueish white smoke. Smells like oil. OK valve seals or rings? Did have 10w30 reg oil with no smoke additive(really thick). Oil pressure was about 30 at idle if I rev it it would shoot up to 60psi and about 45psi at 60mph. Now I put 10w30 full sythetic (quaker) in it no additive. 15psi at idle or lower. It will shoot up to 30- 40psi when I rev it and 30psi or lower at 60 mph. My question is for anyone with more experience. Do you think this engine is going to go out soon? It doesn't knock. It won't overheat with the A/C running. I just don't know what he might have done to it. I have heard it running that rich for that long(maybe years) could ruin the rings. I know something is wrong cause it burns oil. But I'm hoping to use it for a few years before putting a new engine in it. Also if the car is running and I switch the a/c on to turn the fan on the rpm's drop suddenly and then come back up. Maybe something wrong there? Service light comes on on highway only. Like at 60mph after I let off the gas a little maybe. Pulled codes 12 32 54. Any help would be appreciated? Thanks in advance. Ohh also is it legal to remove stock steering wheel with airbag replace with after market no airbag. Thanks again...

Damon

The stock chip in your ECM was not designed to run a larger 350. The tune will be off, but like you've found out..... drivable, just not optimal. That's probably also a good part of the the reason why the motor stumbles when the A/C kicks on. TBI cars are very sensitive to changes in the engine's basic breathing characteristics- an adding 45ci that the computer isn't expecting constitutes a "big change."

Puffs of oil smoke on startup and when revving up the motor is almost always valve guides/seals. Nothing to worry about- it'll run for years like that. Fix it when you have a chance, but it's not really hurting anything so you have time to get around to that later.

Oil pressure differences are tough to say for sure becuase the factory gagues are so inaccurate- and not even consistently inaccurate. I used to note pressure differences after an oil change even when it was same in/same out. Before you even THINK of trusting the gague replace the pressure sender that's screwed into the block just above the oil filter boss. They go bad quite often.

Trace the wire back from the temp sensor in the pass. side head until you find the break or pinch. That wire turns on the fans in the same manner than using the A/C does- it provides a ground to the fan relay (firewall, driver's side, near the power brake booster). If turning on the A/C activates the fan then your fan relay and fan are fine- just something wrong with that particular wire coming from the temp switch. That is, unless somebody has REALLY messed with the factory fan wiring!

Codes.... 12 means the ECM is working fine. 32 is EGR system problem, I believe. 54 I have no idea. The codes are published around here somewhere.

camaronewbie

Wity my experiences - I wouldn't fool with the fan switch - I never got any to work right, not even expensive aftermarket jobs. Get a seperate fan controller ($35 - $100) and wire it in - they come with a probe that sticks in between the radiator fins and they plug to the fan, controlling it at a certain temp. Mine was $75, is adjustable, has provisions for fan always on/always off switches to be mounted in cabin, and works every time. You can just leave the old non-working fan switch in the head as a plug, and forget it.

My 2 cents on the fan.

LT1Formula

iTrader: (21)

sounds right.

Synthetic_black

Cool thanks for the help I appreciate it. Makes me feel better. Rebuilding the heads will stop the smoke hopefully thats better than rebuilding engine. My cigarette lighter keeps blowing my ACC fuse. Horn doesn't work I'm hoping that's why. Does anybody know about the aftermarket steering wheel with no airbag being legal. Missouri? Thanks again