I'm looking at a 1989 Camaro RS with a 305 TBI automatic. It already has an open element filter conversion. The things I'm worried about with it is the engine light light came on and stayed on when I drove it. The front end shook up and down when I pressed on the brakes. The front left rotor was cracked in one spot so I don't know if that would cause the front end to do that.Anyone have an idea on what these issues could be? Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

Brake rotors more than likely warped, and paper thin if they are cracked. What driving conditions when the SES light came on?

 

Started the car up and accelerated at a normal pace, not really getting on it. Then it came on and stayed on the whole time. I know on some cars the SES light comes on but it's not a big deal for some. I didn't know if this car would be one of them.

But I mean the car is cheap. I got the owner down to $1200 on it. The car has 117k miles on it with a little cosmetic stuff wrong with it such as the headliner is sagging, right front fender damage (looks like someone drove over a curb) and he has a color matched replacement fender to go with it as well as a Z hood. Carfax says no reported accidents on it. Could use a new paint job; it's fading here and there, but it's almost a 20 year old car. Other than that it seems like a decent car. I'm just trying to get an idea on what it could need.

 

I just saw this: https://www.thirdgen.org/service-eng...ht-error-codes


Are the 89's OBD I cars or something else? I could just go get a code reader to figure out the issue.

Sorry for the newb questions. I'm not very mechanically inclined on electrical/engine problems.


EDIT: Also forgot to mention when I pressed the gas aggressively the fuel tank gauge would go up from 1/4 tank to registering 1/2 tank. Then when I settled at cruising speed it leveled off at 1/4 tank.

 

New front brake rotors are cheap for most 3rd gens. Seems like I paid $30 a piece last time I bought a set. Junkyard wanted $20 and I would have had to machine them.

Was there slop in the steering wheel while driving? If so, that can amplify any shaking from the wheels and /or rotors.

All 3rd gens are OBD1 as far as I know. A paperclip is all you need to read codes, but a scanner will come in handy for troubleshooting.
If check eng light is on, something is wrong.

It's normal for gas gauge to move around while accelerating, cornering and braking.