I have a new-to-me '91 RS 305. The car sat outside for 10+ years without running before it got to me. I've done some very minor work on it sense I'm not experienced much. I took into a popular shop here that's even voted best in the city for 9 years straight. Before I took it in the brakes were crap,it ran very rich,and the fuel gauge didn't work. I just got word today about everything wrong with it.

The fuel pump is going bad. The sending is bad too. The throttle body is varnished up. The plugs and injectors are varnished up. The ignition wires are corroded. The engine isn't providing a proper vacuum,but he can't inspect further unless the other things are addressed to get the engine running properly. There's a lifter tick,but again he can't inspect further until the other stuff is dealt with. He says that I need to get all this fixed in order for it to be drivable. Now I've thought through this,and everything he said seems to make sense for culprits for issues. They want to charge me $2,700 for this,and it doesn't include the further inspection on those two things. I'm just looking for a second opinion to confirm all this. I believe he's telling the whole truth,especially sense they're voted best for 9 years straight. So,tell me,would you agree that all this needs to be dealt with for it to be drivable?

 

Disassemble the throttle body yourself and soak all the parts in lacquer thinner overnight. Then reassemble with a new paper and rubber kit. Put on a new fuel filter.

Let the fuel run near empty, and pour a gallon of LT into the tank. Let the car run for awhile until it gets all up into all of the fuel system. Park it and let the LT soak overnight. Drive it to the gas station the next morning and put a few gallons in it. Should be running AHELLUVALOT better by then.

Never really heard of a fuel pump "going bad" Always thought they were kinda like hard drives; there's 2 kinds, either they're bad, or they will be soon. If you think it's "bad" change it. If it still works leave it alone until you can't anymore.

Put new plugs & wires on it. Pretty normal routine maintenance.

Stay away from "shop". All that will lead to, is SOMEBODY ELSE putting their kid through college, via YOUR wallet. Might as well be YOUR OWN kid as theirs. Save your money. Grow a pair and learn to work on your car yourself. Not saying they're not "telling the whole truth"; only, you just bought AN ANTIQUE, and people who own ANTIQUE cars, don't take em to "shop" for routine fiddling. (unless of course they're Vette owners and movie stars and trailer trash like Kardashians and the like)

Once you get it running, put a quart of transmission fluid in the motor oil. Check it FREQUENTLY (like every time you drive it) after that. Most likely, it will dissolve SO MUCH of that built-up schmutz, that within acouplahundred miles, the oil will turn thick black gooey asphalt goo. CHANGE IT IMMEDIATELY along with a new filter of course. Include a quart of ATF in the next oil fill. Keep an eye on it. Most likely, in another 1000 miles or so, the above scenario will repeat itself. Change it again including the quart of ATF. Lather, rinse, repeat until it quits coming out like coal tar. Remember, only way to get it out of there, is to dissolve it in the oil, so the fact that the oil becomes road tar is irrelevant. Keep dissolving the crud into the oil and changing the oil out. You'll also find that ATF works wonders on lifter ticks.

 

So I see a pump&sender , clean the TB , and a general routine tune up and they want $2700 ?!?!?!?

As Sofa so rightly said , you own an antique , you've just been told your car will need about $3K worth of work in a shop that you can do for around $500 yourself , this means it's time to get with the books and learn how to repair your own car . Just think of how many nice tools $2200 is gonna buy when it only costs ya $500 to fix the listed items !

 

To answer your question, yes, all of that needs to be addressed to get it drive-able.
Not being run for over 10 years has caused a lot of issues that need to be addressed.
I agree with Sofa and OrangeBird, if you are going to own one of these cars, it is imperative that you learn to do this stuff yourself(unless you are wealthy enough to pay someone 90.00 to 110.00 per hour(plus parts) to fix it for you.
We live in an age that provides us some very easy access to information and even demonstrations(videos) of how to fix a ton of things on our cars.

 

I will be doing same soon, my son loves the 3rd gen, got him a 92rs that has sat for at least 3 years.
It is a 5 sp anything I should check for or do. It drove and shifted smooth. I/and son will be doing the above mentioned routine maintenance.
Hope to learn a lot on this site and some good tips. I am 48 and haven't worked on cars for about 15-20 years due to having been lucky and having trouble free cars.
OP good luck with yours. And good advise in this thread.

Wes

 

WOW, $2700??? I will do it for half of that. Bring it to me... Heck if you aint no more than 4 or 5 states away, I will come pick it up, fix it and bring it back to you for $2,000

They are over charging you big time.

Rock auto. Fuel pump
Low end $14
High end $88
Avg middle $35

Sending unit $110

Spark plug wire set $35

8 spark plugs $12

New fuel injectors $60

Throttle body kit $30

Gallon of Lacquer thinner $12

$347 for all of the parts brand new at retail prices.

$2700 can buy you a whole nother running pretty nice third gen camaro. Why would you spend that much to fix a few tune up items lol.

 

Did all of these to mine after it was sitting in my parents garage for 8 years. Took me a weekend, and that was only because I dropped the tank for the fuel pump (it was my first time).


Plus, if you do it all yourself and it runs great, the satisfaction of knowing you did it yourself is worth every penny you saved.

 

yeah everyone pretty much hit the nail on the head. the vacuum issue is most likely corroded vacuum lines, cheap and easy like everything else they want to rip you off for. The hardest job on that list is the fuel pump, will definitely take you a Sunday to complete if its your first time.

I'm wondering how the transmission is after sitting for so long is it a 5 speed or the 700r4? if its the 700r4 you have to change the transmission fluid, trans filter, and pan gasket as well before starting it. not as simple as an oil change but still pretty easy, just look it up on this site. also be safe and use jackstands at all times when underneath the car. good luck

 

My suggestion to you would be to start your own thread, after doing some research on here and Google of course. Get a build thread going in the members camaros section, or post your question in the appropriate threads. People are pretty knowledgeable on here. I have learned a lot from people on here. Good luck.

 

Give us more information. How does it run if so? If it doesn't start can you manually crank the motor? How much experience do you have with these cars and other cars in general? What is your tool situation? What engine/transmission is in the car? What rear end? Options?

There's other stuff but those are the basic background stuff that would greatly help others on here. There's a lot of good advice on here so I'm not going to regurgitate it again. Getting this car running the way you would like and in the condition you would like, will depend greatly on what you are and aren't willing to do, and what you can and can't do. If you can afford parts, then I say you are good to go. The internet is your friend. You can literally Google an issue you are having with a car and find YouTube videos on how to diagnose/fix it.
This forum is also super useful and I haven't really run into an issue yet that I haven't found the answer on here or had answered if I couldn't find it.
After sitting that long rust is a big issue as well. The entire coolant system may have gelled up a bit or corroded so a significant portion of the cooling system may need replaced/looked at.

 

I believe it's a 4 speed. I honestly don't know what one it is exactly. I already did a transmission fluid,filter,and gasket change though.

Where are most of the vacuum lines at on the car? I've inspected the one from the booster to the engine when I was replacing my master cylinder. It seemed good. No cracks or cave ins. What would be the best way to find the vacuum leak?

 

How did you drop the fuel tank? I'm told you have to drop the rear end to get it down,but if you didn't have to I'd greatly appreciate knowing how. That could save me $1200.

 

They go all over the engine bay, from the evap can to under the plenum and connecting to the throttle body.

My all time favorite way to find vacuum leaks is to buy a cheap cigar from a gas station like a black and mild and then tape off the throttle body. Then take a drag off the cigar and fill your mouth with the smoke, then blow the smoke into a vacuum line and look for smoke coming out somewhere else on the motor. Try a couple different lines when doing this. The most common place you'll see smoke is from under the plenum due to the old plastic vacuum lines that become very brittle after 20+ years of heating cycles. Also look by the throttle return spring on the throttle body, if the throttle shaft is worn you should see smoke coming from the spring. I had a wicked vacuum leak that was making my car run super lean, changed all vacuum lines and couldn't figure out what it was until I puffed a cigar into a vacuum line.

If you don't smoke you can spray carb cleaner around vacuum hoses and where they connect to while the motor is running to and listen to the engine to see if the Rpms raise when sprayed but I find the cigar is a much better way to pinpoint the area. Good luck man, if you have any questions then just search this site, it is by far one of the best car forums on the Internet

 

Ok thanks a bunch man! I think I'll end up doing all of this stuff myself after reading these responses. I think I just needed a confidence booster haha. Once I get the car back I'll start replacing stuff,and then I'll check out that vacuum leak. I can't express how thankful I am to have all you guys helping me out.

 

You don't have to fully remove the rear end out from under the car, but it sure helps.

Dropping the rear end on these cars is a very simple job really. Not much holding them in. Only like 14 bolts

2 bolts holding LCA arms to rear end
2 bolts holding torque arm to rear end
2 bolts holding panhard rod onto rear and car
4 bolts on driveshaft
2 bolts holding shocks to rear end
Un hook the brake line rubber flex hose from the single main metal line
2 bolts holding sway bar to car (if you have a rear sway bar)

 

If you don't want to drop the rear end to remove the tank, just jack the car up on jackstands in the rear. As high as possible. The exhaust is the hardest part to remove. Usually because it is a big rusty mess. Make sure you drain as much gas as possible too. Having that slosh around is a PITA. A good friend is always helpful too because wiggling the tank around would just be easier with 4 hands.


You could always cut the trap door in the trunk. But I personally don't like that method.

 

Ok thanks a bunch.