Ahh yes, another issue with my beloved 84 Z28 V8 HO. I have misplaced my Chiltons and Haynes manuals...arrggh. I need a list of possible known common causes. Also I cant remember what pins to put the paperclip on for the ECM bypass. I need to be able to at least read the check engine codes.

Can some experienced mechanics offer some tips? Here are the symptoms. Recently about 3 weeks ago my check engine light started coming on at about 2000 RPM in OD. When slowing down and the RPMs drop, then the check engine light goes out. This happens frequently. Around the same time frame my car would make a whining noise when first starting it cold. After it warms up it goes away. Now today, my car runs really rough at about 700 rpm and dies when idling in Drive. In neutral it is fine. Its as if the engine is lacking air or fuel..hmmm? To make it worse I have an automatic and I dont want to fubar the Trans as it is already starting to have slippage problems from second to third in OD. So to work around the issue for now I am simply shifting into neutral at stop lights.

Here are a few things I thought of; do these make sense?

1. Distributor cap and coil. (been at least 3 years)
2. Spark plug wires.(ha ha at least four years. I gotta address this)
3. Carb running too rich (rebuilt about 4 years ago. No smell of fuel though)

Does it need a general tune up? Also how to I check those check engine codes?

Thanks for everyones help in advance. Please provide your list of known common possible causes..thanks.
Z28freakboy

 

distributor cap and coil are meant to last the life of the car........ it is most deffinately the wires and plugs get the same wires and plugs i have listed in my sig and u'll thank me later.....thanks

 

if its not those things then its the ignition box , the whole distributor or the coil, if not that then its a fuel injector and ur ****ed for like 180 bucks for just one of them. but i can almost bet my left nut that its wires and plugs so knock urself out at a local parts store.