I have a 1985 Camaro and I have a TPI V-6 for it but I am afraid it won't be powerfull or snappy enough for me. What can I do to upgrade the performance to something more ballsy??? Any help would be greatly appreciated by the non-mechanical minded camaro fan.

 

Okay, i'll bite first.

First of all, your v6 has multiport fuel injection, nort tuned port. Tuned port was only available on v8's. Second, i would say do everything possible to restore the engines original power before going for more. By that i mean a complete tune up. Plugs,wires,cap,rotor,belts, and about a dozen other things will help resotre lost power. Depending on the mileage on your engine, i would say a timing chain replacement would also help restore lost pwer. I am sure tom will be in to get you on the right track

 

I have to agree with 91burd ! You will be surprised what a good tune-up will do !!!! You wont be beating V8s are anything , but it will be so much more peppier !

ALSO , change all your vacumn hoses .

 

Did I hear my name? Time for a repost!

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Tom P's Major Tuneup Info: 3rd gen (82-92) F-body series

Here's the Major Tuneup stuff- this covers alot more than a garage would do for you, and it'll wind up to be cheaper (or at least the same price)! First, buy a Haynes 82-92 Firebird (or 82-92 Camaro) manual.. they're about $15 from any auto parts store. I like them alot better than the Chilton's manuals (which aren't what they used to be 25 years ago). And of course, the ultimate manual is the GM Service Manual, available from http://www.helminc.com - I paid about $60 for mine back in 1994.

Replace: Distributor cap/rotor, spark plug wires (use aftermarket), spark plugs, air filter (use K&N replacements), PCV valve, fuel filter, engine oil/filter, auto trans fluid/filter (or manual trans gear lube), and rear axle gear lube (use limited slip additive if required). Check and reset the timing to stock specs (in Haynes manual). Check and reset the TV cable if you have an automagic (in Haynes manual). Do a lube job and get an alignment done- the car will go faster "easier" if the front wheels are straight. Buy a can of "Intake and Throttle Body Cleaner for Fuel Injected Engines" by Gumout (yellow or gray can, with a red cap), and follow the can's instructions to clean out your intake. DO NOT USE CARB/CHOKE CLEANER- this removes the protective coating fuel injected engines have. Put a bottle of injector cleaner or my "red magic" (STP Gas Treatment) into a full tank of good gas.

It's also a good idea to replace your coolant, check your brake fluid level and p/s fluid level, check the belts, and check your brakes while you're at it.

Call Summit Racing at 800-230-3030 for a free catalog, then you can pick and choose a spark plug wire set and get your K&N air filter(s). (You can also find this stuff through their website, at http://www.summitracing.com , but it's not as thorough as the catalog.) When you leaf thru the catalog, you WON'T SEE any parts listed for a 2.8l v6 - you need to call them and ask them for part #'s/availablility. (Same goes with exhaust, etc.) If you're like me, and can't want to wait for the catalog in the mail, call them and order one anyway! Then, go to their website, at http://www.summitracing.com , look up their ignition wires, decide on a brand, and give them a call for a part # and price.

But definately do a tuneup first... you'll see the best improvment from the "fun" parts when your car is in good running condition.

-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l)

 

actually if you look into a lot of manuals on our engiens, the v8 models with TPI are listed as being MPFI. GM used the terms interchangeably, and it's only now when we're all trying to be "different" and "unique" (while still driving the same styled cars) get our panties in a bunch when someone uses them differently.


Do Tom's major tune up, then think performance. A quick search of the boards here will give you an idea of performance mods available for the 2.8L, you can do anythign from cams, exaust, roller rockers, intake, all the way to just dropping in a 3.4L v6 engine and calling it quits.

 

Oh and keep in mind that most of us weren't mechanically minded when we first started. Learning by doing the tuneup will get you going the fastest! The Haynes manual I mentioned is excellent for a beginner; read over chapter 1 and chapter 13 and you'll learn a lot.

Yes You Can Do The Tuneup if you've never worked on a car before. This was the first thing I did to my car, and I had never done anything other than change an air filter or oil filter on my dad's cars. But if you don't have good tools, I recommend at least a name brand socket set. Craftsman and Home Depot usually have good deals. You don't want a Kmart or Target or Walmart or similar socket set- they're made from cheap metal, and the sockets can ruin the bolt heads and strip them!!

Sets like Craftsman and Home Depot have lifetime warranties, so you'll keep 'em forever- and they're made from strong metal, and the sockets will fit bolt heads tight. I think one of the biggest mistakes any "first timer" can make is buying a cheap "100 piece socket set with rolling toolbox for $25". They'll wonder why all their bolts won't come out, or they'll fight with a cheap ratchet, or even break adapters!

Just make sure your set contains metric sockets as well as standard (SAE) sockets- 1982-2002 Firebirds/Camaros all use metric bolts in 90% of the car. The old idea that "if it's american, you want standard (inches)" doesn't apply anymore. Visit your local sears... here's a set that looks good online, but it looks like they're closing it out, so it might be hard to find:

Go to http://www.craftsman.com, and put in part # 33560 at the top for a $40 set that looks like they're closing out- so it might be hard to find locally. Also, a better set for $60 is #33462- and looks like their next step "up", the 73-piece, is on sale until 8/24 for the same price- part # 33863. Not sure if the 40 piece set has metric, you might want to go "in person" to the store and find out.

Other sets are thru http://www.craftsman.com , click on "tools & equipment" at top, then mechanics tools, then on mechanics tool sets. See sets thru http://www.homedepot.com too.

[edit] The set I bought a few months ago with my dad was Husky #881011 for $40. The socket set we had was actually one of those cheapies, my dad had bought it ~30 years ago! Most of the time we used the sockets from the toolbox, since the ones in the socket set were trashed. So we figured "screw it" and picked up a whole new set. The case is kind of dorky but it helps in the junkyard; I can instantly tell if I've forgotten to put a socket back.

 

Go Craftsman! Seriously, I have bought the Kmart 100 plus piece toolkit and I have to tell you, they SUCK! Before then, I have never even heard of a socket breaking or stripping (Inside the socket) or adaptors just breaking off! The ratchets suck as well because sometimes the ratchet on my cheap set will catch which ever way I turn! Truly annoying! Another good place to check for craftsman tools would be on ebay. That's where I got all of mine. I got a 3/8 ($5)and 1/4 inch ratchet($4.50), a metric set from 5mm up to 17mm($4.00) and a standard set with a load of different sizes($3.50). So altogether it cost me 17 dollars plus shipping and since I bought them all from the same person (I strongly recomend you do this to save on shipping costs, ebay sellers try to rip you a new one on this!) he combined shipping costs and it ended up only being 4 dollars. It was going to be 3 dollars shipping per auction I won if he didn't combine! So, there's another thing to look at! Oh yeah, be sure to keep an eye on his feedback!!

 

Actually, MPFI, TPI, and SFI are all just lumped into "Port Fuel Injection" by GM. Tuned Port Injection is really MPFI, but the runners are tuned to a specific length to maximize the pulses of air being intaked...intook....sucked in....whatever. But earlier on, GM did call TPI systems MPI.

 

One of the best places I have found to get tools is your local Pawn Shop! You can usually get good, name brand American Made tools for the same or less cost than a set of the cheapie tools are new. I have a couple of sets of Snap On sockets, Several Snap On extensions, a Napa rachet(made by Matco) and several sets of vice grips, Channel Locks, Crescent wrenches, and even a Suntune timing light that I picked up from the local pawn shop. Most pawn shops guarantee the items to be in good working condition, or they will give you your money back. You can get a good deal on Multi-meters and power tools, too. Just make sure you get the good stuff when you go to a pawn shop, and you won't be disappointed.