ok guys... my bro-in-law just gave me his old camaro, and i recently got it fix.. clutch job.well, its an 82 camaro sc 4 speed 2.8. So. the engine needs a lot of work, today i changed oil, put in new plugs, and cleaned it up. i cant figger out what to do to start workin on it.i wanna do some basic mods, but it dont kno where to start. the suspension makes a nasty knocking sound, so i greased up almost all front fittings, didnt fix it.... the car needs bodywork too. can someone please give me some pointers, nudge me in the right direction, where to start?
thanx
john
:hail: :lala: :hail:

 

The best place to start, before any mods, is


TomP's Major Tune Up!!!!

Search for it, read it, and do everything it says!!! Then start the mods, and they will then show the greatest benefit.

 

Correct, Tomp Tune up

 

Yeah, I agree... do a complete tune-up on the car, however, do not replace items if they don't need to be replaced.

Todd

 

Another vote for Tom's tune-up!

While you're at it and changing and fixing, give the car a good examination.

Don't look at aftermarket hop-ups (yet)

Don't look at the cosmetic stuff

LOOK AT EVETRYTHING that could prevent this vehicle from being a reliable piece of transportation that won't leave you stranded. The car is 20+ years old. There will be more than you think!

 

Also do a thorough electrical system check....That has left me stranded many a time...and was the reason I bought another car as my daily driver.

 

Here's the tuneup link, along with other ideas for first mods from other guys: https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=148806

One thing I bet your car would really like is for you to rebuild that carburetor. The Haynes 82 Camaro manual gives a photograph-by-photograph (or is it drawing-by-drawing? Can't remember...) rebuild procedure for the E2SE carburetor, which is what that '82 of yours has. Your carb should have a part # stamped somewhere on the side; that's what you'll use when you go to the local REAL (not a Pep Boys or a Strauss) auto parts store and ask for a rebuild kit. The kinds of auto stores I mean are the ones that local mechanics and gas stations use; the ones with the greasy counters and parking lots with potholes, not the fancy snazzy ones that sell millions of air freshners and seat covers.

And here's a link to a 2.8/carb'd mod list I wrote up a lonnng time ago, comprised of mods specific to the 2.8 carb'd motor. https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...threadid=61735

I had a message up of cheap mods, but can't find it. One of the cheap mods was installing an electric fan from an 85-92 v6 Firebird/Camaro. That way you can ditch that abnormally huge fan shroud. The electric fans have no fan shroud since the fan sits about a 1/2 inch away from the radiator, against the radiator. You'd want to take (from the junkyard car) the fan, and the upper radiator bracket, and the lower fan bracket. Those brackets are what the four bolts of the fan are bolted to. You might even want to take the car's radiator, since '85 2.8 got a larger (wider) radiator than the 84 2.8.

And if MD says to give the whole car a good check over, listen to him; he's got an '83 that he's taken apart a few times!

 

Just out of curiousity how long was it sitting for.
If it was any long length of time like 6 months to a year I would look into replacing the waterpump, flushing the coolant. Unless it was replaced recently with a car that old and some sitting that Is something I could see going.

I would also take if out for a few test runs, and do some hard braking. Because those flex lines, and even the steel lines may be weak and I would rather replace some busted ones now, then be stuck in the *** end of another car later.

Also look for sticky brakes, and I would say replace the pads, and shoes, and if there is some thump to the rotors have them turned.

 

well, the car sat in new hampshire for a few months b/c it didnt run (clutch) i then got it shipped here to TN, where it sat for 4 months until i got it runnin last week. i changed the oil/filter, plugs/wires/dist cap. and today i flushed the radiator and it seemed VERY clean. i cleaned up the engine compartment b/c i have heard rumors that a clean engine runs cooler... dunno if thats true tho. sometime soon when i get some $monay$ i will get to changin fuel filter, maybe o2 sensor? and maybe later rebuild carb. and just yesterday the driver side window stopped workin, and the pass side didnt work b4 so i gotta get to work on those too. oh yea... i've been drivin it around town some and i noticed that the brakes are pretty mushy.. i've got a 79 MGB w/ brakes like that but not as bad. everytime i brake i hear a hiss like sound from the left rear what could that be? and when its raining if i slam on the brakes i cant even lock them up... that seems strange to me.... any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!
thanx
john

 

Do you maybe have a small leak in the line and every time you apply the brakes on solid you spit out some fluid and are not able to lock up the brakes.

OR your brake booster has grown weak over the years and needs to be replaced.

 

hmm you keep saying clutch and 4 speed and that confuses me,

didnt know they have a 4 speed stick on the 80's????

you sure you just anit finding 5th or its gone???

just sounds strange to me.

 

nope... absolutely positive itsa 4 speed.... 82 was the last year of the non-hyrdaulic clutch and i never found the right linkage for it... had to weld it back together to fix it
john

 

yea I think your right, well you must be. I remeber helping a guy a long time ago work on a thirdgen but it was when i didnt know sht about them.

he had a firebird with a 400 in it, and I remember seeing the manual linkage for the clutch.

course he could never keep a tranny in it, that 400 was just too much for it.

 

Yeah hes right Gumby, I've seen two 4 speed manaul Z-28's. and one old Firebird with a manual four speed.

The 5 speed and 700 R4 were introduced as an option on the L4 and V-6 cars till 85 and standard on the Z-28 in 83. (I believe i was 83 it could have been 84) But the old 200C was the 3 speed auto and the 4 speed manual were all that was there in 82.

 

I dont want to stray the topic here but what info do ya have on the 4 speed stick???

is it stronger than the T5, what is the name for that 4 speed???

This could squash some fears if the 4 speed is stonger than the T5, it would make the v8 stick swap a tad less unpredictable.

 

In 82 there were two kinds of 4-speeds offered

a Saginaw Unit (junk)

a Borg Warner T-10 (good). This $-speed was used in the C-4 vettes as well (4+3 unit).

 

I would say that hiss sound is the break booster. Thats what mine did when I drove it home the day I bought it. It is not hard to install (on 91 anyway) and took about 3-4 hours of wrenching, no ratchet.

It prob wouldnt hurt one bit to install new break hoses either.

 

MD I have a vette book and read about the 4+3 unit, but it does not go into any detail on it. But from what I read it sort of sounds like the top three gears each have their own overdrive, is that how it works, it could be considered a 7 speed?

If you have any detail on that transmission please share.

 

Joe L -- I'm really not sure about the details of the 4+3 unit other than it was a T-10 base. I believe you are correct in the gear splitter and calculations but I can't verify it. Ked or AFGT would probably give some more info.

Camarojohn -- The power boosters are not hard to change at all. I put a new one in my 83 before I got it tagged. Just drop the steering column, unbolt the master cylinder, unbolt and disconnect the clip on the booster -- That's it!

FWIW -- I had a hissing noise everytime I applied the brakes and it was very hard to push it down.

 

According to B/W its only a 4 speed, and was introduced in 1980.


http://www.i2c2.com/bwa/about/about_record_body.html