I'm wondering... I've decided to keep my Camaro even tho I stated I was going to get rid of it. I'm wondering what parts I should remove that only hurts performance. Like emissions control equipment etc... Nothing that will have a HUGE negative but anything else.
Also! What are some must have 20$ replacements/add-ons?
I'm into tinkering with little things so I don't want to pull the motor or anything. But if I can get to it without pulling it let me know!

 

Also... I have to ask... What in the friggin he-double-hockey-sticks is the power cord comming from the lower radiator hose?

 

i've kinda been wondering the same thing...once i get my car running i wondered about simple to-do's that would boost performance or economy...i'm sorry i don't have answers to your...i know that it's well know that air conditioning tends to rob power...i've already deleted mine you will either need a new heater box and motor which is expensive or just leave the airconditioning box on and cut the lines going to it.


power cord coming from radiator hose i would like to see a pic of cause i have no clue what you're talking about

 

A/C only robs power when its running.

Why don't you start with a complete tune up?
Spark plugs
Plug wires
clean the throttlebody
change oil
Distributor cap and rotor
Air filter.

 

Emissions don't rob horsepower, but can cause failure to pass inspections & get the owner a hefty Federal Emissions tampering fine.

AC only robs maybe 2 horsepower, so your not going to notice any more power by removing it, but you will know its gone in the Summer heat.

And yes....Start with a tune up. Replace what needs replacing, clean up what can be cleaned.

 

power cord may be a rigged block heater, maybe the car was once in a cold area for a long time

 

When people don't have any clue what they're doing, and start looking for ways to gain free horsepower, they usually end up causing more problems and the car ends up running worse, then if they'd just left it alone. If you haven't got a clue what you're doing, leave it alone.

 

That's why I' asking here first. I don't have to pass inspections & Emissions. I'm from AL/FL. We just say we got this, insure it, and drive it. And I'm not talking about things that "rob" HP. I'm talkin about sh** that I don't need on the car that makes it heaver, more sh** to move to get to something else, I realize I said performance but performance isn't just HP.

 

If you didnt need the stuff why would GM put it there?
Calm down the people here are trying to help you.

 

Oh darn that sounded harsh after I re-read it. I didn't mean for it to sound so bad. Yea man I'm sorry. Naw I just keep on reading about how GM puts things on cars that are in the way cheap or somethin like that sort.

 

The A/C system is rather heavy, those condensers are not light...plus removing the AC radiator lets more air into the reg radiator, and is a good spot for an intercooler if you ever turbocharger....
Far as simple mods, by far the best bang for the buck, and cheapest is a better air intake, if you have a TPI dual snorkel setup, just gut the air filter box(cut the bottom pieces off so that the air filters have direct access to air) if you don't, get or build yourself a CAI. Kind of the only mod that's easy to do though if you don't know much about engines, anything else is a lot of work generally, cept weight reduction is good, and often free though, if its heavy and you won't miss it, remove it.

 

Thank's. Also is a straight pipe better than the ribbed one on there?

My 40 year mechanic said the ribbed is better. But I thought straight was better.... (Step dad)

 

Ribbed is better.

But for your exhaust a smooth pipe is better. You can strip alot of weight from the car if you can tolerate more noise, heat & less comfort. Heat shields (aside from the catcon!), insulation, a/c system, power windows, power locks, a steel hood, glass, rear seats, hell even crashguards are extra weight. Use your imagination and if you have a question wether or not you should remove it just ask us.

(Disclaimer: We do not condone the removal of safety equipment from any vehicle operated on public streets. In no way should you misconstrue the preceeding statements as reccomendation or approval to preform potentially dangerous and/or illegal removal of OEM safety equipment from your or any vehicle. The information provided by our organization is complete bullcrap and should not be considered by any gearhead, knucledragger, shade tree mechanic, riceboy, greasemonkey, racer, hotrodder, car junkie or anyone else ect. ect. so on and so forth.)

 

LMAO! This is...PRICELESS!

 

Ok.. Let me say what I'd like my end result to be...

0-60 hopefully under 6 seconds if at all possible
Daily driver (but pretty much me and another person max... maybe 3 total)
Don't really care how it looks.
Going to put a SMALL system in there... (Audio head...)


So any suggestions? I'm going to pull the motor when I get some more money and rebuild it. But anything I can do to achieve those goals please let me know.

 

Gotta tell us what you have man...could be an IROC-Z or a 4 cyl for all we know...but 2.8, or 3.1 isn't really worth rebuilding imo, just drop a 3.4 in instead, and don't do what I did and break your trans oil pump in the process...least I think I did...don't know yet

 

Ha! No, I think it will be cheaper just to rebuild the 2.8. I work at Arby's so...

Well I could buy this LT1 off craigslist for 200ish and rebuild it, but I don't know nothing about a swap. I figure if I take the 2.8 out I can just pout it back in the way it came. I'm not good at fabricating... And I'm tight on cash. "I work at Arby's so..."

 

I do too...believe me i know your pain....I need a new job, but first I need a car to drive, but I need a new job to get a car, vicious friggin cycle...

 

Aint that the truth.

/me gets ready for work. Grabs the keys, walks outside to the car. Walks past it and continues to walk to Arby's.

 

20 dollar add ons?!?!??!?!..........JESUS CHRIST!!!!!!! A k&n air filter is a must have. Everyone know that you HAVE to have one of those for your car to be bad ***. I mean, just look at the commercials...theyre sooooo cool. Moron...pure moron.

 

First off, there are no $20 add ons. Even a cheap performance air filter will run you at least $25. Unless you look at eBay.

If the A/C doesn't work, ditch it. It's not that hard to remove, other than having the system emptied. However, start with a good tune up, just to make sure all of the fluids are new and you're working with mostly new parts to start (ignition, etc).

To save weight, delete the backseat. There really isn't a point to it anyways, unless you regularly drive around little people or young kids. To anyone else, it hurts. Your best bet is to just get the car driveable and use it to get back and forth to work until you can afford something more. At the very least, if you REALLY want what you said you want, you'll want to throw in a 3.4 and top it off with late-model cylinder heads and get the tuning stuff and such to get it running right. And ditch the auto trans in favor of a manual, which also saves weight and adds to the fun factor. Then get an aluminum driveshaft and other lightweight parts.

Also, year of car would help...

 

20$ Was like... tv detent clip... Those crappy hoses that snap real easy.. Etc... I did say replacements first

89 2.8l

 

In that case, oil change and spark plugs. Or a set of super cheap plug wires that the terminals will come off of the wires when you remove the plug ends. Or trans fluid and filter. Definitely do the tune up first, though. Takes about $80 or so...

 

If I were to do an average tune up what would yall suggest I do? The car has ~150k miles on it and I have no idea how it was taken care of before me. I've read the "super duper epic tune up" or w/e it is. But is there just a "Average Joe basic tuneup."

edit- Or am I just special and you just told me an average joe tuneup... "oil change and spark plugs trans fluid and filter"

 

The tuneup can be done with the exception of the trans fluid and filter (if the trans fluid is still nice and red and not brown or black) and the fuel injector cleaner. The rest is probably necessary, especially changing the rearend oil.

At the very least, plugs, oil change with filter, rearend oil change, possibly new distributor cap and rotor and clean the vents in the bottom of the dizzy, decarbonize the throttle body inside the IAC passage (including the IAC pintle) and the back of the throttle plate, check for broken vacuum hoses and lines, and replace the PCV valve in the driver's side valve cover.

 

Whenever we get a car for trans service that has dark fluid (not black) we tell the owner to bring it back for a series of pan drain & fills to gradually dilute the fluid. Black means clutch material has already worn away and the trans is shot anyway. Brown is either light clutch wear, burnt fluid (also bad) or excessive age. Run some seafoam through the motor as well to clean it out.

 

When I got my car the transmission fluid was dark, the guys that serviced it said it was thick, and they think thats the reason why it was the color it was.

I got it flushed(which I found out is a no-no) and it shifts fine. I got new fluid last summer too a few months after getting it flushed, and it smells like its burning yeah, but I think that was because I had an old worn out stretched TV cable that wasn't giving the correct adjustment for the transmission, that made the 2-3 shift kinda hard and clunky, but now with a new cable, it shifts smooth through any gear.