I'm posting this to try to help an aquantance with his 92 Camaro with the V6. This car has been severely neglected, I know it hasn't had a tune up in the near 100,000 miles he's owned it and hasn't had an oil change in over 40,000 miles. It burns a quart every 500 miles and has been run extremely low multiple times. I know hes an idiot, just keep all that about the car in mind.

Recently its developed a problem - when the engine is cold it starts hard and runs rough like it may be misfiring and about to die. For the first minute or two it wont move at all in reverse, and barely moves at all in drive. After that it will drive but verrry slowly in lower rms. it smooths out and gets a little faster at higher rmps, then shifts and its slow and rough again. He says once its warm it gets better but the problem doesnt go away.

There is so much wrong with the car I wouldn't know where to start. Any ideas what would cause this?

 

with what you have said about this car, if it was my car i would do..

Tune up
--------------
new plugs
new wires
new coil
new Cap n Rotor
new fuel filter
Change the oil (synthetic oil comes to mind)
check the fluid in transmission (if anything change filter in that n new fluid)
----------------------------

Clean the carburetor/TBI/etc or rebuild it (rebuild kit cheap at part store)
check the vacuum lines for cracks n broken pieces. replace if necessary.

thats the basics good place to start. and not heavy on the wallet

 

he should sell it ASAP and buy a Furd to treat like that......

the problem is all there, black and white, you can't neglect them forever.

 

"an acquaintance"

I like that. Shame....He needs to ride a bicycle. Does he have pet's? I hope not.