1981 Camaro Z28

[92conv]

Looks good, Kyle!!

[MP81]

Thanks!! It's a small thing, but seeing the car back on the ground when I walk out of the garage in the morning is nice to see.

No sound clip today - got back from a retirement gathering with 5 miles left on the Volt, so I needed to get it charging (which blocked the Camaro in; ended up taking the open-exhaust Cobalt to Target ).

Hopefully I'll get a chance to take it for a drive if it's not raining on Sunday when I get back from my buddy's bachelor party up north! And get a video of the sound, as well.

[MP81]

I finally got the car out today after work, because it was so damn gorgeous.




My shiny new lugs







Tucked up. Despite my giant curb and the car sitting at what I assumed to be nearly lowered stance, it did not sound like it scraped backing out or pulling in.




Engine bay. Cleaner from all the brake clean, and less emissions equipment - but still a lot going on. At least the headers look nice.








And finally, a video of how it sounds. I'm not sure the camera really captures it too well, but it's something!
https://www.facebook.com/kyle.paulse...4752547703597/

[birdie2000]

Sounds good! Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

[MP81]

Thanks! When I listened to the video on my desktop (with real speakers, vs shitty laptop speakers), it definitely sounded more representative.

Took 'er out again today. I can't really tell if it feels faster or not, since I haven't driven it prior to today/yesterday for at least a month, but it certainly sounds more powerful.

[MP81]

I pulled the lower speedo cable to see if I had scorched it (prior to putting the heat wrap on, especially where it crossed over the collector), or if it had snapped off like before.

To my surprise, neither happened, and it spun freely. The way I had it routed made it slightly tougher to turn, but it would have worked.

So I spun the end of the upper speedo cable while my wife watched the gauge. Nothing. The needle should have at least bounced, if not started to read a few mph at least and it did not. What I'm thinking is the cable simply came detached from the back of the speedometer itself. Pulling the cluster isn't the easiest thing, but it shouldn't take me too long to at least confirm if it is or isn't connected, and go from there.

Now - if the cable is connected, but it (or the gauge) broke...then I'm calling it quits and putting in one of the full dash panels (either Dakota Digital - the analog series they have out now, or Classic Dash with Autometers). Anyone have any experience with either?

[Jdseibe]

the pypes setup looks and sounds good, I'm thinking when I get to the exhaust portion of my build I'll be looking into them

[MP81]

Thanks!

It really was a very nicely-made set - and for a hell of a price, considering it's all stainless. It fit really well. I have a small vibration where the right-side tailpipe kicks back, at the rear lower quarter panel flange. I just need to push it over a little, and it should be good - it just barely touches. But if I need to rotate it just a little, that should be doable - I think i can probably just kick it hard enough and it'll scoot over just a little.

The most work we had to do was figure out how best to use the muffler hangers, as well as shortening the X-pipe legs, and the collector adapters.

[MP81]

From what I could tell, the upper speedo cable just came detached from the speedometer itself - when I reached around behind the cluster after moving it just about half an inch out, it wasn't attached. I believe I got it clipped in this time.

We'll see the next time I drive it - maybe if I have time tomorrow after work I'll take 'er for a quick spin and see. Would sure be nice!

[MP81]

That did the trick! Perfect weather to give that a test, as well.

[DynoDave]

Excellent!

[MP81]

Speedo reading "fizzled out" coming home from DQ on Saturday, a couple miles from home. Started bouncing back and forth a bit, and would read past about 30 mph, then eventually dropped to its zero point.I figured it came loose from the speedo again, as I was not sure if I actually clicked it in all the way or not. Pulled the cluster out (again) today, managed to actually get the harness out this time, so I could reach back there and see it, as well. Got that audible click, and visual confirmation that the speedo cable is connected this time. Sweet. Put it back together and pulled it out of the garage to go test it.

Not sweet. Nothing - gotta see if the lower cable broke again (though I'm not sure why it would have broken). Ugh.

Also not sweet: the oil light turned on coming back from DQ, and it definitely was smoking today. I couldn't tell if it was oil, or just running rich as hell - but it definitely stung the nostrils. I checked the oil level after getting home from DQ, and it was fine (assuming the aftermarket dipstick is any kind of accurate). Double ugh.

[DynoDave]

Yikes. Sorry to hear about the problems.

For me, when exhaust makes my eyes sting, it's running rich. Hope that's all it is for you.

[MP81]

Unless it was my mind playing tricks on me, I thought I saw a bit of black in the smoke.

The smoke is not like I threw a bunch of seafoam in the intake tract and the exhaust is billowing out what could be mistaken for a small brush fire, but rather very faint - hard to focus on, but you can see it. And it doesn't look overly blue - or have the telltale smell of oil.

Wonder why it would suddenly decide to run richer than normal. I need to pop the hood and take a look - I'm hoping the oil light is maybe something dumb, like the connector falling off the sender or something. Would be nice if they had chose to install an oil pressure gauge instead of a stupid clock that never works.

[MP81]

Pulled the lower cable yesterday - not broken. Disconnected it from the upper cable and removed it from the car, and...it spun. I added some more graphite lube, just in case, because it wasn't happy to come out, unless you straightened the cable housing a bit. But it spins. Put it back into position, still spins. Attach it to the upper cable (which I know spins just fine), and it won't spin. Disconnect it...spins. Ended up pulling the cable end out a bit, to mate the two ends better, pushed it together and screwed it together and it now spins.

So I'm thinking it definitely did come detached from the speedo the first time, but in re-assembly, I did not properly mate the upper and lower cable, causing it not to read...how it didn't break when it couldn't turn is beyond me, though.

Hopefully will take it out to test, today. Then I'll see maybe more about what's up with the smoke. Maybe a good romp will help.

Or it'll blow up. One of the two.