1996 Camaro Z28 LT1 Project

[alone_and_insane]

Looks good. Your getting there!

Also, I want a photo shoot of the green cars.

my dad wants to take some pics with the whole fleet lol. I really want to get a pic with my dad's green '77 Malibu, my bro's red '86 Z28, my green Z28, and my mom's red '00 Camaro V6

[jetice]

I also don't have either of the rear O2 sensors hooked up, since I have no exhaust right now. What does that do?

This is what most likely is causing your problems.

And still rolling in park and not going into 1st sounds like you need a new shifter cable. it happened to me.

[Schuby87]

I also don't have either of the rear O2 sensors hooked up, since I have no exhaust right now. What does that do?

Rear 02's only monitor catalyst efficiency. They aren't your problem.

[JoeliusZ28]

^agreed. have you or have you not checked the injectors yet? Thats an easy thing to check. four bolts and the fuel rails lift off of the intake with the injectors with some gentle prying.

[alone_and_insane]

have you or have you not checked the injectors yet?

No I haven't. I didn't get around to working on it at all today. I just don't understand why injectors would be my problem. I haven't touched them this whole time.

With the trans, I have a couple theories. First, I don't think it had enough ATF. I put in the 5 quarts as prescribed in the (1995) manual, but I didn't account for the fact that the trans was completely empty for shipping, and the torque converter was empty as well. When I got back, I found it to be a bit low on ATF.

We also had to bend the bracket for the shift cable slightly when we put it on. The pin sticking out of the side of the trans that the shift cable attaches to was actually longer on the new transmission than it was on the original transmission. We bent the bracket so we could still bolt it in where it was supposed to go. I'm guessing that's interfering with the movement of the cable.

[jetice]

Rear 02's only monitor catalyst efficiency. They aren't your problem.

Sorry, seen that he had an LT1 and that he has his O2's unplugged. i know mine only has 2 sensors instead of 4, so i assumed.

[ThreeHonks]

With the trans, I have a couple theories. First, I don't think it had enough ATF. I put in the 5 quarts as prescribed in the (1995) manual, but I didn't account for the fact that the trans was completely empty for shipping, and the torque converter was empty as well. When I got back, I found it to be a bit low on ATF.

How far did you drive it that low on fluid? If its more than a mile or so you have severly damaged your 4L60e.

[alone_and_insane]

Reasonably successful day today. I fixed the backfiring problem--I had the cylinder 1 and 5 plug wires switched around . I also discovered that my shift cable linkage was off. That fixed my park, reverse, and 1st gear problems. However, when I get the car out on the road, it still doesn't want to shift from first gear. I'm pretty sure I have enough ATF in it now, but the problem still remains. The shop I talked to suggested it was the shift modulator. I'm going to have them take a look at that before they get started on the exhaust tomorrow morning (same place). Power steering and speedometer issues remain as well.

How far did you drive it that low on fluid? If its more than a mile or so you have severly damaged your 4L60e.

I drove it a mile on Saturday, then drove it another mile today after adding some, then another after adding more yet. I'm pretty sure I have enough in there now.

Now for some pics. I got the thing out in the daylight for the first time in a long time today and pressure-washed some of the dust off. Still desperately needs a good wash though.



I think I'm starting to lean more towards stock taillights and turn signals. I'll wait to see what I think once I have the decals, exhaust tips, and window tint. Not to mention when I have regular salad shooters instead of those hideous black-painted ones.

Also, with most of the dust off, I could see just how bad the front bumper really is:

When I rolled my '95, they used the jaws of life to open the hood, so they scuffed it up pretty bad when trying to jam it underneath. I guess I'm just going to have to get it repainted sometime this summer.

[JoeliusZ28]

No I haven't. I didn't get around to working on it at all today. I just don't understand why injectors would be my problem. I haven't touched them this whole time.

You said you had a backfiring problem - thats often an issue of too much fuel being dumped into a cylinder AND you said it was only backfiring only on one side - which would also lend to the fact that the issue lies in a component that more than one exists, rather than a single part like say a MAF. I havent touched my injectors either and i have one that leaks... and a backfiring issue! Fuel goes bad, they can get dirty and stop working correctly just like a fuel filter does. They are NOT hard to check, it took me 5 minutes in a parking lot with 1 wrench and a friend to help me tug on the rails.

[nascarnate326]

Glad to see you got more done to it. You could pressure wash those wheels, tape the tires off and paint them with silver and they would look 10x better. I would just swap the v6 wheels onto the z28. Decent tires and decent rims.

Green mirrors and green sail panel...not common.

[alone_and_insane]

You said you had a backfiring problem - thats often an issue of too much fuel being dumped into a cylinder AND you said it was only backfiring only on one side - which would also lend to the fact that the issue lies in a component that more than one exists, rather than a single part like say a MAF. I havent touched my injectors either and i have one that leaks... and a backfiring issue! Fuel goes bad, they can get dirty and stop working correctly just like a fuel filter does. They are NOT hard to check, it took me 5 minutes in a parking lot with 1 wrench and a friend to help me tug on the rails.

thanks for the info. however, my problem was simply that I had two spark plug wires switched. it doesn't backfire at all and it runs WAY better now.

New theory on the trans problems. A souce on camaroforums informs me that the computer uses the speed sensor as a reference for when to shift. My speedometer doesn't work, and the car doesn't shift out of first gear. Connection? I think so.

Glad to see you got more done to it. You could pressure wash those wheels, tape the tires off and paint them with silver and they would look 10x better. I would just swap the v6 wheels onto the z28. Decent tires and decent rims.

Green mirrors and green sail panel...not common.

I'm going to use the regular salad shooters from the '95 I wrecked, with the (almost brand-new) tires that were on the Z with the black wheels when I bought it. And green roof and mirrors is uncommon??? huh. 2/3 of my green 4th gens have that

And Nate, you're gonna love these:

[JoeliusZ28]

thanks for the info. however, my problem was simply that I had two spark plug wires switched. it doesn't backfire at all and it runs WAY better now.

LOL that will do it too!

[alone_and_insane]

My suspicions were correct. We took the existing scotch clamps out and just stripped the wires and put them together with wire nuts, and the transmission, speedometer, and power steering all worked fine. I was able to drive it the 7 or 8 miles to the shop (didn't even go deaf from the headers haha). They're doing my exhaust, charging my AC, doing an alignment, fixing my ABS/TC, and a couple other things. It's out of my hands until sometime tomorrow or the day after.

[MunsterZ28]

Green mirrors and green sail panel...not common.

really? my car is all green and i honestly would rather have black mirrors and sail panel. but if its a rare option ill keep it the way it is.


sorry didnt mean to thread jack

[nascarnate326]

If only I could see what you posted. Darn work...