[Project] Dan's 1997 Camaro, aka project "NYTRDR"

[DanDalessandro]

Alright ladies and gents, I thought I'd reserve a spot here. My car is pretty much a project now due to some technical difficulties that cut my season short in September. As of right now, I have a few things to fix and install.
At the top of the priority list is my cooling issue. Had some cooling problems in September, like the first week, made me mad as heck.
Some back story: I got the car in March of 2014, March 21st to be exact! After the first week of ownership, the water pump started leaking. Replaced it with one from O'reilly. Everything ran great until Meet and Greet 2014. I went from Port Huron to Royal Oak, no problems at all. Had a great time in the Royal Oak convoy, and an even better time at my first Meet and Greet. On my way home, I overheated on Woodward. Stupid Dan didn't replace the radiator cap, when he had a brand new one. So when I got it home, put the new cap on, filled and bleed the cooling system. Ran cool, but didn't chance it and parked it for a week while I went back up north in the boat. Put a manual fan switch in it, ran good at ~180ish.
Fast forward to the last week of August. On my way home, one of the spark plug wires pops off the plug , curse you summit wires. Well my headers burned through the wire, drove ~30 miles on 7 cylinders because I'm an idiot.
Fast forward another week, got me a set a OTVC wires. Installed, feels great being behind the week again. Smokin them 315s and smokin some ricers.
Mid September, car starts overheating.
Engage Diagnostics.
First thing I did was do a pressure test on the cooling system, it help up, no leaks. Check the Thermostat. Wasn't opening all the way. Replaced with a 160 from SLP.
Cooling problems disappeared for awhile, car ran cool as a cucumber.
I think it was October, and started getting overheating issues again. End up replacing the radiator because it was one from 99, there was a tag on it, said like 7/3/99. Car has 113k miles I think.. Anyways, SO THE radiator is in, filled. The water pump starts leaking AGAIN. I didn't even have the car running, I just poured fluid in, and it was dripping out of the water pump, not at the weep hole, but at the mounting points. Find a loose bolt, tighten her up good, and check the others. There was another one loose. After I tightened them, no more leaks. I take the car out, stays cool. The next day, I'm going to bring it up to school, and lo and behold, the water pump is leaking again. Didn't check the bolts, but I'm already assuming that some of them are loose.
Parked the car for the winter in the back garage.

So here's my project. I ordered some new grade 8 bolts. Plan on either replacing the water pump, or just put the new bolts in. The new pump has roughly 2 or 3000 miles on it.
Also, if anybody can confirm this, I'm going to do a compression test to check the head gaskets and replace the plugs at the same time.

After my cooling issues are sorted I have some stuff to add onto the car:
New shift boot and ring since my ring and boot are just in terrible shape.
Install Strut tower brace
Other silly things that I can't think of right now.

If I do end up having to pull the heads, I'm not sure if I'll do it myself with the help of my grandfather, or pay to have it done. I'd rather do it myself honestly, because I know I could do it. My grandfather has pulled apart many engines in his time, I'm sure he'd be able to help me, plus I have a community here that can give me tips, or even help me in exchange for some money!

So yeah, there's project, hopefully I don't have to pull the heads, because I know it ain't gonna be easy.





Also how do you guys feel about these headlight covers that I have? They are not on the car now, I had em on when I had some Angel eyes on.
Thanks ladies and dudes.

[JoeliusZ28]

1) if youre going pull the heads, drop the engine out from the bottom of the car. Trust me on this, the heads are doable in the car but you will spend far more time (time spent cursing) doing it that way. Borrow a cherry picker and make it easy on yourself.

2) i like headlight covers, but i like the flush mounted ones... Not the ones that "cap over" the headlight cavity. Flush mount ones wont cover the side part of the bumper (the part that would be flat black on a different color car.)

3) for the wp try a new gasket set. Gaskets need to be set right from the beginning. If youre running things before bolts are torqued down and fluid leaks past the gasket its no longer a dry contact when you realize your mistake and do torque it down... Which makes the next leak that much more likely...

[DanDalessandro]

The thing about the headlight covers, is that they are blacked out completely. The headlights barely shine through. But it's easy to pop em off at night.
If I find the receipt to my water pump, when I pull it off, I'll just take it back and get a new one. It's already off, and it could have been defective, which is highly unlikely.
Yeah, if I do end up doing the heads, I'll most likely be dropping the engine out, and doing LTs at the same time.
Thanks for the advice Joel!

[OVRKILL]

New York Trader?

Lose the headlight covers...look very "Ramchargers" era. Flush mount or otherwise, have never looked good on these cars. Id spend your money looking for a set of springs to lower that thing a little.

[DanDalessandro]

New York Trader?

Lose the headlight covers...look very "Ramchargers" era. Flush mount or otherwise, have never looked good on these cars. Id spend your money looking for a set of springs to lower that thing a little.

You must be my cousin! He said the exact same thing.. It's night rider maaaan. I know its not a bird, that's not what I'm referencing Just like, a rider.. of the night.. night rider...

I ain't lowering the car, since OU has terrible parking entrances, I ain't scraping. I like how it is. But thanks for the recommendation

[mcalus]

I'm pretty good at figuring out plates and I had a though time with that one

I also agree on lowering it. Just come into entrances on an angle. My exhaust was pretty low on my lt1 and I only scrapped when I didn't hit things at an angle.

[JoeliusZ28]

Lowered with LTs and its very rare i hit anything. although i fully understand what you mean about OU my fusion has scraped there and it isnt the slightest bit low.

[DanDalessandro]

I'll consider lowering it, I probably will. I hesitate because I saw a rs loose its front bumper at school. Felt bad man.
Was going to look into coilovers, but that's more in the future.
#OUProbz

[DanDalessandro]

Figured I'd update my list so I don't forget to do em:
Swap in non-smoked taillights and replace bulbs.
Figure out my parking brake.
Try and un-tint my side indicators.
Thinking about replacing my t-top seals. Have brand new ones. Might just consider selling them.

I'll try and get some stuff checked off my list this week, hopefully the weather will comply with me.

[C2YT]

I have heard horrid things about aftermarket seals. I would check with a few other guys about the brand you have and how it fits. Would be a waste of time and money to replace them and have it leak again.

[DanDalessandro]

The T-top seals are GM replacement but I'd rather not do them if they are not leaking. The tops just have to be "put" in a certain way.

Gotta get the bulbs together for the taillights too.

[DanDalessandro]

Thought I'd throw out an update here. The weather is looking to be in the mid 40s this coming week. So, I'll probably throw the taillights in, as well as line up the strut brace. and play around with some other things. Going to drain coolant. Doing an oil change as well. Can't wait, damn buick is slower than a bicycle. Might not start the water pump, but I might because I'm dying to drive the car.

Edit: Oh I'm also looking into my tires as well. Going with 275s in the back. The rims are 17in x 9.5in I believe. So the tire size I'm assuming is going to be 275, 40R17?

[s.reef]

275 should be fine on that

[DanDalessandro]

The backs have 315s on them, which are too big. They rub a little bit, so my only concern is if 275s are going to rub. I'm going to assume that they wont, taking 40mm off will remove the rub I think.

[OVRKILL]

^ fix the rubbing....BFH, ftw

*edit...you have 315s on a 9.5 wheel?