| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
BluFbdy Member
Joined: 16 Jul 2010 Posts: 915 Location: Port Orchard WA
1989 Chevrolet Camaro RS
|
Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 11:06 pm Post subject: i need v6 owners advice |
|
|
So I've been toying with the white camaro getting it road worthy for when I yank the t5 out of mine for a rebuild and it seems no matter what I do this thing is weak as hello. New cap, rotor and plugs/ wires (helped a lot) and I readjusted the idle air because the guy I bought it from had the set screw all the way out, hecked timing tonight and it wad wayyyyyy off. Readjusted it to 10* with the est disconnected and it smoothed out, can't find any vacuum leaks. I took it for a drive and it took my foot to the floor to get it up to speed at 35, its making a lot of noise and no go. Doesn't feel like a slipping transmission. When I hit the gas it bogs for a second or two then gets the slightest increase in torque and slowly increases.
How weak are the 2.8's because at this rate I'm about to throw my 305 in this pile when I do my swap. The only thing I can think of is restabbing the dizzy to be safe and be sure that my 10* is really 10*. Just an off the wall question but the #1 cylinder is still the drivers front on a v6 correct? And also a random thingthe previous owner had the rear injector unplugged by the dizzy, is that a cold start? What would be the reason/ benefit of doing that?
Any ideas for me? The passenger side rear plugs had oil on them when I did the plugs, leaky valve guides and it smoked for a few mins when warming up and then went away, that's a known issue but I reaaaaly don't wanna yank this thing apart if I don't have to. I've driven golf carts that are faster than this thing. _________________ If you expect a kick to the balls and get a slap to the face its still a victory
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Al Hasse Member

Joined: 19 Nov 2005 Posts: 4379 Location: Bremerton, WA
1992 Chevrolet Camaro RS
|
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 12:01 am Post subject: |
|
|
#1 cylinder is the front passenger side, it's also the one tat sits the most forward on the block. _________________ 92 Camaro
89 Camaro
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
BluFbdy Member
Joined: 16 Jul 2010 Posts: 915 Location: Port Orchard WA
1989 Chevrolet Camaro RS
|
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 12:14 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Al Hasse wrote: | | #1 cylinder is the front passenger side, it's also the one tat sits the most forward on the block. |
Dammit. Guess that would explain timing being so far off.... Well crap. Looks like Luke is gonna swing by tomorrow night and help me restab the dizzy, even if its not needed its still worth it to me knowig that its not something left to the previous owner. The guy defintely didn't know wtf he was doing lol _________________ If you expect a kick to the balls and get a slap to the face its still a victory
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Xophertony Rodeo Queen

Joined: 13 Oct 2005 Posts: 5306 Location: Portland, Oregon.
1988 Pontiac GTA
|
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 2:49 am Post subject: |
|
|
MPFI V6? If so check tour throttle position sensor too. If those are off it can cause a hesitation and lack of power. _________________ 86' firebird (Junked in 2015). 88' GTA (sold in 2020).
| aaron_sK wrote: | | Hell, Tony drove his GTA to Cows a few years back with the pickup coil that came out in pieces. |
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
aaron_sK Member
Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 8834 Location: Back in beautiful Tacompton
1987 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
|
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 6:21 am Post subject: |
|
|
No need to restab dist, just move the wires around. Firing order for the 60* is shown here:
http://c.fixya.net/fixya20/uploads/Images/5810216.gif
If you are ever curious about what the #1 is on an engine just look for which cylinder is farther forward in the block. In hindsight it is very obvious on the 60* engines as the passenger head is quite a bit forward.
If you reset the minimum air you do need to reset the TPS as it will be wrong. *Edit: Just noticed Tony's post. Reading comprehension fail for me!
With the 700R4 that engine will always be somewhat of a dog. A T5 will wake them up but this is a ladies car so I would assume that is not a viable option. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
chevymad Master B
Joined: 11 Jan 2004 Posts: 5476
1987 Pontiac Formula
|
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 8:20 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: | | If you are ever curious about what the #1 is on an engine just look for which cylinder is farther forward in the block. |
While this is generally true... as with all things there are exceptions to the rule. My pontiac V8 being one of them. Pontiacs are numbered like a chevy with #1 being the forward drivers side, however the furthest forward cylinder and the first rod on the crankshaft is #2. This is on the list of things that chevy mechanics dont know about pontiacs and has screwed up many a rebuild. If you put #1 rod furthest forward in the block you end up having all the rods hung backwards. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
BluFbdy Member
Joined: 16 Jul 2010 Posts: 915 Location: Port Orchard WA
1989 Chevrolet Camaro RS
|
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 9:26 am Post subject: |
|
|
Alrights so fix my timing blunder, check tps and reset minimum air, any other ideas? I just don't like having to put my foot so far into it just to hit 25 lol _________________ If you expect a kick to the balls and get a slap to the face its still a victory
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
blue89 Member

Joined: 23 May 2006 Posts: 3482 Location: Bellingham/Eugene
1986 Chevrolet Camaro RS
|
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 9:38 am Post subject: |
|
|
| chevymad wrote: |
If you put #1 rod furthest forward in the block you end up having all the rods hung backwards. |
Do you have a picture of a pontiac block from the bottom? This doesn't make sense as I would imagine the crank would be pushed forward by one rod thickness.
To give the v6 some more pep I would put some better gears behind it. If it also seems slower than it should, I would disconnect the MAF and see if it runs better. I seemed to have untypical problems with mine. _________________ E30
86 RS - 7.4L V8 SOLD
89 RS - 3.25L V6 REMOVED
89 RS - 5.7L LT1 SOLD
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
aaron_sK Member
Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 8834 Location: Back in beautiful Tacompton
1987 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
|
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 9:57 am Post subject: |
|
|
| chevymad wrote: | | Pontiacs are numbered like a chevy with #1 being the forward drivers side, however the furthest forward cylinder and the first rod on the crankshaft is #2. |
Was that some weird GM corporate BS where they wanted all the #1's in the same spot or something? Seems crazy to me.
| BluFbdy wrote: | | any other ideas? |
The timing is the issue, man. You don't need more solutions, you only need the right solution. When I first bought my yellow car it did the exact same thing. Turns out the numbnuts PO had four and six reversed. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
BluFbdy Member
Joined: 16 Jul 2010 Posts: 915 Location: Port Orchard WA
1989 Chevrolet Camaro RS
|
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 10:32 am Post subject: |
|
|
Just covering my bases lol I've never had a v6 and I wanted to make sure my crap talking wasn't 110% true on them lol _________________ If you expect a kick to the balls and get a slap to the face its still a victory
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
aaron_sK Member
Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 8834 Location: Back in beautiful Tacompton
1987 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
|
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 11:12 am Post subject: |
|
|
Only partially.
I like the 60*, actually. If you pair them with a manual trans and a light car the later ones with the good bearings in them do fine. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
BluFbdy Member
Joined: 16 Jul 2010 Posts: 915 Location: Port Orchard WA
1989 Chevrolet Camaro RS
|
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 11:32 am Post subject: |
|
|
It'll be good for my wife I just don't want it to be go cart status lol _________________ If you expect a kick to the balls and get a slap to the face its still a victory
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
chevymad Master B
Joined: 11 Jan 2004 Posts: 5476
1987 Pontiac Formula
|
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 12:58 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| blue89 wrote: | | chevymad wrote: |
If you put #1 rod furthest forward in the block you end up having all the rods hung backwards. |
Do you have a picture of a pontiac block from the bottom? This doesn't make sense as I would imagine the crank would be pushed forward by one rod thickness.. |
The cylinder banks are offset backwards from a chevrolet. Passenger side is offset forward instead of the drivers.
No idea why they numbered the cylinders this way. Firing order is the same as a chevrolet only counterclockwise. Pontiac motors were actually built 2 years before the sbc too. However they were held by gm until the chevrolet was released.
If you put the #1 cylinder rod in the other bank, you'll see that moves the bearing tangs to the opposite side of the crank. Rod offset ends up backwards too. Motor self destructs soon after starting.
Anyway, no more polluting of this thread. Point was not to use the most forward cylinder as a hard and fast rule. Any more questions and I'll start a new post about the pontiacs. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
BluFbdy Member
Joined: 16 Jul 2010 Posts: 915 Location: Port Orchard WA
1989 Chevrolet Camaro RS
|
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 2:07 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Anyone know why that injector would have been unplugged? I plugged it back in and didnt see a difference in anything still cranks the same cold there or not _________________ If you expect a kick to the balls and get a slap to the face its still a victory
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
aaron_sK Member
Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 8834 Location: Back in beautiful Tacompton
1987 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
|
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 2:13 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| In '89 V8 cars did not have a cold start. Is it possible that this engine came from an older car and the original chip was retained? |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
BluFbdy Member
Joined: 16 Jul 2010 Posts: 915 Location: Port Orchard WA
1989 Chevrolet Camaro RS
|
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 3:08 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Idk if it was cold start, it was back by the distributor on the drivers side facing towards the front of the car I doubt this guy swapped anything he wasn't exactly the brightest person I've met and he said he's had it for like 10 yrs _________________ If you expect a kick to the balls and get a slap to the face its still a victory
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
91RSVert Member
Joined: 16 May 2007 Posts: 2736 Location: AR
1991 Chevrolet Camaro RS
|
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 5:18 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| if it was on the back by the dizzy, it was an coldstart. People often unplugged them cause they start leaking. What they dont know is its the injector leaking, not caused by the wiring. Or they may have done some matience and forgot to replug it. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
blue89 Member

Joined: 23 May 2006 Posts: 3482 Location: Bellingham/Eugene
1986 Chevrolet Camaro RS
|
Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 8:04 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| The cold start isn't used until the outside temp is what, 20*F? I put a non-cold start rail in my V6. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
aaron_sK Member
Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 8834 Location: Back in beautiful Tacompton
1987 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
|
Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 8:08 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Unless the V6 uses a different sensor the cold-start system fires up to about 80* coolant temp IIRC.
John's car would not start cold without ether until we tuned the cold start into the chip. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
RSFreak The other "John"

Joined: 23 Jan 2004 Posts: 2946 Location: Renton
1989 Chevrolet Camaro RS
|
Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 7:41 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| BluFbdy wrote: | | Al Hasse wrote: | | #1 cylinder is the front passenger side, it's also the one tat sits the most forward on the block. |
Dammit. Guess that would explain timing being so far off.... Well crap. |
Made the same mistake the first time I tried to time my '89 RS!
I really enjoyed my LB8/T-5 combo. With decent gears, the little V6 feels strong.  _________________ '86 Trans Am - 5.0L TPI - LT1 cam - 700R4 - WS6
'85 Camaro Berlinetta - IROC clone
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
|