jetblacknewyear

Hey there,

I've been surfing these boards for years so I thought I'd contribute. I'll give you a small background on me, then my project.

I knew nothing about cars. Nothing. Didn't know how to change oil, fix a flat - I am a computer programmer, not a mechanic. About a year or two ago I decided I'm going to change that, and I'm going to learn how to work on a car. My friend had a newer firebird and I liked it, but I really liked camaros. My grandma had one, gave it to my cousin, and I loved his.

I decided I'm going to buy my own camaro, and this would be my car project. I would learn how to fix it up, and thus, get to know more about cars.

I bought an 87 IROC Z28 from my cousins friend. He wanted $4000, and with not a spec of rust, it was an amazing deal. It's lowered too, as you can see in the photos. Not too much else was done. It had some crazy Alpine alarm system with a keypad he installed in the centre console. Straight out of the 90’s. You can sort of see it in one of the photos.

First, the interior was torn up bad. Drivers seat had foam showing, stained, smell of smoke. I had to do something. I got my dad to teach me to use a sewing machine and I went to work in the basement. I changed the interior to black vinyl and red suede. It may not look the greatest, but I did it myself. It took me a couple months, but I finally finished it over a winter.

After that was done my engine started acting up. I’d be at a stoplight, idling fine, and went I hit the gas the engine would die, so I had to ride the gas a little to keep it revved up to prevent it from dying. That was the first thing, and then my engine light started coming on. I made the executive decision to rebuild the engine.

I want to remind you at this point that I still didn’t even know how to change my oil, let alone build a freaking engine. I got a SBC manual from a friends’ dad who rebuilt engines, bought the Haynes manual, and went to work tearing this beast apart.

Here’s where the photos start. I made sure to take a photo of every bolt, nut, and wire – cause I knew this would take a while, and no doubt I’d forget where all this stuff goes again.

jetblacknewyear

Here's the engine teardown

jetblacknewyear

More photos

jetblacknewyear

From this point I took the engine right out. Now, a HUGE error I made. I wanted to take the engine out without the transmission because the engine hoist I borrowed couldn’t lift much due to a fluid leak. It had just enough strength to get the engine out, so I unbolted four bolts holding the engine to the transmission.


You may be thinking, “Hey, aren’t there six bolts on the bell housing?”. Valid point.

I didn’t know there were six bolt. The two top bolts were never mentioned on the internet, or in the two guides I was using. It would explain why the hoist was having so many problems lift up the engine, that is, until the bell housing on the transmission gave out and snapped.

I broke two big chunks from the bell housing, and the chunks where still attached to the bolts in the back of the engine.

jetblacknewyear

My block is all cleaned up, and my wallet all cleaned out

jetblacknewyear

This was supposed to be a rebuild. Not a performance engine. I just wanted it to run again and not stall. But I got an upgrade here, and there, and you'll see how things progress.

here is the Eagle rotating kit, Keith Black pistons (in the Eagle box) and a Comp Cams Thumpr cam.

jetblacknewyear

I picked up some Spectre valve covers, Comp Cams double roller timing set, and an Edelbrock Performer intake. It has to be EGR compatible, as this is a street car, and I don't want any tickets.

jetblacknewyear

I got some ARP bolts, and put the pistons in

jetblacknewyear

Finished off the front of the engine

jetblacknewyear

Now the most expensive part. This took it from a a little rebuild, to an engine with some power.

AFR 1040 heads.

Countryguy

Looks Good! You got lucky it was just the bellhousing, and not the block!

jetblacknewyear

I was very lucky. Now it's posing some problems, cause the transmission is next.

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

You gotta learn somehow. Everyone makes expensive mistakes at some point. Props to learning. i was in much the same boat a few years ago and after it was all said and done it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life to build my car.

jetblacknewyear

Right now I've learned a whole lot, but an still very new.

I'm at the stage of the car where I have to look at my wiring harness and make a decision to keep it, or buy a new one. I'm switching from TPI to carb, so it's messing with me.

I hate electrical work. I need to make the car to emissions standards. I'm in Canada, so I don't need an emissions test, but whatever came with the car has to stay with the car. The problem is that I have never seen a carb setup with all the emissions stuff. I am having trouble figuring out how to stay emission friendly.

I need the charcoal canister, but do you know if it was once run by the computer? Same as this EGR stuff. I can't find anything on the net, and I've searched this site high and low for years trying to find more info about the setup I have to make but I can't find anything. Any tips?

Right now I'm ignoring engine stuff and going to get the transmission out hopefully within the next week or so.

canadian

Must be that time of the year up here in Ontario, I'm about to build a 350 or 383 for my spankin new 84 T/A.

I'm fairly new to third gens but the charcoal canister is more than likely going to be operated by the computer, HOWEVER it could be vacuum operated (I imagine that the later years were probably computer controlled whereas the earlier ones were vacuum).

I did a quick search and found this thread
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tech...-canister.html

you may find that helpful.

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

As far as the TPI to carb swap, you're aware that the ECM turns on the fuel pump relay, the radiator fan, and the torque converter lockup right? Those things will all need to be dealt with.

With that out of the way heres a basic rule of thumb. As you pull the TPI, note all the sensors that come out. Off the top of my head the only wires I kept around, and ones you'll need to keep around are the voltage wire from the alternator, the coolant temperature sensor wire coming from the side of the cylinder head, and the oil pressure sending unit wire. You'll reuse your distributor signal wire for the tach also. Most wires coming from the passenger side you wont need, wires coming from the driver's side of the firewall you likely will. Its not as bad as it may seem, because the only wires you need go to the gauges, and then you have to just isolate your ECM's fuel pump trigger wire and setup a new fan switch. The fuel pump relay is on the driver's side firewall near the brake booster. Theres two relays there, one is the fuel pump.

The torque converter I never dealt with as I put a T56 in mine.

The charcoal canister is there to absorb fuel venting from the tank. The ECM periodically purges it into the throttle body. With no ECM it's useless. I ditched mine a long time ago. You would be wise to run a small hose from the EGR canister's fuel line to the innerfender area, or somewhere the fuel vapors wont build up inside the engine bay.

May I ask why you spent all that money on nice AFR heads and you're putting an Edelbrock Performer intake on it? Surely there's another intake somewhere that you can use. Do cops in canada really check the EGR? Here in the US just putting a carb on a fuel-injected car makes it illegal, so if you're gonna be illegal anyway, you just get the best intake you can. Those are basically just stock replacement intakes.

Also, why did you go with a thumpr cam? Generally those are meant to be more or less style over substance. They give you the big cam sound without the big cam performance. Given how good your heads are though you shouldnt have too much trouble making power with it, but I just wonder if you're leaving power and efficiency on the table.