TheNextJob

I have just inherited my grandparent's '85 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am V8, and it has about 125,000 miles on it. It has only ever taken Premium unleaded gas, and is in incredible shape seeing as it has been basically garaged for several years now. I am wondering what I might be looking at having to replace or maintain in order to keep it in peak condition, also what I might be able to do to increase the overall HP and Torque of the engine. I can feel that it has obvious power when i push the gas but following the initial kick it seems to sluggishly gain speed. It is an automatic (which I am not too fond of) and I find that when i accelerate I must let go of the gas at about 2k RPM or else it will shift incredibly violently, and once in 2nd I must let it go to about 2.5k RPM and release to prevent the same problem. Advice anyone?

P.S. again I'm just looking for generally problem solving, and if it's part replacing that's needed then what am I looking for to increase power.

camaronewbie

TPI or carb car?

92 Camaro

iTrader: (1)

might be a bad or unplugged spark plug wire.
start by not putting in premium. that is what, 92/93 octane? too high.
then do normal maintenance stuff. is it carbureted or tpi?

TheNextJob

It is a carb. Premium is 93

camaronewbie

1) Every automatic transmission will shift "harder" at higher rpms (ie punching it vs. granny driving). Actually, it's better for a transmission to shift 'harder'. A soft shift means that the clutches and plates are slipping more against one another. Slippage = friction = heat and heat kills transmissions. It might all just be that it's different than what you are used to - if you've been driving a Buick, Olds, Caddy, or other 'luxury-type' car, they are designed to shift smoothly ... no one's grandma want to have their 80 year old neck jerked when driving, they want smooth seemless transitions between gears (ie slippage).

Read this, and adjust your TV cable: https://www.thirdgen.org/detent That might make a slight difference, but even if it doesn't, it's VERY important that the TV cable be adjusted properly.

AND - change that tranny fluid and filter out immediately! ESPECIALLY if it's never been done before! If you don't do it now, you'll never be able to do it. Tranny needs flushed and fliter change every 60,000 miles. You are double that. After time, if fluids not changed, the 'slipping' that occurs in all tranny's leaves behind particles off the clutches. These particles act as a friction modifier, and the tranny "gets used to" having those particles suspended in the fluid for shifting. If a high mileage tranny gets fluid change and new filter, those particles are lost in the old fluid, thus the tranny starts to slip after a fluid/filter change. Not changing tranny fluid and filter every 60,000 is what makes a tranny bad - otherwise they would last almost forever. But no one ever gets that service done regularly, and thus everyone's tranny goes bad. Even the 1990's Ford Explorers with the famous bad trannies - would all still be functioning at 100% today if those people had just changed the fluid/filter when they were supposed to. This is very important for you at this point, it's now or never!

Before we add power, you should start replacing old parts. Just because the mileage is low, doesn't mean parts aren't worn - mileage doesn't affect suspension, brakes, etc. ... age does.

1) Tune up - new plugs, dist cap, rotor, plug wires, air filter, fuel filter
2) Oil change with oil filter
3) coolant flush/refill
4) Brakes - replace the rubber lines, there are 3, 2 in front, 1 driver side rear
- Check/replace pads
- bleed system really well
5) Vacuum lines - at this age, regardless of miles, they are cracking - replace all soft vacuum tubing
6) Suspension - replace sway bar end links, ball joints, tie rod ends - GET a wonderbar if it doesn't have one

Power adding....

1st rule is, don't add anything to a 305 that can't be transferred to a 350, if you still have the car in 2 years, you'll want a 350, so spending cash on 305 specific parts is a waste. This leaves you with pretty much exhaust and that's it. Headers, hi-flow cat, hi flow muffler will help, but you won't 'feel' much out of it.

Rear gears will help alot, and you'll 'feel' those. 3.42's are nice gears, still get decent mileage but nice 'get up and go' to them off the line.

Save cash for a 350 motor. Your carb setup should be used on the 350, no carb available that's better than a stock carb. All your other accessories (w/p, p/s pump, alt, a/c) will attach.

Ozz1967

iTrader: (4)

Camaronewbie pretty much summed it up. Is there anything specific you wanted to do with the car or just make it run better or keep running in peak condition?

TheNextJob

Um I know that a lot of modifications can better the gas mpg, so if I can I was looking for that. Also just how to keep it performing in peak condition, while slowly upgrading to (what I eventually want in a few years) the 1407 HP that I see videos of. I love the car and I definitely don't drive it like a grandma, but I feel like when I push down on the gas it could pick up a little bit better just something might be bogging it down. I'll get my tranny fluid flushed and changed, but can I do that myself? I know that's about 5x more expensive then an oil change and I have no problem getting my hands dirty to save some coin.

Ozz1967

iTrader: (4)

You could, but I would have a shop do it, that way if something messes up you can blame it on them.

Plugs, Plug wires, cap, rotor, and put some headers on it. Also you can tune it and that should help with power and gas mileage.

Sparkytfl

If it was sitting for years, chances are the carb needs a rebuild. Probably full of varnish from stale gas, with half-plugged passages. It's really not hard to do, theres a great sticky thread with tons of pictures.

My 85 sAm shifts really hard too. Even with the tv cable set following the procedures. It does get annoying at times.

TheNextJob

Alright so about a month or so later, I've driven probably 1,300 miles on it and it finally sprung a leak in a hose, a hose that goes into the far side of the timing belt. I won't drive it now that I discovered the leak, until I replace the hose and you guys seem like the right people to talk to. Is there a name for this hose? and where might I find a replacement?

camaronewbie

1) Your car doesn't have a timing belt - it has a chain.
2) there is no hose going into the timing chain cover at all

I'm assuming your talking about the lower radiator hose - runs from bottom of radiator to the water pump.

OK - now - get the idea of 1407hp out of your head - not sure where you saw anything with 1407hp, but I can tell you right now it ain't gonna happen. 400hp is hard enough to obtain, and will cost you $5k to get that. I'm being honest here. Sure, anything is possible if you have a gazillion dollars to throw around and the right tools. But anything over 400hp is just writing yourself a death certificate in a street car. Besides, you can't use it without losing your license, so why have it?

Mileage - there's nothing you can do to better your mileage. If you need cheaper gasoline transportation look into a motorcycle or scooter. Anything you do in the future to increase performance is just going to make your mileage worse anyway. HP and mileage mix like oil and water - they don't! New plugs, rotor, cap, wires, air filter, fuel filter, and keping the tires properly inflated is all you can do for mileage (besides granny driving). Good gas mileage cars are NOT fun to drive. Fun to drive cars do NOT get good mileage. It's a fact, live with it until the gas runs dry. By then, maybe we can all have a Tesla!