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Need help with my car its a 1989 firebird TPI

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Old 01-14-2010 | 04:15 PM
  #1  
arizonacamaro's Avatar
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From: Glendale,AZ
Car: 1987 Chevy Camaro
Engine: 2.8 V/6
Transmission: 700R4
Need help with my car its a 1989 firebird TPI

OK heres my problem when i push my gas pedal down my car doesn't have the power it goes but slow and then kinda gets up but when i turn it goes pretty good and also when i start it up the muffle is thorwing White Smoke and when its Ideling but goes away after a whaile could it be that i need a tune up? Need help Please help me
Old 01-14-2010 | 09:58 PM
  #2  
itsMikey's Avatar
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,852
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From: Scottsdale, AZ
Car: 89 GTA/93 S13/91 Si
Engine: 5.7 350 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.23
Re: Need help with my car its a 1989 firebird TPI

bad injectors maybe?? thats what was wrong with me car...possibly an oil change, spark plugs, spark wires, dist cap? lots of possibilitys
Old 01-15-2010 | 07:39 AM
  #3  
Viprklr's Avatar
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From: N. Illinois
Car: 92 GTA/ 00 TA
Engine: 383/350
Transmission: 700R4/T-56
Re: Need help with my car its a 1989 firebird TPI

Is it the v6 in your profile or is it TPI? Can't be both.
Old 01-15-2010 | 07:56 AM
  #4  
arizonacamaro's Avatar
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From: Glendale,AZ
Car: 1987 Chevy Camaro
Engine: 2.8 V/6
Transmission: 700R4
Re: Need help with my car its a 1989 firebird TPI

Ok I was driving my camaro around and then it takes off a little better now then before and it doesn't smoke like it use to when i start it but when i Slam on the gas pedel it goes but takes awhile to go
So could it be that I need a Tune UP check the Plugs and the Brand is AUTOLIGHT and Check the Wires and they look old just got this bought the firebird Its a v/8 305 TPI
Also
Old 01-15-2010 | 07:59 AM
  #5  
arizonacamaro's Avatar
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Joined: Apr 2009
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From: Glendale,AZ
Car: 1987 Chevy Camaro
Engine: 2.8 V/6
Transmission: 700R4
Re: Need help with my car its a 1989 firebird TPI

Also the Water Temp goes to Half and then goes to Hot then back and forth but takes awhile but i check if the water is overboiling or steming but nothing so what could that mean?
Old 01-16-2010 | 05:42 AM
  #6  
Viprklr's Avatar
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From: N. Illinois
Car: 92 GTA/ 00 TA
Engine: 383/350
Transmission: 700R4/T-56
Re: Need help with my car its a 1989 firebird TPI

Air in the coolant system typically causes the temperature gauge to fluctuate between hot and normal.
Old 01-16-2010 | 12:07 PM
  #7  
rockstar08's Avatar
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 90
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From: AZ
Car: IROC-Z
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Re: Need help with my car its a 1989 firebird TPI

First of all you have an Arizona car, that tells me a couple of things.

1) Your car has overheated in the past.
2) Your original hoses are junk and need to be replaced.
3) Every original seal on the car is shot
4) You have no rust.. ( just wanted to cheer you up )

1) Check to ensure your fans come on after idling, about 220deg. If not check the left fan relay on the drivers side firewall. Check the fuse is good, remove relay, bypass the thick wires with a paper clip to check the fan operation (with battery disconnected, reconnect battery to test). The fans should come straight on.

2) Open the radiator cap when the engine is COLD, check for coolant flow, should look like a waterfall in there. If not top it up, check again, if still no flow, probably a faulty water pump.

3) Does it hiss, and crackle when cooling down? If so there's a cracked coolant hose somewhere . AZ cars have a horrible time with vacuum and coolant hoses. Especially check the bent one coming from the TPI under the throttle body. I'd just drop the coolant, go around and replace them all, they're cheap from Autozone, this will stop you from getting stranded on the 17 and you'll be set for cooling.

Also If your kicking out white smoke and loosing power, you probably have a blown headgasket/cracked head from the water jacket to the cylinder.

This is a little more serious, you'd need a workshop manual and some experience with wrenches.

If your cool about doing the work yourself, or have a friend who can help...

I'd take the heads off and inspect the gaskets, the TPI is a challenge to remove, it just takes time, and a little patience, you'll need to drop the coolant anyhow. Take this time to check the thermostat, if its even in there.. and replace with a 160deg one, don't forget the thermostat gasket.

Look at the heads gaskets' condition, to see if that's the cause, check the size and pickup a new set from you local parts store along with a TPI gasket set. Check the surface of the heads, a crack will look like a little lightning blot coming away from the bore. If its cracked, call up Basko's in Gilbert, Ray can resurface your head for a great price and deliver top notch machining work. You could reuse your cylinder head bolts, but generally that's not recommended as they have already stretched.

Let us know how you get on.
Old 01-16-2010 | 02:55 PM
  #8  
paulo57509's Avatar
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20 Year Member
 
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 3,178
Likes: 46
From: Tracy, CA
Car: '87 IROC
Engine: LB9
Transmission: TH700R4
Re: Need help with my car its a 1989 firebird TPI

Originally Posted by rockstar08
First of all you have an Arizona car, that tells me a couple of things.

1) Your car has overheated in the past.
2) Your original hoses are junk and need to be replaced.
3) Every original seal on the car is shot
4) You have no rust.. ( just wanted to cheer you up )

1) Check to ensure your fans come on after idling, about 220deg. If not check the left fan relay on the drivers side firewall. Check the fuse is good, remove relay, bypass the thick wires with a paper clip to check the fan operation (with battery disconnected, reconnect battery to test). The fans should come straight on.

2) Open the radiator cap when the engine is COLD, check for coolant flow, should look like a waterfall in there. If not top it up, check again, if still no flow, probably a faulty water pump.

3) Does it hiss, and crackle when cooling down? If so there's a cracked coolant hose somewhere . AZ cars have a horrible time with vacuum and coolant hoses. Especially check the bent one coming from the TPI under the throttle body. I'd just drop the coolant, go around and replace them all, they're cheap from Autozone, this will stop you from getting stranded on the 17 and you'll be set for cooling.

Also If your kicking out white smoke and loosing power, you probably have a blown headgasket/cracked head from the water jacket to the cylinder.

This is a little more serious, you'd need a workshop manual and some experience with wrenches.

If your cool about doing the work yourself, or have a friend who can help...

I'd take the heads off and inspect the gaskets, the TPI is a challenge to remove, it just takes time, and a little patience, you'll need to drop the coolant anyhow. Take this time to check the thermostat, if its even in there.. and replace with a 160deg one, don't forget the thermostat gasket.

Look at the heads gaskets' condition, to see if that's the cause, check the size and pickup a new set from you local parts store along with a TPI gasket set. Check the surface of the heads, a crack will look like a little lightning blot coming away from the bore. If its cracked, call up Basko's in Gilbert, Ray can resurface your head for a great price and deliver top notch machining work. You could reuse your cylinder head bolts, but generally that's not recommended as they have already stretched.

Let us know how you get on.


You're good. I would have never come up with a diagnosis and repair based on the symptoms the OP provided.
Old 01-18-2010 | 05:36 PM
  #9  
MTXaudioSYSTM's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 357
Likes: 0
From: Port Charlotte
Car: 90 formula
Transmission: auto
Re: Need help with my car its a 1989 firebird TPI

grammar is horrible. making it a tad hard to think of what it might be or to look for.
Old 03-12-2010 | 07:44 PM
  #10  
gonzo350's Avatar
Junior Member
 
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
From: Lafayette, Indiana
Re: Need help with my car its a 1989 firebird TPI

somebody gave you a drivers license?
Old 03-12-2010 | 08:13 PM
  #11  
all4u's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 637
Likes: 0
From: Elk Grove Village
Car: Firechicken
Engine: 350 + 30 over, 400 crank
Transmission: autotragic, stalled
Axle/Gears: not a one tire fire, thank god!
Re: Need help with my car its a 1989 firebird TPI

White smoke out the exhaust and low on power with a temp gauge that goes crazy is usually a head gasket. The easiest way to rule that out is to do a compression check and see if you have bubbling when you do the check. Also I would drain the oil and check for a milky residue. Coolant don't like each other, at all. Not to mention, glycol and bearings of soft babbit material HATE each other. A blown headgasket could cost you an engine.
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