F-Body Europe

1995 Z28 Camaro, seems my car's performance has weakened drasticly in the past year. It may be coil, optispark or just plain old age. There is no slippage in the Transmission. The check engine light is not on but I do not have the equipment to check or reprogram the PCM. I would like to know if anyone has any suggestions. Gas mileage is really starting to get bad and it doesn't even break the tires loose anymore. I recently changed from GSC's to Dunlop SP5000's. Any help is appreciated.

Tres

Opti going will start as a miss and severe hesitation usually in the high rpms. A coil just goes, so from what you have said, it doesnt sound like that.



You could have stored codes, usually the SES comes on for emission related problems only. There is a way to display them, but I would have to look it up, cuz I cant remember it.




I'm sorry about your problems, I will look through my helms manual and see what trouble shooting advice they have, and I'm sure that Jamey will be on here tonight with more insight. But is the best description of the problem.

Decrease in power over the period of a year and gas mileage worse?

Rob

Right after I put on the Flowmaster Cat-Back and installed the K&N filter I could break 'em loose and keep 'em that way ... now nothing but a chirp in the first gear. sounds mean though!

Tres

maybe it is the injectors there is plenty if bad gas over here.

I got alittle more time.

Does the car have a miss, like you step on the gas, and it stutters. If it just falls flat or bogs out, does it do it both going up hill, and down?

Start simple, and pull off your coil wire, is it burned up? Happens quite a bit. Pull your plugs out, and see what they look like. For your piece of mind, change the coil, they are really cheap in the grand scheme of things.

I think Sweeney may be on to something as far as the gas. I wouldnt think you were unlucky enough to get bad gas for a year straight, but you could have a real dirty fuel filter.

Do you just put a K&N panel filter in, or a FIPK? Did you try and put some sort of home made intake hose on, that is possibly collapsing over time when you step on the gas. If it is a panel or cone, did you oil it really good, allowing it to collect alot of dust and debris over time?


Rob

If I were you I would also ckek the fuel filter and injectors. When I first got over here I had the same problem. My car only had 30,000 mi and rand like a 4cyl. mustang (oops I said a bad word). I ended up changing out my fuel filter, and poured some STP injector cleaner (the good stuff that cost $8.99 a bottle) and it cleared right up. Just some helpful advice.... But I do hope you find out what's wrong. Good Luck!!

Yea, try a good old fashioned tune up. Could very well be bogus gas. I know there is a batch of it here in Darmstadt.

I am going to try the fuel filter bit this weekend. I have the regular panel K&N with no mods to the box. I oiled it pretty good maybe that is restricting flow a bit if it collected a lot of crap. The plugs I replaced before I came over here(used factory type AC delco Platinum). I changed the wires and the coil wire burning up happened to me about 12 months ago I replaced the coil wire but not the coil. I will keep trying and keep everyone updated.

Thanks,
Tres

Try some new O2 sensors too. They may be on the way out if your car is old like you say. I change em every 50k or less.

I tried to go to AAFES to get a damn Fuel Filter and they were out. Guess I have to wait.

I oiled my filter and the MAF went crazy leaning it out confused. I cleaned it the MAF and it seemed to help this was on my 94 Z28. My advice start cheap and work your way up

I replaced the Fuel filter today but had no time to wash it so I did not go to the show. It runs a little better. I dumped a whole bottle of STP fuel system cleaner in the tank and that should help by the time I get to the end of this tank of gas. I am going to take your advice and see if the MAF is dirty. I found another nasty problem today while I was at the craft shop. My waterpump is going to be on its last leg soon. There is water leaking from the weap hole on the bottom of the pump which explains the antifreeze smell when I shut off my car. It drips right on top of the crank pulley so there is no evidence of a leak on the ground. Not to mention the dealer over serviced my rear end. Sometimes working on the car just leads to finding more problems than solutions I guess. Monday I go to Graf for three weeks. Then I guess I am going to tackle the waterpump. Oh yeah and the Air filter is pretty clean...go figure. Anymore help would be nice.

Hey, there is a bright side, now you can do the meizere water pump and double roller timing chain (total cost - $280).

Better cooling, and 8rwhp. What a bargain!..........and since your already in there, the cam is screaming to be changed!

Remember it is always better to find the problem before it finds you. Good job on being proactive and taking care of your ride.

Don't know about doing the cam yet but I am going to change the waterpump. Send me a site I can go to for that perf. waterpump and double roller chain setup. I am going to Graf tomorrow for three weeks. Then I will check my options. Right now I am worried about paying it off. I owe about 2500 dollars and has to be paid off by the end of December. I am going to pay it off before I start with the Cam and so forth.

On the other hand yes it is good to find problems before they become disasters.

Thanks.

Look me up when you are down here. If you need anything 476-3022 is my work #. I got a couple connections.

I had the same problem on mine. I was stuborn about it and changed out just about every sensor and every filter on the car plus I changed the plugs and wires. In the back of my mind I knew exacly what it was, and it only continues to get worse.

If your car is hesatating around the rpm range of 2500 to 4800 or in that ball park. And you already checked the plugs then it's probably your Opti Spark. You will notice a stumble in the engine when you try and accelerate to fast, or just give it gas to fast in neutral. The opti spark usually doesn't last anymore than 45,000 miles that's on most cars not everyones. If it was a fuel filter your car would run for about 5 to 10 minutes and die. Then after you let it sit for about 5-10 minutes the fuel filter would fill up and pass enough gas through the fuel lines to start the engine again.

I would recommend doing a complete tune up but just know when to give up and buy the one part it most likely is. It's only my advice if your car has those symtoms then I would bet that it's the Opti.

Since it was brought up, the opti is a great design, flawed by terrible execution. If indeed you have excessive liquid coming out of the weep hole, it could have fouled up the opti. I would hope yours would have put up a better fight, if it is bad, because of being vented.

For what its worth, I have 8years and 65K on a non vented opti that is still sparking away. If you check everything and it looks like the opti is your last hope of fixing it, dont lose hope. Its not near as expensive as everyone makes it sound, or as hard. I bought a complete vented opti with all the electrical and vacuum connections for 375. A rebuild is about half that.

I think your spark plugs should clue you in to whats going (or not going) on.

Later

I agree with Rob I blew 2 opti systems because of moisture. now that you said you are dripping coolant right on it. I have no idea on cost.