84 Z28 HO
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Newbie
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 2
84 Z28 HO
Hey guys, I just picked up an 84 Z28 HO for cheap as a summer project. The car is in bad shape, it basically needs new everything from what I can tell, and I don't even know where to start. Right now the major problemsare that it squeaks like all hell, it overheats, and I think the timing is off (which I don't even know how to fix, all the guides and instructions seem to be for fuel injected cars only). I'm beginning to think I might just need to pull the whole engine out of the car and rebuild it from the ground up....
This my first Camaro, so any advice you guys could offer me would be greatly appreciated. Where should I even start with this car? I would like to avoid rebuilding the engine if I can...
This my first Camaro, so any advice you guys could offer me would be greatly appreciated. Where should I even start with this car? I would like to avoid rebuilding the engine if I can...
In the Staging Lanes
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 67
From: Annapolis, MD /Findlay, OH
RE: 84 Z28 HO
Well, a 23-year old unibody car is gonna have some rattles and squeaks in it. Mine does, too, and it's only 16 years old. A lot of that you can fix, it just depends upon how many panels you feel like ripping apart.
Overheating could be any number of things, though it seems pretty common in old F-bodies. Traditional wisdom says that these cars were designed to run a bit hot (like 220 degrees versus 180 in a lot of cars). First thing I would do would be to flush the coolant system and replace your coolant. Next would be to check the thermstat, and maybe replace it with a lower temp; 195 degrees seems to be popular so that the emissions system will still function as intended. If that doesn't work, make sure that your fan is coming on; this also seems to be a REALLY common problem with these cars. Happened to me, turned out that both the sensors for my fan switch and my temp gauge sending unit were bad. So, that's the easy stuff first.
Timing . .. hard to describe. Find someone who knows how to show you.
The small block Chevy engine is pretty stout, and it can take a lot of punishment, but after 23 years . . . may be time for a rebuild.
Overheating could be any number of things, though it seems pretty common in old F-bodies. Traditional wisdom says that these cars were designed to run a bit hot (like 220 degrees versus 180 in a lot of cars). First thing I would do would be to flush the coolant system and replace your coolant. Next would be to check the thermstat, and maybe replace it with a lower temp; 195 degrees seems to be popular so that the emissions system will still function as intended. If that doesn't work, make sure that your fan is coming on; this also seems to be a REALLY common problem with these cars. Happened to me, turned out that both the sensors for my fan switch and my temp gauge sending unit were bad. So, that's the easy stuff first.
Timing . .. hard to describe. Find someone who knows how to show you.
The small block Chevy engine is pretty stout, and it can take a lot of punishment, but after 23 years . . . may be time for a rebuild.
Overdrive Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,248
From:
RE: 84 Z28 HO
The fan should come on. Its engine driven in the early years. 
Check the fan clutch. also make sure the air deflector is still under the radiator suport. They tend to get ripped off over hard bumps over time.
The timing may be off due to a work cam chain. Get cloyes double roller and since its behind the water pump get a new one of those. To adjust the timing you need to unplug a connector near the HVAC box coming out of the big harness there. That way the computer does not move adjust the timing as you turn the distributer. But I say you most likely need a chain in it if its never been changed. The one in my 84 had lots of slop in it and it had fairly low miles on it for an old car. Plus they have plastic covered teeth and the plastic tends to break. Surprisingly it was not broke on mine.
Check the fan clutch. also make sure the air deflector is still under the radiator suport. They tend to get ripped off over hard bumps over time.The timing may be off due to a work cam chain. Get cloyes double roller and since its behind the water pump get a new one of those. To adjust the timing you need to unplug a connector near the HVAC box coming out of the big harness there. That way the computer does not move adjust the timing as you turn the distributer. But I say you most likely need a chain in it if its never been changed. The one in my 84 had lots of slop in it and it had fairly low miles on it for an old car. Plus they have plastic covered teeth and the plastic tends to break. Surprisingly it was not broke on mine.
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Newbie
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 2
RE: 84 Z28 HO
Well actually the squeaks are all coming from the engine haha...maybe just some new belts or something will fix that up
Thanks for all the advice with the overheating problms, I'm going to take a look at the fan and all a little later today. I'll look into getting a new timing chain too, becuase even if that isn't the source of the current problems, its more than likely ready for a replacement.
Thanks for all the advice with the overheating problms, I'm going to take a look at the fan and all a little later today. I'll look into getting a new timing chain too, becuase even if that isn't the source of the current problems, its more than likely ready for a replacement.
