I just picked up a 86 camaro, (try to get pictures loaded onto the computer tonight) so far the only thing on the dash I ALMOST trust is the volt meter, RPM jumps, speedo jumps, fuel is not so bad but jumps around alot. as for the heat, it looks to be FUBAR. stays either vertical up or down. My question is, has anyone installed the digital dash and is it "easy" or is it a big problem? I found a guy that will sell me his old "drag" shell with the digital dash for 1k but it's an 82 has "drag" suspension, fiberglass 2" cowl hood, and a disc posi rear end with 4:11 gears, along with the interior ( needed in mine) and T-tops ( also needed in mine) and it's a Z-28 mine says Z-28 (also states IROC on the dash but im thinking it's just stick on's) so i'm also wondering if it would be a clean swap? Any help????

 

it would be a clean swap for all of those compants from the donor car, but im not sure on the digital gauges. as for the gauges, my speedo jumps around a bit. the gas tank also does not have a baffle, so bumps and accel/decel will affect the guage immediatly. the temp gauge reading down or up suggests you have an air pocket in the cooling system and may want to check that out. rpm gauges have a tendancy to read double, so i guess yours is going. how about the oil pressure gauge?

 

oil pressure reads normal, did find that the upper radiator hose tends to get rock hard, twice out of the 6 times i have checked it. and for some reason needs a jump in the morning but after the motor warms up it starts fine. what is the idol rpm stock? mind is idling at around 1300ish. All in all not a bad car for $1k. I'm still working on getting the pics to download from the phone but should have some up shortly.

 

stock idle for a v8 is about 700 when in gear and stopped. it does sound like you are going to have some coolant related issues. does the car smoke a little white when you start it up in the mornings? also sounds like the battery is bad

 

here is what I'm working with

 

no smoke at all in the morning and haven't seen any through out the day , battery is about a week old. I think its just too small to be honest. the cca is in the 600's i think. I went to pick up a thermostat but was unsure of what motor was in it ( I think it's just a RS but with the sides stating Z-28 and the dash stating Z-28 iroc I have no idea) so I picked up one for a 305.

 

also, there is a high low switch under the hatch release that I have NO idea what it does.

 

The high low is not stock....most likely a manual fan switch.

 

I tried messing with it but i guess it does nothing, fans are hard wired to the ignition. Have to chase wires I guess. Still running good, just picked up a temp gauge and am about to try and put it in.

 

yea, that switch isnt factory. the side skirts and rear wing are also not factory for an 86. the side skirts are for an rs and the wing is for a z28, both '90 and up. adding a temp guage shouldnt be hard. there should be a thread plug on the side of the head that will work. not sure which side it will be on, but one head already has a sensor with a green wire in it. just leave that one in there and put the new one on the other head