I bought this camaro for my son and we are trying to fix up some stuff on our own. (oh NO)
Anyway, it did not miss when we got it but now it does off and on. I have a code reader and it shows a miss on #3 cyl. I "think" this would be the 2nd cyl back on the drivers side of the car but I can't get that plug out. I can only just barely feel the wire on it. I have been doing lots of searches and it looks like it might need to come out from the bottom. If that's true any inside would be great. OK...now also, I just had it at the body shop for some paint on a fender and the guy called said..."hey, you know this car has a blown head gasket right???" I was like...um NO! So anyway, I got it home but it is a sick little puppy. It has never got hot at all..never used any coolant..at least not yet..maybe it just blew out?. There is no water in the oil and nothing leaking but the valve covers leaking oil which I already knew about. It has in past seemed to miss a bit when we first start it but then would clear up right away. So...I'm thinking the first thing I need to do is get that plug out right? Look for a shinny clean plug telling me coolant? Also, I know these engines have a lot of problems with intake gaskets but the body shop guy said put a tester on the radiator and some liguid that turns different color if it has a blown head gasket and it did turn to a different color. I guess my question is...can that be an intake gasket and not the head gasket? This was not a good buy at all...I have way more in the car than it is worth already so headgaskets would not be a good thing.
Any insite would be great!
Rob (dad) and Dalton (14y/o son)

 

I never had any problems changing my plugs from the top on my 3800 ('02) -- if ya have the right tools -- swivel sockets, etc. ;-) Seems to me, though, the design was a bit different on the older Camaros. So how much did you buy the car for?

#3 is the center cylinder, driver side.

 

I had to change all mine from below the car on my 96. It's a real b1tch to do. For the gaskets put a coolant pressure tester on and see how it holds up. To change the gaskets it's not to bad. Just do the upper and lower intake, head and valve covers at the same time. All something that you can do.

 

Thanks for the replies, I paid $2200 for the car and put about $750 in paint work. Now I have to try figure out whether it has a head gasket leak or an intake leak. I will try to get that #3 plug out and see what it looks like this weekend.
Rob

 

$2200 doesn't seem bad if in decent shape, how many miles on it? Biggest problem will be a 14 yr old son driving this car -- should have started him out with a 4 speed 4 banger! ;-)

 

Is it going through alot of antifreeze?

 

Well, after several months it has not used any antifreeze at all...it does not miss after the tune up. I don't know why it would have tested blown head gasket if it was not. Anyway, it runs great now...however I have a p0441 code about the purge flow valve. I'm on here today to try to do some searches and such to see if i can fix that too.
BTW...I did do the plugs from the bottom of the car. I could never really get to them from the top. Plugs needed changed but all looked the same.

 

There was an exhaust manifold change in 99 i think that made the plugs accessible from the top. If you switch to headers you can get them from the top

 

I'm not sure about this. I remember Massey saying most of them are removed from below.

 

Check your engine for any vacuum hoses that are disconnected if nothing then follow your fuel lines and sheck them aswell. If still nothing look behind drivers rear wheel well and look at all those hoses. If nothing tighten your gas cap and go pick up a new purge valve. They are around $20.