Hello, I am working on a 1995 Camaro LT1. It is a Special Purpose Optioned Camaro that was used for law enforcement. This was my father's work vehicle. After he retired, they retired his car and he bought it from the auction for me. Recently, the car began overheating, uncontrollably, and also began to miss. After several incidents we decided to start searching by disassembling. So far we have it disassembled down to, and including the water pump. The water pump doesn't seem right. We also suspect the cooling fans are not functioning correctly. We have decided to replace the Optispark, waterpump, cooling fans, and to have the radiator serviced (or should we replace). We can't decide whether to change the timing chain, gears and damper because we aren't real excited over removing the oil pan. I'd really appreciate any advice or suggestions on what we should do. Also, if anyone has any advice on replacement part brands, we would really appreciate it. Tomorrow my Dad is going to take of the harmonic balancer and hub, for the optispark replacement, but we are going to wait to hear from camaroforums before doing the timing chain. The car has 134,000 miles. Before the heating issue it was running fine. I don't plan to race the car, but I do love high performance. Thanks for helping, we'll look forward to responses.

 

my opinion, if you don't know what's been done to the car in the past, then i'd change as much as my budget allows. timing chain(if it hasn't been replaced before) is a great idea. i'd just do an original GM timing chain, opti, and probably everything at this point unless you are looking to make her faster

 

Thanks Whammer. Very much appreciate the quick response. My Dad said on his older chev v8 he is not sure that he had to drop the oil pan to get the timing cover off. He has an old engine. Is it possible to remove the timing cover without dropping the oil pan? It seems dropping the oil pan is pretty intensive. Thanks again for responding.

 

Did you already put in the water pump and cooling fans?

Did you change the coolant in the radiator and replace the thermostat first?

It shouldn't be overheating because of the water pump, cooling fans, and a radiator that needs to be replaced, that would just be bad luck haha.

But ya, switch the coolant and see if its still overheating. Also, if it is still overheating... is it leaking?

 

This isn't the right Camaro but you should have this. When we first bought our Camaro, it would overheat real quick and just got the part for like $20 or something. It's the plastic wing thing on the right.

 

Thanks for the responses. We have everything out now, including the harmonic balancer and hub. Water pump seems to turn abnormally. I think the water pump is at least part of the problem. Before we started taking things apart, we changed coolant, thermostat, flushed out radiator. We have the air dam that diverts air to the radiator. The car had 134k miles and it is time to provide some care. There seems to be a lot of oil around the timing cover. Maybe the timing cover is leaking oil onto the ignition? We plan to follow everyone's advice and do the timing chain, gears, dampener. This site is unbelievably great. Someone had posted a trick to getting the harmonic balancer hub off. It worked great. Does the oil pan have to be removed to take off the timing cover. I think the timing cover is leaking and that is at least part of the problem. Please please tell me I don't have to drop the oil pan. The oil pan seems to be a really big job. Does anyone have any suggestions on which brand timing chain to get? Which is the best optispart? Who makes the best water pump. Any suggestions for replacement cooling fan. Thanks for all the help!

 

In order to get the front cover off the engine you have to drop the front of the oil pan, but you don't have to completely remove it. I would go for the LT4 heavy duty timing kit. Get either the OEM or the MSD opti, don't screw with anything less and an OEM water pump is fine unless you want to go for an electric water pump.

 

Hey guys, My water pump went out, and the water pump gear assembly shaft broke off on the back, and I have the water pump and the gear assembly, but I can't get the timing chain off to pull out the assembly and the assembly seems to be kinda jammed any tips?

 

if the timing chain is still fairly tight you will need to pull the lower sprocket out a little to get the upper sprocket to come out all the way. may have to tap the sprocket with a plastic hammer to pop it lose if its stuck to the cam. make sure you put some rvt on the corners of the oil pan gasket where the front cover meets the block and the pan. when you put the new chain and gears in double check the timing marks are right is fairly easy to get it off by one tooth. so you broke the shaft on the water pump or the drive gear?

 

LT1 - High Mileage - Reliable Build - Install Pictures - GM High Tech

hope this will help!!