Hi, and first, thanks for reading my thread (I hope I posted it in the correct spot)
I'm fairly new to cameros and even less experienced in working on cars! I found out a cpl years ago I have a terminal illness and this is kinda my project to help keep me going and keep from going crazy not being able to work lol.

I have a few issues I'm workin on with it and any helpful tips will be much appreciated.

A/C - the ac blows cold but only comes out the defrost, the lady we bought it from said this just started happening
Speedometer - it works sometimes for a few seconds and them quits
Temp gauge - never moves
I started yesterday on changing the plugs, wires, dist cap, rotor, oil, air filter, egr valve , PVC valve - are their any other parts I should change as regular maintenance?
I also broke the oil pressure sensor while getting to the last plug so I'm changing it today also lol!

I was told at the auto parts that using synthetic oil would increase horsepower, improve fuel mileage, and extend the engine life ( while I'm sure not all of this is true, if any of it is I'll be happy lol) is this a good choice?

It has, I'm guessing, a regular 305 engine in it and is an automatic

Sorry for posting such a long post and thanks in advance for any and all help and knowledge!

 

Welcome aboard. What year and model is the Camaro? Is it the original engine? Stock wiring harness being used?

 

Thanks l, it's a 92 anniversary edition rs. I think it's the factory wiring harness (I'm lost on that) I posted a couple pictures but plan to post more once I get finished.

 

Problems with where the A/C or heat comes out of the vents is often due to a broken vacuum check valve on the hose from the engine to the HVAC control panel, or the hose has cracked or become disconnected. Looking at my Chilton's manual, the instructions for pulling the HVAC control panel indicate that on the 92 it is necessary to disconnected the vacuum connection, so it would appear the 92 is vacuum operated, at least for some functions. Some operations appear to be controlled by cables, and you may have a loose or broken cable.

You can determine which engine you have from the VIN, assuming it's the vehicle's original engine. Look at the 8th character in the VIN:

F = LB9 5.0L (305ci) tuned port injection
8 = L98 5.7L (350ci) tuned port injection
E = L03 5.0L (305ci) throttle body injection

Where does the needle on the coolant temp gauge point? A reading at 0 would indicate an open circuit to the sensor, a reading as max temp would indicate a short in the sensor or wiring.

The main advantage of synthetic lubricants it the ability to retain their viscosity properties over a longer period of time, particularly with high temperatures and harsh operating conditions. They flow better at very low temperature conditions, reducing engine wear on cold start. There may be a tiny HP gain, it is very unlikely you would notice a significant increase in fuel mileage, and you would only see an extended engine life if you tend not to change conventional oil as often as required. Many new engines that require synthetics, with oil life calculators are calculating up to 10,000 miles between oil changes, based on the engine operating conditions over that period. You would be lucky to get 1/2 that number of miles on conventional oil.

The extra cost of the oil is offset slightly by the savings in labor costs with less frequent changes, but if you change your own oil, you don't save any labor costs. The increased cost of the oil would be higher than any tiny savings due to increased fuel mileage.

Many people who switch to synthetics with high mile engines experience increased oil leakage when the detergents in the synthetics scrub the deposits off the oil seals.

Here's a dyno test showing the increased HP from switching and auto trans and the rear axle to synthetics..... about a 2.5HP gain.

Drivetrain Modifications #6

 

Thanks! That has given me a lot more understanding on some of the main questions I had!

 

"Where does the needle on the coolant temp gauge point? A reading at 0 would indicate an open circuit to the sensor, a reading as max temp would indicate a short in the sensor or wiring."
You were dead on! I had a connection open. Plugged it back in and it's working perfectly. Thanks!

 

Glad I could help!!