Hey all, been a while since I have been here, had a lot of things to do over the year I have another problem I am hoping you all can help with but first I have to vent for a second....

I had an LT1 SS camaro when I first started on this board. The camaro had surging and lurching problems (see my original previous posts, lol). I tried everything in the book to get rid of it to no avail. I finally came to the conclusion that I would ride it out, no pun intended, till I got an LS1. I figured that it had something to do with the opti-crap ignition and was futile to deal with. Well, I finally got my LS1 and this god da*n son of a bit*h does the same f***ing thing!!!!!! I am so f***king pissed I can not see straight!

Hmm, thinking about it made things worse but I will move on now....


What I notice is that in 6th gear at 60 miles an hour and, or 1500rpm, she likes to ever so slightly buck, surge and what feels like drops a cylinder. Obviously, the things to check are spark plugs, coils, plug wires, injectors and fuel pressure to name a few. Plugs were replaced when I first got her and as small as the wires are, I am doubting that but still keeping it in mind. I would say injectors or coils next on the list but there is something odd she also does too. If I start her up and drive her steady, then at 60mph push in the clutch and idle along, the tach goes crazy. The engine will be idling at 850 or so like it is supposed to, then all of a sudden drop to 500rpm and then shoot up to 1200rpm. It will steady for about 10 seconds and then do the same thing!? Does this have something to do with the bucking and surging? Is this a common LS1 problem?

 

Get it scanned. If you are misfiring, it will tell you what cylinder on a scanner even if it is not throwing a code.

-Geoff

 

I had a scanner, no codes stored. If it IS a coil, I dont think it is misfiring as so much as just being a weak spark or no spark at all. Not sure if the computer can detect a weak spark if the primary circuit is good.

 

WhiteHawk recommended a scanner, not a code reader. Any quality scanner will show misfire counts, code or not.

 

Ahhhhh............k.

Been out of the LS1 loop a while, actually, for the past year and a half that I have had my newer camaro, I have not even come into it, lol. I wonder, can my old LT1 reader, the one Andrew offered way back when, can at least read the newer OBD-II computer?

 

If the LT1 was a 96-97 it should read the codes.

If it's OBDI you're SOL.

 

Really? There is nothing out there to just read some perams like the old OBD-I DIY stuff? I have not been into cars as of late so I have lost bases with everything and anything new.

 

No DYI AFAIK but there are tools to read OBD II and CAM. Heck I just saw a code reader at Walmart for $100.
But to read all perameters you'll need AutoTap or something simular for twice that money.

 

do you know anybody that has LS1 edit? that will tell you everything wrong or right with it, the only problem is you have to get your vin programed into the connector before it will read your car. do you have any vacuum leaks?

 

No one I know in the area HAS an LS1, lol.

To be honest, I have not had a chance to go out and check it, its been either cold and or rainy.

I was hoping that anyone that came across this problem with thier car could shed some light on what they found so I would not have to spend as much time starting from point A and go to Z. I can diagnose and fix just about anything but I was hoping this engine would be plug and play with no worries. Not looking forward to spending the whole weekend tracking it down when it gets warm (especially with 3 other vehicles to repair/upkeep), but, one has to do what one has to do I guess.

I will get out there in a few when it warms up to 60 on the weekend tho.

However....... Check Engine light came on and said low MAF signal. Hmmm, do we have a winner? Warm weather will tell.