Been having lots of problems like surging and missing. Fixed the surg which was a bad coil wire that kept falling off. Now it cuts out when warm. The clamp that is on the long plastic verticle tube that hangs down from the air intake tube that goes into the TB has fallen to the bottom of the plastic thing? Who knows but I hate to give the car away after 134K without knowing what really gives.

 

There is no fix for that, the car is worn out. I don't know where you are but there is a charitable orgainization in PA that accepts cars like this




Did you replace the coil itself? that is a common cause of LT1's cutting out when the car is warm and the coil gets heatsoaked.

Plugs and wires, then Opti would be the next things on the list if they haven't been replaced recently. A scanner would be helpfull to make sure your not getting a bad IAT reading which a few other people have reported as the source of those symptoms as well.

Try the search feature, there are probalby hundreds of threads covering the PITA LT1 ignition system.

good luck, and let me know if you can't work it out and need to donate the car

-brent

 

No I didnt replace the coil. Is that hard to do? I hate to nickle and dime this thing. Is their anyway to really know the problem. Can the checy dealer absolutely diagnose this thing or will they just lie and try to rip me off?

 

The coil is pretty easy, especially compared to plugs wires and -gasp- the opti as a last resort. You just unbolt it from the block, then drill out the rivets holding it to the mount (its probably been replaced already during the life of the car so there will be bolts there)

here are some pics courtesy of Wing http://97ta.com/msd_ignition_coil.shtml

You can get a delco coil for ~ 30 bucks.

I would not f-around with the dealer on this. They will probably try to sell you an opti off the bat to the tune of 1000 dollars with labor. Your syptom of it only happening when hot really sounds like a coil problem to me, but obviously I could be wrong.

good luck.
-brent

 

do u have hesitation problems or anything else besides a miss? Backfiring, stalling, anything like that? Opti's usually dont just cut out when in the middle of driving, they will make the car die at a stoplight, and make it hard to restart. I would try the coil, then plugs and wires, if those have never been changed then thats most likely the problem(bad contacts). A reputable dealer will let u know whats going on for the $70 diagnoses fee, they usually get it right or you can go bitch at them. Give it a shot before giving up. If u play hit and miss, more often than not you will miss more than hit. -Michael

 

No always idles good and never stalls. Usually runs strong cold then starts to miss upon acceleration.

 

This is exactly what happened to me when my opti went out. Replace the opti and it should be fine.

 

Before you spend a ton of money on an opti, you should fix the air intake problem. If the tube hanging of of your intake elbow is not clamped on, it could leak. If you are taking air in behind the MAF (and this is) your car will not run right. It is possible that it is only leaking when you accelerate. If your air filter is dirty, you could be pulling a vacuum at higher rpms, and this causes air to get sucked in at the leak.

Anyway, fix the intake elbow and see if it helps. You should be able to seal it up for a few bucks.

Dustin

 

Start with the cheapest and easy things. First fix your leaking intake tube, then throw on a new coil. The coil will probably take you less then 30min. to do even your first time around. Only common tools are needed and a new MSD blaster coil can be obtained for less then $40. If that doesn't fix it then its gotta be plug/wires, or the opti. But are not hard to do yourself, but they are time consuming.

Aaron

 

If the car is taking in more air then what is being read by the MAF that will NOT cause this problem. That is like saying that if your a/c is on it will lower your tire pressure.


If the car is taking in more air than is being read by the MAF it would do one of two things:

1)Idle high, or
2) Start up and shut off right away.

The problem at hand IS the opti, I know that for a fact. It is not the coil, nor the coil wire, is IS the opti.


Symptoms:

1)Car surges... reason lack of spark and or fuel.
2)Car misses... reason lack of spark.
3)Idles good when cold and never stalls... good spark and fuel delivery.
4)Runs strong when cold then starts to miss up top... reason LACK OF SPARK.


If it was the coil causing this lack of spark, it would be all the time. Now to put your intake "problem" down. All that you know is that the plastic CLIP on the air silencer has fallen off... big deal, the silencer tube is still there, from what we know, even if it wasn't see above statement about unmetered air.


Replace your Opti = problem solved.

 

You're right, he should spend several hundred dollars fixing his opti and leave his intake leaking.

Obviously, I'm being sarcastic. I'm not saying that this is a sure fix, I was just noting (like I said in my post) BEFORE you fix the opti, try to fix something that is free/cheap. People on here always blaim the opti, and a lot of people end up replacing their opti, only to find they still have the same problem.

BTW the A/C tire pressure comparison was a poor analogy

 

It was not a poor analogy, just showing that they have NOTHING to do with one another. There is nothing wrong with the silencer not having the clip on it aslong as the silencer is still there. If it were me, I'd just get rid of the silencer anyways.

 

Wow great responses. Bought a new Explorer just in case. Now before I get rid of my beloved Z I will try and tighten the silencer and the Chevy dealer will "test it" for $80 bucks but I told them I WILL NOT let them repair it so I want an honest evaluation before I donate the car. Can they FOR SURE tell me what the problem is? They say they can.

 

my car hesitates at steady speeds on highway. did yours do this mostly. let me know what the dealer says.

 

Hey, if you decide to part the car out. Let me know. I have a red 94 z i need a passenger door , bumper and the the steel piece behind that. the reinforcement peice. Its teh best you can do put it back into another camaro. atleast it wont be crushed or sit somewhere and rust up. Let me know if you do.. Thanks.