Crazy story... well kinda.
I sold my 1988 z28 for like 1500. took the 1500 and added 800 and got a 1994 mustang v6... had a few issues... my first mustang... hated it.. man the forums for them suck, no one helps anyone. stopped at a car lot test drove a 96 z28 6 spd, lost control when I left the parking lot.Spun 180 degrees... ok a lil bit more hp than I am used to(pause) I WANT IT!
traded mustang and again, 800 dollars, Drove home title in hand. opened hood and see cold air intake .k.
So today at work in a gas station i work at, in walks this guy who just stepped out of a 2002 z28 exact same color as mine, he asks me if I bought it off a street here in houston area, I say yes, he says it used to be his old car and he swapped for a newer year model. Of course reflexes kicked "wtf does it have in it? people keep asking and I am sick of the look i get when they see me just shrug" he fired off a few things I grabbed a pen and some paper he jotted a few things down. Most i understand some of it I do not understand, i mean there is something that looks like two words blobbed into one. I am going to type out what ever it looks like he wrote and if anyone can put two and two together and unscramble what I am trying to read or decipher the jumbled short hand, or explain the merged abbreviations, or just simple misspells.

3.73 gear
cold air
luck cluch <---?
02 sims <----?
je pistons ?
6in rods sceat or 5ceat <--?

any idea?..
let me know
(btw I used to always be in the 3rd and 2nd gen)

 

I can help ya with a couple of these, Im sure somebody else can give ya a better idea on some of it or help figure out some of the spelling.... anywhos.

 

3.73 gears is the ratio of the gear in the rear end and the stock ratio was typically 3.23 or 3.42. What this means is you get a faster launch or more torque to the wheels in first gear, however it does drop your gas mileage a little and your top speed. But it is definitely worth it. Look at it this way a clock has many gears the bigger ones spin slower and the smaller ones spin faster - higher gear ratio = more teeth/faster spin.

Cold Air Induction (CAI) - is just a kit on the intake with the filter that allows the air to flow more smoothly/cooler into the engine. Cooler/Faster air = more horsepower. Typically when these cars were introduced people saw 10-15 horsepower increase by adding the CAI like you have.

O2 Sims - 95camaroinok is correct and they simulate the o2's on your car as the newer computer controlled cars have sensors in the exhaust to measure temperature, flow and oxygen content and then tell the computer how to adjust the fuel/air/timing to make the car run more efficiently. If you have o2 sims my guess is you have headers or some other major exhaust modifications. If you can take some pics of the exhaust or engine bay most of us can tell you what you have.

As to the rest, 95camaroinok did a very good job with his explanation. Let me know if you have any more questions as we can help.

 

O2 sims are used in the "after-cat" positons on the OBD-II cars only. They monitor the exhaust O2 content only (not the temperature, not the flow) and tell the PCM whether the cat is working. You can not replace the pre-cat O2 sensors with O2 sims.

All 94-97 6-speed cars left the factory with 3.42:1 rear axle ratio.

 

i have a luk clutch in my car, its a lt4 style clutch, its been fine for me for 10,000+ miles. No slipping or anything.

 

For one, the engine has been rebuilt. It is not the stock one anymore. Sounds like you got some good mods already.

 

Did you happen to get his name/#? Does not sound like it but would have been your best bet. Get it to the track to see what it does.

 

I would take it to a dyno. This will give you an idea of what kind of hp you are putting down over stock. With o2 shims I would think you also have LT headers.

 

Yeah I got his name and number but do not want to bug him just yet.
just before I wrote this post, I replaced a water pump and bothered him to ask if it was the original motor. I was in the auto parts store so I did not hold a huge conversation, and it sounded like he was in a repair shop.. maybe works there maybe not even near what I thought I heard.
factory water pump fit fine (dude that was the easiest water pump installation I have ever done!). Of course it was at orielly auto parts, you know the place where the employees act smug and angry and always have to tell you story about a buddy who has one better than you and some car they are rebuilding that will be gods own chariot... I could have gone next door to auto zone where they seem to take forever locating junk and need to know if you have an ac or not even when you are buying lugnuts or gas cap.. but still end up getting the part wrong , or giving you some one else's core.
Pardon the rant but I wanted it clear that I didnt want many distractions while ordering my parts. Water pump ,upper and lower hoses thermostat, gasket seal.. All parts where correct.
car rode at 180 to and from work today. 5 am and back 3 pm texas heat.

So far I have gone 274 miles on this full tank and I have a tad more than an 8th of a tank left. Will check again when I dump the oil and put in my old faithful valvoline and refill the tank. Trans fluid drain and refill and tune up will come in a week and half when I get paid my over time check... then again I will check but I am guessing 14 city 16 highway.

Dynos and all that will come later when I can afford and all that.

 

Do NOT run the gas gauge that low. When you are at 1/4 tank, you may only have 1 or 2 gallons left, if you are lucky. If you run it dry, your fuel pump will be toast.

 

He is 100% correct. Fill the tank up right now!!!!! I didnt have anyone to tell me this when I first bought my car and the pump was toast within about 500 miles. Never run it past 1/4 tank. These gas tanks are shaped funny and the guage doesnt give you an accurate reading past 1/2 tank. OTOH and does sound like you got a good deal on the car and got lucky to get it with mods done already. Just check over everything, I would be a bit weary of parts that were installed by somebody you dont know. Im not saying they are installed wrong but just do yourself a favor and check over everything as best you can. Hope you enjoy it and congrats on the purchase. Peace, Dustin.

 

Yes I agree with that gas tank thing. I did not know and have almost been stranded a few times.

 

Will add a few bucks on way to work. My boss pays for my full tank once a week and I still have a couple of days.

Scary thing is, I purchased the car with the needle in the black =E and drove seven miles like that before I could get to a gas station and add only one gallon.


But thanks for letting me know. I will not drop below 1/4 tank ever again. I will just do the amount of miles by amount of miles it took to consume summed gallons...

Lesson is ... LAZY = STRANDED.

Not calling you guys lazy. I like you didnt know.

plus the guy told me the 22-25 lbs coolant cap has to e replaced once every 6 months or it overheats..

All warnings are well accepted.... thanks you guys.

 

The stock coolant cap is 18psi. While the LT1's reverse flow cooling system can be a bit difficult to maintain, running a 25psi cap and replacing it every month is far from normal.

 

The day i bought my car the guy was coming over to drop it off and ran out of gas. He said he was lucky and someone was mowing there lawn and gave them some. Great i thought. If its like my lawn mower gas there is always crap in it. Luckily the pump still works, knock on wood.