Hey everybody. I was a mechanic at a gas station/service center for several years, but never really worked on any camaros. They aren't real popular where I'm at. I found a good deal on a 94 Z28 and I bought it having always wanted a 4th gen Z. I've only had Jeeps and trucks before.

Car seemed fine, drove it 1100 miles to Florida, put probably 500 miles on it down there and the 1100 miles back with no problems other than it overheating at stoplights when it was 100 degrees out everyday I was there.

Anyway I get back home to Illinois, and a couple weeks later the opti went out. No biggy I still had a spare car then. I bought a GM Opti and installed it in my spare time. Well I didn't start the car before I put the water pump back on and after I had it all back together it wouldn't start. Recheck my work, the new Opti was getting spark from the coil but not transmitting it to the plugs. So I take it back, and I get an MSD pro billet. I put it on, and test it before putting the car back together, didn't start. The fuel pump died while it had been sitting. By this time I had sold my spare car so I overnighted a Walbro to myself and put it in. Put everything back together fired right up and runs great. Really great actually. Well this was last week, I only had one problem, no heat. So 2 days ago, I find a leak in the connector between the rubber hose going to the radiator, and the metal coolant crossover tube. I go to fix it, and I accidentaly break the radiator taking the clamp off in the 4 degree weather. So I overnight a new radiator to myself and put it in yesterday. Everything goes fine. No leaks, as much heat as I can expect with a 160 degree thermostat in 4 degree weather. Tranny lost some fluid and I replaced the lost fluid, and I now have about a 200 rpm slip in the tranny going up steep hills, which is no problem I can fix that easy I just need to go ahead and change the filter and new fluid.

Now the reason I say all this. I have to drive the 1100 miles back to Florida on Sunday. With everything that has gone wrong on this car in the last 3 weeks, would you guys risk it, or do you think I should rent a car? Flying isn't an option. I have the money, but I have a medical condition and my body can't handle the pressure of being at high altitude.

I'm not worried about the work I did, I'm very confidant in my work. I'm just worried that my car has decided to snowball on me and these are all indications of things getting ready to go very wrong.

Thoughts? Anyone want to trade me an LS1 for an LT1 with lots of sweet new parts? lol

 

Even though i love lt1s i wouldn't want to rely on mine lol. If money is not a problem i would just rent a car even though it sounds like you've woke up from your nightmare. Im a bit on the paranoid side though.

 

Yeah I am too at this point. It's funny I bought my Jeep brand new in 99, and 200'000 miles later it was running like a top even after hitting 4 deer over the years, and being stolen and drove into a tree and recovered by the cops couple years ago. My dad bought it from me and took it with him to florida when he moved and it's his daily driver. Stupid me.

This Camaro, I bought in August, only puttered in it until I made my trip, and have done nothing but work on it the last month.

I have only put 4100 miles on it since August, and 2700 of them were all at once. Kinda scary really.

Is there ANYTHING else I should be worried about on this car before I take off?

 

I wouldn't risk it, who knows what will happen next.

 

16 year old cars that haven't been taken care of aren't usually reliable, and our cars weren't that reliable new. I've never really had a mjor problem with mine that wasn't self-induced, and I trust it to go anywhere, but it was never a daily driver and was very well taken care of. If I bought a 94 right now and had to fix a few engine/drivetrain related things on it, I doubt I would trust it to go anywhere very far away until I could get a few weeks of trouble free driving on the clock.

 

Yeah it's not going, the tranny is shot. I just borrowed my grandparents Cadillac DTS which I hate, but they have like 4 cars and don't need it and I can take my dog with me so it's better than nothing.

I did just by a 94 Z that the interior and doors are shot to hell on for 700 dollars but I was able to drive it home just fine, it runs great and it has a t-56 so it's now named donor car.

 

Long trips in my Z were always determined by when the last time the opti was changed, lol. If it was within the last year, no problem - I'd have driven it anywhere. Otherwise, eh, might wanna take something else...

 

take something else. my car as 65k miles on it. its 15 years old! i would never rely on it. i look at camaros as just cruse cars.

 

I think the more important question is where you picked up a running M6 car for $700.