I've had my 95 Camaro for some time...I love it. Recently I've posted a problem that I had with an SES light. The car went to a local shop and they pulled up an EGR code. Now let me explain. First, the mechanic claimed, and still claims, that my car is an OBDII. That's okay, I let that go. I wasted around $60 for the cleaning of the valve, and the light came back on, THE NEXT DAY. I brought the car back to the shop, and they told me that it's my MAC headers fault--I have lowered exhaust back pressure, and that's why the light comes on. For some reason I thought that if I would buy a new EGR valve and change it out myself, I would feel better...Well as soon as I take the EGR valve out, I noticed that the valve was not touched, it's overfilled with carbon deposits, and it looked deformed in some way, as if it was opened/closed the whole time. This is a word advice to the fellow fbody owners, BE CAREFUL WITH MECHANICS. I wasted 60 dollars for them to pull the code up, "clean" the valve, when all they did is scan the car, and claim that my car is an OBDII. That's pathetic. I need to change the optispark before summer ends (the car has 92K) and I don't know if I should do it myself, or look for another shop...

 

If i'am not mistaken, some 95 car are OBDII, that was the transition year, and some of the cars began implementing OBDII computers that year. Theres a way to tell but I forgot. I could be wrong though. Either way, what the mechanic did was frucking lame, what a lazy ***.

 

I'm sorry you had problems with your shop. I am a mechanic myself, and remember that we are not all knowledgable about every model, but screwing you over with the cleaning thing is BS. He was probalyl confused with a obd2 port on a obd1 car. How reputable was the shop? known franshise or corporation, or privately owned? if its a chain, write a letter to the company, and i am sure they will help ya out with some extra "Credit" I recomend you either find a good friend thats a mechanic, or find a shop f-bodies in your area use. just ask on your regional board.

Sean

 

No 95s were OBDII. The California models did have some flavors of the 96-97 program, but the PCM was still an OBDI even though they had dual cats.

It's true though, the OBDII connectors confuses a lot of people.

And yes, I know that race of bastard mechanics very well. I know a shop in my town that will charge for an oil change and only change the filter.... I don't know how can you sleep at night after doing something like this.

 

Yeah I just want to warn those that believe every mechanic...I'm sure there are respectable mechanics out there, but around this town, all I met is straight up junk. I remember when I first got the car last year, I took it to one shop--I wanted them to scan the car, and see if it was running right. (This is a true story...lol) I get the car back with this estimation paper priced at around
$3, 600 dollars. This is what they told me "Yeah the car is crap, if you can, you should get rid of it" They had everything I mean EVERYTHING on that list. From fluid leaks, to exhaust leaks...EVERYTHING. One thing that really struck me, is the fact that the car supposedly leaks oil from the front to the rear. Luckily I didn't buy this BS, went to get a second opinion, and the only thing that was wrong with the car is a cracked intake house. I don't know who can you trust around here. Because that same shop that changed the intake hose, did the "cleaning" on the EGR valve. I guess I'll try one of the regional boards and ask them.

 

that is why i do most of the work myself.
your car might have an obd2 conector.. i know some 95s did, that may have confused him.. ?

 

All 95's OBDII Connector.
All 95's OBDI Computer.

Cali 95's 2 cats dual exhaust
All other 95's single Cat, split to two exhuast tips.

 

That's why I say either learn to do the work yourself, or find a VERY reputable shop.

 

how do you change an oil filter without all the oil coming out anyways?

 

That should be Cali 95 A4's 2 cats and you've got it...I have yet to see an 95 M6 dual cat car out here. Neither one had "dual" exhaust; the dual cat cars just Y together after the cats, then run back single and split after the muffler, just like the M6's.

 

The oil filter is higher on the block than the oil pan, so any oil not in the filter remains in the oil pan. Most LT1/LS1 oil filters hold a little more than 1/2 quart of oil. If they only change the filter then they're only changing 10% of your oil.

 

I do 100% of the work on my own. That way if it breaks I know exactly who to go to.

 

BonesBrig5,

Follow the link. That is the EFA board and it's a 4th gen fbody organization. Jason and Jeff know there way around the fbods quite well and will take care of you if you are not comfortable changing out the opti yourself. You can reach them in the "Ask Jason" forum. They are not all that far from you either.

http://www.fbodycentral.com/phpBB2/index.php

 

Honestly when it comes to mechanics... I really put all the blame on the goverment for not closing those shops that commit fraud by charging unnecesary fees.

my last brush with a "reputable Franchaise" mechanic was about a year ago when I took my car to have them check the wheel alignment... now I had no problems with the car but it has never been aligned period... so I figure it may be off by a half degree or so..

I drove up an asked for stimate to check it.... right off the bat the guy told me I had to align the 4 corners or else he would not guarantee his job... At that moment I told him the rear was not adjustable and since it didnt have any bent parts I wasnt worried about it... I said All i want is to check the alignment first /... how much..

the guy said he was not giving me any warranty.. by then I decided go with it and before he got the car up in the machine I told him clearly I wanted to check the Caster, Camber, and not just the toe setting... At that moment he just said forget it.. he didnt have the tools for the job..and refuse the job.


My point here is ... he never gave me a price,, he was gonna charge me for a job he didnt have the tools for.. and he wanted to charge me to align the rear end... that by the way its not adjustable.

Once again I consider this actions a felony and I blame the goverment for not prosecuting this Fraudulent Mechanics... Honestely it would be to easy to send a bunch of Women who work for the goverment to ask for repairs on cars that have been inspected and are runing in top shape.... I guarantee you they will defenetely come up with heaps and heaps of "criminals"/

Another way to look at it, If I were to promise anyone to fix a problem that was never there to begin with and then I charge money for a job I never should have performed in the first place... with full knowledge/// that would be fraud (a felony I believe) and I would be liable for more than just a refund back to the customer...


Marvin

 

Bad mechanics are every where. I brought my car in to a Pontiac dealer (Gay Pontiac, Dickinson TX.) because after my cam install it was idling high and I wanted to know if they could fix it for me. At first they said they could and then they said they wouldn't touch it because it had headers. So I said fine I'll go some place else. Suddenly they decided to fix it for me. Two weeks later I went to go get the car and they tried to throw a $1,400 bill at me. I asked what they did and they said new Opti, (which was just put on during swap), front cover and gasket, wires, (I had just put new MSD's on there), and they took off my underdrive pulley because they said it needed a new belt and they didn't have a belt that size but they left the pulley on the altenator? Also my car still idled high!
I was pissed so I told them to put everything back on. Well they didn't want to pay someone to do another front cover so I got that for free, they put the pulley back on and the opti. They call me a week later and tell me that the car just blew a head gasket! I went down there pissed again and all the service manager told me was either get the car towed or have my people call his people. So I got it towed home which they did pay for and tore the heads off that night. BOTH head gaskets were blown! I took the gaskets to the service manager and he just laughed at me and said stranger things have happened. I told him that I don't think the tech. purged the system. He told me that his techs are the best and they would never do anything like that and my car had about 100,000 on the clock and that is the reason. I could see one but not both. So I went to the BBB and wrote a letter to the the president and all I got out of this was a complete gasket set and head bolts. It also took 2 months to get anything done. Now I do everything myself. Don't trust alot of these people. When you have a problem go to the BBB, they can take care of most problems. The kicker was when the service manager came over to my house to look at the engine (there was also broken rings and burnt valves) the *** asked if I wanted a job working for him! I just laughed at him.
Sorry for the long thread it just brought out some bad times.