I FINALLY got a Camaro, after years of basicly browsing through the forums and wanting one. It's a 98 Dark Blue with a 3.8 V6 baring 85k miles. No T-Tops but this is still a great car. Sorta glad I didn't get the 94 Black 3.4 that needed some major engine work. Inside out the car is clean but has some minor mechanic errors.

The engine looks fine, it was taken care of and it's clean, the oil was also just changed. however here's my issues.

#1 - Dashboard is cracked for somereason, in many areas. Does this have to be completely replaced to fix or can I find a cheap but fitting cover? If replaced, where can I find a replacement and how much will it cost?

#2 - Turn Signals will NOT blink. The passenger side front bulb was out but I replaced it tonight and still no blink in turn signals. The Hazard lights blink just fine however I have to manually switch on and off the turn signals to get a blinking affect. What could be wrong here?

#3 - I get a ticking and clicking sound that only occurs when I turn on the heat or A/C, it will usually click and tick alittle longer after I've turned it off, and it usually only does this while idling or at low speeds and tends to disapear later but always comes back. If I leave the climate control alone it won't tick, but there's no way in h*ll I'm ganna do that with the weather we've been getting lately....

Those are my questions.
So far I'm actually quite pleased with the performance and power this V6 offers, it ALMOST feels like my dad's LT1.....but thats ALMOST...

 

#1 You'd probably have to have the dealership put in a new dashboard or you could just buy a dashboard cover and cover up the cracks. I had a dashboard cover in my Camaro to prevent cracking, but took it off because it doesn't look good. I paid $40 at the dealership for my cover, I didn't know about gmpartsdirect.com then. So if you do want a dashboard cover, get the part number from the dealership and then type it in at gmpartsdirect.com. They charge quite a bit less then the dealers. From gmpartsdirect.com the dashboard cover would probably be about $20-$30 (plus shipping).

#2 If you are sure none of the bulbs are burned out, then you probably need a new turn signal flasher.

#3 No clue.

Welcome to the board and congrats on the car.

 

I'll check into the dealership for the dashboard and Turn Signals aswell...

The car is still ticking however, usually after running for about two minutes and it begins. I also figured out it does this even when the Climate Control is OFF. I was just lucky enough to turn the **** on always before it began.... The belts sound like they may need replacement soon aswell but I know that problem. The ticking seems to come from the center of the console deep in there somewere and it ceases when the car is at idle meaning I can't open the hood and tell where it is... O_o

any clues?

 

Enjoy your camaro..I'm a young man myself, and I got my 96 cammy last year..you should have a ton of fun in it..treat it well..

 

1) You could also try a junkyard in your area or do a online search for junkyards that might have the part.

2) Even if the bulb is lit, it could still be bad. If it is the 3057 bulb (the front turn signal, frontmost portion) it can still be lit but have the high or "flash" filament burnt out but will still turn on but won't flash. Replace those first. $3 part...can't hurt to replace anyways.

3) Maybe its the fan...I know my fan sounds a little weird sometimes but not always.

Congrats...keep up with her oil changes. I've always taken great care of her and she's never let me down.

 

LMAO, If only I had read this last Saturday. I spent the most of last Saturday taking apart my car looking at all the connections to the brake light because the light would go on when I unlock the doors but not when I used the brakes. Eventually I discovered there is two filaments in those bulbs.

 

the 3.8 v6 is faster than ANY 'berlinetta' I have ever driven, those things are slow!

 

for the blinkers.. you might check the relays too.. the hazards and the turn signals have different relays.. im not sure about seperate flashers since they flash at the same rate but i know they have different relays.

 

Love this car so far, I took her to Columbia S.C. nonstop from Atlanta and listened to the SuperBowl over the radio... (80 MPH 3/4 of the way) great gas milage... I keep it clean to although I need floormats, I also need a tire lugnut key because it's previouse owner decided to keep it as a souveneer... pray I don't get any flats anytime soon . The ticking noise continues aswell, it turns out I believe the climate control has little to nothing to do with it. It ticks regardless if its on or off.

Turn Signals still don't work correctly, where's the relay for the turnsignals and hazard lights? I couldn't find them at all. I would assume if the hazard lights worked then the flasher must be fine unless there's two flashers. Also where's the Flasher located on this car? I took the panel off under the steering wheel and couldn't find it.

I've also got a new problem too. We drove the car all day today (harsh considering it just got back from S.C.) and we've been getting some pretty cold harsh rain. Windshield wipers worked fine.... until I turned them off. It's off position is NOW at it's most raised state, meaning they're blocking my view when they're off .

Another question I've been wanting to ask for future refference is, can you change the instrument panel and its lights? They're cool right now but white gets kinda boring especially aftering seeing it so many times in my dads Z28....

I'm also ganna name the beast lol, okay it's a stock dark metalic blue V6 without T-Tops. any suggestions?

Thanks all for your help...

 

the relays are in a relay/fuse box underneath the hood.. it should have a diagram in it showing you.. you can use a test light to check the posts coming in and out of the relay.. if there staying on it may not be the relays.. i think usually when the relays go out nothing at all happens because they cannot get power but its worth a shot..

 

The diagram is smeered dead white ... I can't tell which relays are for what, any other way I can find the relay for the Turn Signals or flasher if necesary?

Where's the Flasher located on these cars? (98 3.8 V6)...
and what about the windshield wipers that stay in their highest position even when set off?

Thanks!

 

Congrads. on your car I am also a new Camaro owner I bought mine 10 months ago.

 

i have a 97 3.8 so i will look for you on the relays. as far as the wipers are concerned.. it sounds like that is going to be somewhere in the wiring too, unless to motoor is just locking up and not letting it drop. could eb your speed switch on yrou steering column

 

Still lovin my ride, the windshield wipers constantly in my face, and having to manually flash my turn signals is a bit annoying but this is still pretty cool.

I was wondering however, still which relay could the turn signal or flashers be? Noting the four ways work fine and the signals don't flash at all. Also if the wires for the wipers were screwed, how and where should I look for that?

 

If I understand what you are saying: the hazards work but the turn signals don't.

I don't think it has been mentioned that the fuses for these two items are seperate. Thus, the turn signal fuse might be blown but the hazard one is still good. That would be a good explanation for it. The fuses are on the drivers side of the dash board. When you open the drivers door you will se a panel, open it and on the panel it will show a diagram of what fuse goes to what.