94 Camaro Starting/Running Problems

Hey all, new to the forum and Im just hoping I can get some advice.

My 94 has been having problems for about a year now. The car used to run great and I never had any problems-they came all at once.

About 3 months or so ago, I go out to start the car one day and from that point on it had starting problems. The car wouldnt kick over, the battery would eventually die, and I would have to get a jump. Eventually, the starter completely died. The car overheated one day so I took it into the shop. I had a bad sludge problem in the cooling system.

The dealer told me I needed to replace the radiator, water pump, and thermostat. I didnt have 1200 dollars, so I took the car back, they said it was running now but wouldnt last.

Well since then, the car hasnt over heated once (They did flush it, but didnt replace any parts, and there is a yellow slime in the radiator). I have replaced the starter, battery, air filter, spark plugs and have cleaned out the carb and choke. When I go out to start the car in the morning, it takes about 7-8 times before it kicks over. It does start every time, but it takes a good minute before it wants to kick over.

My check gages light was coming on, but after it was flushed that stopped coming on.

The car doesnt run too great either. It seems to be fine until I hit 60-then my SES light comes on and the car just seems to not want to accelerate any faster and starts to run choppy. Its like the car has lost a lot of its power. Ive been keeping a close eye on keeping water in the radiator, keeping an eye on the oil and trans fluid.

I guess the main things Im wondering is, how much of a problem is the cooling system right now? It is the middle of winter so I dont see the car overheating.. and it was running fine when it was hot out-I only had it overheating on me once. Does anyone know why it could be so hard to kick over, and why it has lost a lot of power? What could cause both of these problems at once, cause Im guessing theyre related..

Thanks!

I guess the main thing I'm wondering is how does one clean a carb and choke on a 1994 camaro?

Unless you neglected to mention some major modifications here? An anwser to your problem is not likely to happen.

Welcome to the board, but let's get the facts straight here please.

I guess the main thing I'm wondering is how does one clean a carb and choke on a 1994 camaro?

Unless you neglected to mention some major modifications here? An anwser to your problem is not likely to happen.

Welcome to the board, but let's get the facts straight here please.

Maybe I called it the wrong name.. That big plastic thing over the engine I cleaned out. I dont know crap about cars.

It's ok, I'm not bashing you or anything. I'm just trying to let you know, you'd get the entirely wrong answers when you say you're car is carbureted when it's actually fuel injected.

Honestly, you're best guide to solving the problem, is that SES light, let the car tell you where the problem is (not what part is wrong). The trouble code stored in that computer is worth hours of staring at an engine wondering what's wrong with it. You need to find an OBD I - HYBRID (on board diagnostics gen. I crossover) reader to get the code fron the computer. Don't try and stick a paper clip or wire in the diagnostic terminal like in the old days, won't work.

My first guess tho is something with the coolant temp sensor and/or circuit, would cause both problems, hard starting, poor performance and throw a code.

It's ok, I'm not bashing you or anything. I'm just trying to let you know, you'd get the entirely wrong answers when you say you're car is carbureted when it's actually fuel injected.

Honestly, you're best guide to solving the problem, is that SES light, let the car tell you where the problem is (not what part is wrong). The trouble code stored in that computer is worth hours of staring at an engine wondering what's wrong with it. You need to find an OBD I - HYBRID (on board diagnostics gen. I crossover) reader to get the code fron the computer. Don't try and stick a paper clip or wire in the diagnostic terminal like in the old days, won't work.

My first guess tho is something with the coolant temp sensor and/or circuit, would cause both problems, hard starting, poor performance and throw a code.

Do you think the car is in any danger of dieing out on me or having some expensive damage?

Where do I find that reader at? Should I start calling parts stores?

Do you think the car is in any danger of dieing out on me or having some expensive damage?

Where do I find that reader at? Should I start calling parts stores?

All major problems start out as minor ones, so I would be looking into it especially since you and the car's ECM notice it.

Yes you can get a reader/scanner at parts stores. For this exact situation, you NEED one that understands OBD I - hybrids (1994-mid 1995 while GM was crossing over to OBD II). But, might I also suggest being open minded? If you have other cars that are newer, or whatnot, try and get one that's compatable with all your needs. They are more important than a ratchet set nowadays.

What kind of reader would I get for my 93? Just an OBD I? And I could get it at a Checker store maybe (I'm not sure if they're a national chain)?

Basically, if your connector is a 12 pin rec tangular l===l an obd I is what you need.

If you have the 16 pin OBD II style connector \===/ you need a hybrid.

Well now, the car light saying ABS INOP is coming on. The car's temperature gauge hit the red, but the car didnt stall, and it eventually went back down. I dont know what Im gonna do, this car is on its deathbed I just have no money to fix it.

Dude, relax. Honestly the 'mechanis' you took it to saying that the practilcally the whole damn cooling system needs to be replaced is shotgunning it, wich means he's throwing all possible parts involved and praying one will resolve the issue.

The ABS light for now I'd assume is a seperate issue at this time.

Sorry nobody else has dove in on this yet. This is one of those issues where you need a keen eye to diagnose. Multiple problems that seem to happen all at once have one common ground (pun intended) to each other.

Are you constanlty adding coolant? When the temp guage reads that high, are the cooling fans (s)running. You need to identify if the car is truely overheating, third gen camaros '82-92 before your model came out, you might as well not even have a guage cluster in because they can't be trusted. Which sucks because there is no check guage, or check oil, temp light to back them up really.

Dude, relax. Honestly the 'mechanis' you took it to saying that the practilcally the whole damn cooling system needs to be replaced is shotgunning it, wich means he's throwing all possible parts involved and praying one will resolve the issue.

The ABS light for now I'd assume is a seperate issue at this time.

Sorry nobody else has dove in on this yet. This is one of those issues where you need a keen eye to diagnose. Multiple problems that seem to happen all at once have one common ground (pun intended) to each other.

Are you constanlty adding coolant? When the temp guage reads that high, are the cooling fans (s)running. You need to identify if the car is truely overheating, third gen camaros '82-92 before your model came out, you might as well not even have a guage cluster in because they can't be trusted. Which sucks because there is no check guage, or check oil, temp light to back them up really.

Well I tried to drive the car around town and its stalling now. I have no idea what Im looking for, all I know is there is a thick yellow sludge in the radiator and coming out of the radiator opening where u put water in...

did you mix anit freeze types? sounds like that or somebody dumped a crap load of stop leak (bad stuff) in it.

You need to jump on a solution or stop driving it.

Do you think I could just change the radiator?

I'd try backflushing it, you can get a "kit" by prestone from just about anywhere. It comes with your hose clamps and various size t's that you simply put in line with the heater core return twist your garden hose onto the t fitting and let her rip until the water runs clear out of the radiator. if it dosen't work, your onlyt out 2.99 + antifreeze for the attempt, but it jsut might.

Please tell me it's not stop (barz) leaks in there.

I'd try backflushing it, you can get a "kit" by prestone from just about anywhere. It comes with your hose clamps and various size t's that you simply put in line with the heater core return twist your garden hose onto the t fitting and let her rip until the water runs clear out of the radiator. if it dosen't work, your onlyt out 2.99 + antifreeze for the attempt, but it jsut might.

Please tell me it's not stop (barz) leaks in there.

Well the car was actually flushed the the dealership, and they said that they let stuff soak in it overnight and it was so bad that the radiator, water pump, and thermostat needed to be replaced. And they want 1200 for that.

I had a similar problem to you with my 94 Z28 as far as the car acting all wacky and stalling and not wanting to start and the temp gauges screwing up and overheating lost power upon acceleration. It turned out to be a $10 Coolant temp sensor located right beneath the waterpump. You would be amazed at how much crap that little sensor effected. Yeah it says COOLANT temp sensor but the effects of a bad one go way beyond the cooling system. The car ran great after that was replaced.

hey, something similar happen to my 95 camaro, its sounds like u have a blown head gasket, the temp gauge when to the max but not really overheated and after awhile the car would turn back on. have you checked your oil to see if its whiteish or different color. if u keep running the car this way eventually u will run into big problems. i had to do my head and after that it started knocking so i had to do me main and rod bearings. but check that out.

For the problem that the dealership said you had, and the yellow stuff you are seeing, I agree with wright...the Dealer only flushed it once, but you still see that crap in there, so that means you need to flush it again(and again and again if necessary).
Like wright said, flush all the fluid out and just keep running water from your garden hose through the whole system. You dont need someone else to do that for you. Also pull off your lower radiator hose and look inside, any crap in there? Also stick your finger in the radiator where the lower radiator hose goes and feel around for any of that sludge you were talking about...if there is still some after you have been running the hose through it for a while, the you need to keep flushing it.
After you think you got it all, put the hoses back on and fill the whole cooling system with regular water (no coolant). Anti freeze is just what the name implies, its to prevent freezing in winter, but I wouldnt recommend useing nothing but water for regular driving, I do in this TEMPORARY case.
Drive your car for a while with just water, let it heat up (not overheat) and flow through your system. In this case, try to avoid stop-and-go traffic. Try to get atleast a half hour of driving in. Then go home and drain the whole system of all the water and watch it carefully as it flows out, look for discoleration(like that yellow stuff) or goo comming out with the water which should still look like clear water(mabe a little brown from, but not much) If you dont notice much color in the water as it drains, then you may have gotten it all out, if it is obvious that there was alot mixed with the water, then do it again.
When you think you got it all. Then refill the coolant(50/50) and it couldnt hurt to change the coolant temp sensor(like $10) and hopefully that will mark the end of this chapter of your auto troubles. :icon16:

never leave the water in tho, it will rust and it can hurt your thermostat, causing it to rust and stick.

Well thats true. Thats why I said that it is temporary and shouldnt be driven that way for long.
You know there was a time when cars ONLY had water too cool them. And they were fine with that, so long as the temp didnt drop below freezing. But these are different times and our cooling systems have been designed in such a way that a 50/50 mix is a necessity if they are going to last.