Hey guys, I have a question regarding a camaro im going to purchase. First off, my first camaro when I first got it, when I gunned it it would just DIE, absolutley no power, just nothing, completely stops, seriously being in neutral was faster. Now this one I tested is doing it too. I thought warm it up, let it warm up 5 min, then took it for a ride, found a abandoned road, well pretty dead anyway, then floored it. Foot went down, then no take off, no movement, just sat there, then took my foot off did it again then it TOOK OFF. Whats happening there?

yea my 77 camaro does that somtimes 2. im not sure what it is due to im new at being a mechanic.

It really pisses me off, because when I had mine, it would do that so I had to avoid freeways to just not get ran over.

Id check fuel filter, fuel pressure, could be vaccum leak or carb.

your carb squirter could be too small or your accelarator pump (sp) can be bad or the cam is wrong.

What type carb is on it,sounds like it not getting a pump shot,like 81z was saying ck the squirters.

It's either going very lean or very rich.

I would supect the squirt first. (This would cause it to go lean.)

If it's a Q-Jet, make sure the secondary spring is connected and closing when you let off the gas. It could be stuck open. (Very rich if the secondaries are dumping from low rpm and high vacuum.)

new to you car,, then all these should be check'd. correct ignition timing and curve. correct idle mixture, good wires/plugs/rotor/cap, distributor advance weights sticking and not advancing timing. distributor vacuum pod not leaking vacuum, breaker or pickup coil plate under rotor sticking/not rotating, vacuum leaks is a big one, accelerator pump as mentioned, quadrajet primary throttle bore wore flat out sucking air/leaking vacuum arround the shaft and bore, fuel filter, old fuel pump not pumping enough due to hard diaphram inside but not leaking yet, air door on quadrajet secondaries opening too soon, full 12 volts to the distributor with hei ign., coil outputting blue spark to the plugs, etc.....i'm sure there's more. those came to mind.
you could really make a long list when you're not sure of the car's maintenance history.

Sounds like the flaps on the secondaries are not adjusted right and are just falling completely open when you floor it.

If you floor it slowly instead of kicking the pedal down, does the problem go away? That would be a biiiig hint as to what is wrong.

Yes if i floor it slowly it doesnt want to take a dump. As for all of that I plan on heading over there and tell him look, i want to buy it but I want to see if I can fix it first, if I do im shaving the price tag. The guy made this a total red neck ride for sure as you said previously. However im young, I have the power. Ill get back to you later after I check it out some more.
Edit : Has the stock everything, uses a Quadra jet, I hear there good carbs but have a problem with a plug in the side leaking fuel...weld it =D.

Also, you may want to check to be sure you don't have the dreaded Chevrolet flat cam.

Also, you may want to check to be sure you don't have the dreaded Chevrolet flat cam.
:eek: heh....god i hope not

check your timeing not only at idle but the total as well this can cause big problems if your not fireing in the right place

i would put a carb that u know is good on it and get the timing right and see what u have

Aside from some good advice on timing stated here...

I've see the Vaccum break was mentioned and is easy to check ( it holds back the air door on the secondaries ) The accelerator pump was also mentioned and could be the cuprit though you should be able to see it squirt just by looking and pushing. On my sons 80 pick up and at least a few other older GMs w/Q-Jets I have also seen the EGR valve and port cause just that problem. Block off the EGR all together and see how it runs. Bad throotle shafts are common, but aren't usually so bad they cause what you are describing.

Always a challenge to "trouble shoot" over the internet.

jsut in case my timing is at 36 at 2400 rpm u could probaly base yours on that and i think its at 16 at idle i will check tommorow

Yeah well I just took off the valve covers, there was white stuff everywhere, apparently there was water in there and the car had been sitting a while. On that note...I found a fat slab of bondo, huge, on one side. It was being covered by a stripe...heh. So I just told him I am not bothering with it. So now im back to repairing mine. If you see any full right hand side panels, LET ME KNOW lol.

I'd say you dodged a big bullet there. Good for you. I hate guys who try to flog a car with a cracked block or head. Thats almost assuredly what that one has. Some of these guys try to pass it off as "condensation". I've personnely never seen one with white in the oil or in the system that turned out to be "condensation". It was cracked!

My Parents Had A Dodge Dart That Did The Same Thing. Couldnt Figure Out. But The Car Would Die. Took To School Where I Was Taking Automechanics And Asked My Teacher. He Told Me To Check The Choke. That Fixed It. Start The Car Open Hood And Take Off Air Filter. Push Throttle Back On Carb And See If. Butterflies Are Opening Up All The Way And Also Check Accel. Pump Is Going Down. If Car Has Lots Of Miles I'd Rebuild Carb Or Get Another One..

Yeah this thread is officially closed, my car will be placed in my driveway with a car cover over it for a few months, ill get another car in the meantime and start this project all over. Thanks guys.

Could be the distributor pickup coil. Mine did this,checked good with the VTM. Replaced it, problem solved.

did u get it fixed yet