fuel CHEVROLET CAMARO 1982 Repair Guide

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COMPONENT LOCATION - 1988-1989 2.8L FUEL INJECTED

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COMPONENT LOCATION - CROSS-FIRE FUEL INJECTION

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FIG. 6: 1984 2.8L CARBURETED; CANADA

1985 2.8L FUEL INJECTED

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1986-1989 2.8L FUEL INJECTED

1990-1992 3.1L FUEL INJECTED

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1987-1988 5.0L CARBURETED

5.0L CROSS-FIRE FUEL INJECTION

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ENGINE PERFORMANCE AND TUNE-UP

TUNE-UP PROCEDURES
In order to extract the full measure of performance and economy from your
engine it is essential that it is properly tuned at regul ar intervals. A regular tune-
up will keep your Camaro's engine running smoothly and will prevent the
annoying breakdowns and poor perform ance associated with an untuned
engine.
A complete tune-up should be performed every 30,000 miles (48,000 km). This
interval should be halved if the car is operated under severe conditions such as
trailer towing, prolonged idling, start-and- stop driving, or if starting or running
problems are noticed. It is assumed that the routine maintenance described in
General Information & Maintenance has been kept up, as this will have a
decided effect on the result s of a tune-up. All of the applicable steps of a tune-
up should be followed in order, as the result is a cumulative one.
If the specifications on the underhoo d tune-up sticker in the engine
compartment of your car disagree with th e "Tune-Up Specifications" chart in this
Section, the figures on the sticker must be used. The sticker often reflects
changes made during t he production run.
SPARK PLUGS
A typical spark plug consists of a metal shell surrounding a ceramic insulator. A
metal electrode extends downward through the center of the insulator and
protrudes a small distance. Located at the end of the plug and attached to the
side of the outer metal shell is the side el ectrode. The side electrode bends in at
a 90 angle so that its tip is just pas t and parallel to the tip of the center
electrode. The distance between these two electrodes (measured in
thousandths of an inch or hundredths of a millimeter) is called the spark plug
gap.
The spark plug does not pr oduce a spark, but instead provides a gap across
which the current can arc. The coil produces anywhere from 20,000 to 50,000
volts (depending on the type and application) which travels through the wires to
the spark plugs. The current passes along the center electrode and jumps the
gap to the side electrode, and in doing so, ignites the air/fuel mixture in the
combustion chamber.

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SPARK PLUG HEAT RANGE
Spark plug heat range is
the ability of the plug to dissipate heat. The longer the
insulator (or the farther it extends in to the engine), the hotter the plug will
operate; the shorter the insulator (the cl oser the electrode is to the block's
cooling passages) the cooler it will operate. A plug that absorbs little heat and
remains too cool will quickly accumulate deposits of oil and carbon since it is
not hot enough to burn them off. This leads to plug fouling and consequently to
misfiring. A plug that absorbs too much heat will have no deposits but, due to
the excessive heat, the electrodes will burn away quickly and might possibly
lead to preignition or other ignition probl ems. Preignition takes place when plug
tips get so hot that they gl ow sufficiently to ignite the air/fuel mixture before the
actual spark occurs. This early igniti on will usually cause a pinging during low
speeds and heavy loads.

Fig. 3: Spark plug heat range
The general rule of thumb for choosing the correct heat range when picking a
spark plug is: if most of your driving is long distanc e, high speed travel, use a
colder plug; if most of your driving is stop and go, use a hotter plug. Original
equipment plugs are general ly a good compromise between the 2 styles and
most people never have the need to change their plugs from the factory-
recommended heat range.
REMOVAL & INSTALLATION
A set of spark plugs usually requi res replacement after about 20,000-30,000
miles (32,000-48,000 km), depending on y our style of driving. In normal
operation plug gap increases about 0.001 in. (0.025mm) for every 2500 miles
(4000 km). As the gap increases, the plug' s voltage requirement also increases.
It requires a greater voltage to jump t he wider gap and about two to three times

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as much voltage to fire the plug at hi
gh speeds than at idle. The improved
air/fuel ratio control of modern fuel injection combin ed with the higher voltage
output of modern ignition systems will often allow an engine to run significantly
longer on a set of standard spark plugs, but keep in mind that efficiency will
drop as the gap widens (along wit h fuel economy and power).
When you're removing spark plugs, work on one at a time. Don't start by
removing the plug wires all at once, because, unless you number them, they
may become mixed up. Take a minute before you begin and number the wires
with tape.
1. Disconnect the negative battery cabl e, and if the vehicle has been run
recently, allow the engine to thoroughly cool.
2. Carefully twist the spark plug wire boot to loosen it, then pull upward and
remove the boot from the plug. Be su re to pull on the boot and not on the
wire, otherwise the connector locat ed inside the boot may become
separated.
3. Using compressed air, blow any water or debris from the spark plug well
to assure that no harmful contam inants are allowed to enter the
combustion chamber when the spark plug is removed. If compressed air
is not available, use a rag or a brush to clean the area.
Remove the spark plugs when the engine is cold, if possible, to prevent damage
to the threads. If removal of the plugs is difficult, apply a few drops of
penetrating oil or silicone spray to t he area around the base of the plug, and
allow it a few minutes to work.
4. Using a spark plug socket that is equipped with a rubber insert to
properly hold the plug, turn the spar k plug counterclockwise to loosen
and remove the spark pl ug from the bore.
WARNING - Be sure not to use a flexible extension on the socket. Use of a
flexible extension may allow a shear fo rce to be applied to the plug. A shear
force could break the plug off in the cylinder head, leading to costly a\
nd
frustrating repairs.
To install:
5. Inspect the spark plug boot for t ears or damage. If a damaged boot is
found, the spark plug wire must be replaced.
6. Using a wire feeler gauge, check and adjust the spark plug gap. When
using a gauge, the proper size shoul d pass between the electrodes with
a slight drag. The next larger size should not be able to pass while the\

next smaller size should pass freely.
7. Carefully thread the plug into the bor e by hand. If resistance is felt before
the plug is almost completely th readed, back the plug out and begin
threading again. In small, hard to r each areas, an old spark plug wire and
boot could be used as a th reading tool. The boot will hold the plug while
you twist the end of the wire and t he wire is supple enough to twist
before it would allow t he plug to crossthread.

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ELECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEM

GENERAL INFORMATION
The High Energy Ignition (HEI) system
controls the fuel combustion by
providing a spark to ignite the compress ed air/fuel mixture at the correct time.
To provide improved engine performance, fuel economy, and control of exhaust
emissions, the engine contro l module (ECM) controls distributor spark advance
(timing) with an ignition control system.
The distributor may have an internal, or ex ternal ignition coil. To be certain of
the type coil used for your vehicle, vis ually inspect the ignition system. If the
ignition coil is inside the distributor c ap, it connects through a resistance brush
to the rotor. If your vehicle is equipped with an external ignition coil, it connects
to the rotor through a high tension wire.

Fig. 1: Distributor with exterior ignition coil - 1987 vehicle shown
The distributor contains the ignition c ontrol module, and the magnetic triggering
device. The magnetic pickup assembly contains a permanent magnet, a pole
piece with internal "teeth", and a pickup co il (not to be confused with the ignition
coil).
All spark timing changes are done electr onically by the engine control module
(ECM) which monitors information from various engine sensors. The ECM
computes the desired spark timing and t hen signals the distributor ignition
module to change the timing accordingly. No vacuum or mechanical advance
systems are used.

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The tachometer terminal should never
be allowed to touch ground, as damage
to the computer control module and/or ignition coil assembly can result.
CONNECTORS
When disengaging connectors, do not use a screw driver or other tool to release
the locking tab, as this mi ght break the connector.
SYSTEM TESTERS
Instruments designed specific ally for testing HEI or C
3I systems are available
from several tool manufactur ers. Some of these will even test the module itself.
However, the tests given in the followin g section will require only an ohmmeter
and a voltmeter.
TESTING
The symptoms of a defective component within the HEI or C
3I system are
exactly the same as those you woul d encounter in a conventional system.
Some of these symptoms are:
• Hard or no starting
• Rough Idle
• Poor fuel economy
• Engine misses under load or while accelerating
PRELIMINARY CHECKS
If you suspect a problem in your igniti on system, there are certain preliminary
checks which you should carry out befor e you begin to check the electronic
portions of the system. First, it is extrem ely important to make sure the vehicle
battery is in a good state of charge. A defective or poorly charged battery will
cause the various components of the ignition system to read incorrectly when
they are being tested. Second, make su re all wiring connections are clean and
tight, not only at the battery, but also at the distributor cap (if so equipped),
ignition coil, camshaft and/or crankshaft sensors (if so equipped) and at the
control module.
Since the only difference between these ignition systems lies before the spark
plug wiring, it is important to check the secondary ig nition circuit first. If the
secondary circuit checks out properly (ther e is spark), then the engine condition
is probably not the fault of the ignition system. To check the secondary ignition
system, perform a simple spark test. Remove one of the plug wires and insert
some sort of extension in the plug socket. An old spark plug with the ground
electrode removed makes a good extension. Hold the wire and extension using
an insulated tool (NOT BY HAND) about
1/4 in. (6mm) away from the block and
crank the engine. If a normal spark occurs, then the problem is most likely not in
the ignition system. Check for fuel system problems, or fouled spark plugs.