I started it and watched and the coolant is dripping off of the lower radiator hose. It looks like it might have a split in it, but I can't tell for sure (I let it idle until it dripped and then stuck my phone in there so I could see and took pics). I'm wondering if it's opening up under pressure and then pulling closed as it cools and allowing the radiator to pull fluid back in as it cools. It's an odd one and I'll have to get the hose off and give it a better look.

More to come.

That, or it's just started and either not enough has leaked to make a visible difference yet, or the air that's replacing the coolant is occupying another spot in the system, making the fluid level look full.

I bought a new lower hose today and some antifreeze. Now I just have to get out to the garage and tear it apart so I can see what we have going on.

Finally getting time for an update.

I replaced the perfectly good hose with another brand new hose and replaced both (new) clamps with two new clamps. I started it and it seemed to be fine and not leaking. I burped it and drove it a few days later.

When I returned from the drive and let it cool, it had about 2" of air in the radiator. During my drive I ran it up to 6k rpm in two gears to help make sure there wasn't air trapped in the system. No worries...

I drove it again two days ago and I just went out and checked and it has about 2" of water missing out of the radiator (coolant, 50/50 mix, not just water). It sat in my driveway and didn't drip a drop while hot or running.

I don't know if it could be a pin hole in the coolant return line from the overflow? It doesn't appear to be leaking, but it seems to be low once it cools. That makes me think water isn't being returned from the overflow?

I'm running out of patience with cars these days. I just don't have the time I used to for this stuff. If it was worth anything, I'd consider just selling it. But I honestly don't know what I'd buy for another "fun car". So I'm back to looking for where the missing coolant is going.

So I just replaced my water pump recently and it was doing something different than I've seen with other bad pumps. Instead of the constant drip I'm used to when they go out, it would puke a good amount then nothing. When it started, I had it in the garage for unrelated work, backed it out and there was a puddle on the floor but I couldn't find a leak. Shrugged it off since I hadn't touched the cooling system, about a week later it puked another puddle. Then I started looking and saw the trail from the pump. I still drove it for like another week no problem, I think it puked a little once more but no constant drip at all. Anyways, just another possibility.

When I went after this leak the last time I replaced the water pump with a new Holley Performance pump, fresh gaskets, new radiator from DeWitts radiators, fresh hoses (upper and lower) and the PS cooler has already been replaced to eliminate any possible leaks there.

Hence being puzzled.

Yeah as far as souping thing up goes I'm pretty much done. Yeah, I'll run it, tune it and perform maintenance, but as far as changing a bunch of parts I'm out for a while. Still 25 years from all that retirement free time.

I swapped the radiator cap to a new cap and warmed the car up to operating temp in my driveway and shut it down. It wasn't dripping anything and when it cooled and I removed the cap the radiator was full. That's a good sign. I was going to go drive it and it started raining. So it's a good sign, but I'm not sure that fixed it yet.

Drove it all over town tonight, made a couple pulls to redline to make sure there wasn't air in it. I just popped the radiator cap and the radiator is full. I think the old cap (which was a new factory GM cap) wasn't letting the coolant back in from the overflow. It wasn't dripping, but I believe it was pushing the coolant out and it wasn't able to get it back, it was getting air instead. So maybe that cap wasn't sealing well? I'm not exactly sure. But I believe it is fixed. Strange.

I finally had time to take the car out yesterday. I drove it to breakfast (I've had it out some this summer, but it seems to be a week apart each time) and left it out front so we could work on a craft project in the garage. The neighbors pulled their truck back over my hood trying to park by me (not sure why) and I moved it up into the driveway. When I hopped in to start it, it started, sputtered, ran poorly for a second and died. I hit the key again and I didn't even get dash lights. It was completely dead.

I grabbed a volt meter and checked the battery and the heavy hot terminal on the fuse block. I thought I saw 12 volts on the battery, but I only saw 2.6 volts at the fuse block. I stood there for a few minutes wondering how I was going to get it back in the garage (my driveway is an 8 degree slope) and decided to try to roll the window up. When I turned the key the dash lit up. I started it and pulled it into the garage. I talked to Racerdad916 and he suggested testing each cell in the battery with some stainless tig rod and a volt meter. Sure enough, the first cell wasn't making any voltage. When I bought this car, it had an 8 year old battery in it. I changed it for a new Interstate battery because I figured it was going to need replaced fairly soon. The new Interstate just died at 3 years. Per the warranty, I'd get a 45% discount off of list for a replacement Interstate...and they aren't open until Monday. So, I looked at Advance Auto. They carry a bunch of no-name brand batteries (Autocraft or something, but nothing Exide or Interstate, etc). They also carry Optima. And I found an online coupon for 25% off and a second one for like 20% cash back. Ultimately it saved me about $53 on the battery and I'll get $20 in cash back on top of that. Thus, I put an Optima red top in it.

The good news is, it starts. The bad news is that the battery tray is broken. The front lip that secures the battery has sheared off. I don't know how or when. The Interstate dealer swapped the last battery for me (I didn't know if there was a code in the radio and they have a "keep alive" battery system for the ECM while they swap batteries). I don't know if the battery hold down bolt was over torqued? Or maybe it's just old. The battery tray is part of the coolant overflow tank. So I ordered one of those from GMpartsdirect. I found a Doorman version cheaper, but I don't know how well it might fit. I trust the GM part to fit the car properly (Doorman probably does too, but I'm low on time).

I'm supposed to drive this at the UMI autocross. I can't do that with a loose battery. I fear the parts aren't going to arrive in time for the event. I've had some other difficulties that we've been trying to overcome to make the event and this has added another level of complexity. So, the car works and the parts are coming. But I'm not sure when to expect them.

I've been in the mood for a C7 Corvette lately. And with the announcement of the new C8, I'm thinking now might be a good time to go "discount C7 shopping". But I'd need to sell this car for garage space. And honestly, this thing is a TON of fun to drive at this point. So I'm torn.

Kevin

Yeah the C-7 Ive been seeing around have been heavily discounted. Combine that with the launch of the C-8. I can see the discounts dropping even more. I really like the c-8!!!!!!!!!!!! Was just snooping on building one found the color the wife likes but she doesn't like the look of the car. Might just have to go buy one again without her Car name would be Black Bitch 2!! AHAHAHA

I've been seeing some C7's for $45k (new). That's a performance bargain, even if it's not a Grand Sport or a Z06, etc.

When my battery hold down/reservoir broke like that I just screwed a small "L" bracket onto it to mimic the stock part. It only took ~10 minutes and it's been rock-solid for 3 or 4 years of auto-X. It may be worth the hack to get it running for the UMI event if you don't think the new bits will arrive by then.

The C7 throttle map is pretty terrible in anything above Touring mode. Track mode is 100% undriveable for autocrossing.

That's interesting information. I hadn't heard anything about that issue.

I drove my friends C7 for testing the course before a big event, and I was surprised how laggy it was. I wasn't sure if all electronic throttle cars were that way or just that car. It made me seriously not want to buy one if all C7s were like that. At Carlisle Corvette show I'd seen an "electronic throttle override" thingy some guy sells - which seemed to quicken up response but was still not 1:1 for pedal movement actually.

My Honda Fit is 100% electronic throttle yet felt more responsive to initial and minor throttle inputs than the C7. Electronic throttle overrides are part of the reason I want to stick with cable throttle on my TA - instant response, for better or worse.

I think Strano still isn't having much luck with getting what he wants from the C7. Not sure about Danny Popp. Everybody still loves C5 though.

The first ~20% of the C7 throttle in sport mode and above correlates to maybe 10% engine power. At ~23% throttle it feels like you are getting 30%. That strange tip-in behavoir makes it extremely difficult to just hop in and go fast right out of the box. I tried driving the car in track mode just once and I was in and out of the throttle about 7 times in a long sweeper with a big countersteer every time I had to back out of it.

In addition to that the timing of the diff lockup is a bit unpredictable. You have a general idea when it will happen but you still have to wait for the computers to finish their calculations and actually decide to do it. I've had best results by driving it similar to what I think a locker would like. Big tip-in to the throttle on corner exit to get it to lock up, then ease up a bit to actually drive the car out of the corner correctly.

Because of this and the fact I only drive the car at ProSolos (C7 GS) I am much faster in touring mode (we use that in the wet only) where the throttle is much more linear and the suspension is softer. At the Toledo Pro I was running the same times as Grant Reeve in the wet despite me being on an inferior Michelin 500TW all season vs the PS4S he was using. Strano was 2 seconds per side behind us on his RE71Rs. In the dry I was about 0.6 seconds per side behind both of them due to me not being used to the throttle weirdness.

Part of that lag is probably part of 'torque management' that GM writes into the ECM code. That can be reduced or completely removed, and really livens up the off-idle performance (and driveability) of the vehicle. That's probably illegal per the rules for anything but Prepared classes (I don't keep up with the SP rules) but can help if it's allowed. We got that done on the Tahoe, and the throttle response is a LOT better.

It's definitely not torque management which can be removed in SP and I assume ST as well. It's purely the ECU trying to figure out what you are really trying to do.

It's a real shame, because the chassis is clearly way more capable than the brains want it to be. I imagine it actually drives nicer on street tires though.

The throttle map in my Silverado is goofy like that. I never managed to determine if I was running into stability control or if it was the throttle mapping. When I'd turn a 90 degree corner and roll into the throttle, it wouldn't go anywhere. Then it would finally decide to move. I wondered if they were trying to keep you from turning a corner, booting the throttle and getting the tail out/rolling the truck? I eventually learned to drive around it.


As for the Camaro, the coolant bottle showed up last night. I am not at the UMI event because the car wasn't going to pass tech (and I had a funeral Thursday night and another friend/co-worker died yesterday so it's been a bad week). Today I'm going to power wash my mother in laws house and then try to get the new coolant bottle/battery tray in the Camaro. We'll see how that goes after I finish spraying down the house. But that's the plan.

I also ordered a new Battery Tender for the Optima red top battery that I bought the other day. I had a small version and the website showed that some of the older ones wouldn't charge certain batteries (depending on the amp/hour capacity of the battery). I'm just going to use that one for the battery in my generator and I'll use the larger one for the Camaro.

Kevin What you are describing is more Stability control. My Tahoe PPV does that too. My commute home has me hit this same turn. left turn with a small bump(10-12mph) My stability control was deactivated(cant turn off) and I couldn't believe the difference how intrusive it really is. I have come up with a way that disables the stability control while still having ABS function. But it has bells and whistles on. But it drives so much better in just normal driving.

I finally got time to install the new coolant bottle. Of course it doesn't come with the rubber grommet that seals the coolant overflow tube into place and the old one was just hard enough that it didn't want to come out (much like putting an air lid on these cars and trying to get the grommet out for the intake air temp sensor). I wound up cutting the old coolant bottle apart and busting apart the plastic section that held the grommet so I could get it out. I managed to get it installed into the new bottle, dropped it in place and transferred the battery hold down tab and bolt.

While it was out, I added a battery tender terminal by placing a ring terminal on the battery input to the fuse box on the drivers side (under the protective red cap) and placing the ground on the radiator support under the bolt for a factory ground. This will allow me to open the hood and plug the battery tender right into the car instead of using battery clip leads each time. I did this because I wanted to simplify hooking up the charger. I use a battery tender all winter, but in the summer I usually drive the car enough that I don't use the charger when it's parked. However, sometimes it sits for a few weeks and that likely allows the battery to drain a decent amount. It will still start just fine, but the alternator may feed it a fairly high charge rate. I'm thinking that high charge rate each time I drive it could be what killed the battery. The battery that was in the car was at least 7 years old when I purchased it. I replaced it with an Interstate battery because they have always been good to me. This is the first one that hasn't lasted.

Hmm, I seem to remember something similar when I replaced the overflow reservoir on our 95! I think it was the grommet between the reservoir and the fill neck, but do remember having to take a sawsall to it to get something out of it.

We keep everything not daily driven on battery tenders. They really do extend the lives of the batteries. We do find, however, when they die, it's usually a pretty instantaneous death, and very rarely having the battery just start acting like it's getting weak. That bit us once when we went to an autocross event. Drove the car onto the trailer under it's own power the day before, and the starter solenoid wouldn't even click when I hit the button. I couldn't even jump start the thing.

Had a friend who was doing some work on his regular ride, so he was going to co-drive with me for that event. After we were done with registration, I turned to him and said "I'll go see if the old heap will start." Damned if it didn't!

I did what you did on the Firebird. When the battery was in the spare tire well, I always wanted to modify the right rear corner marker light to be a bulkhead connector for the tender, but never got around to that. Now that the battery is in the right back seat well, I just have the cable zip-tied to the roll bar and reach in through the passenger window to connect/disconnect it to the tender.

I'm starting to wonder why I live in Ohio. It was super hot and miserable all summer, then we got about 3 days of decent weather and then temps dropped into the freezing range. I don't think I had it out of the garage more than five or six times this year. The last time I drove it was to top it off with fuel and Stabil for the winter. It was cold and I had tire spin issues all the way across the street from my gas station to my neighborhood. Cold summer tires get pretty slick. I want to toss fresh tires on it in the spring, these are 3 years old, but have tons of tread.

The question is, do I keep it or do I consider sending it to a new home and going in search of something else?

I've had a crazy idea about stuffing a Mustang Ecoboost 4 cylinder in a Miata and cranking it up to 400-500 hp. It seems like it would be absolute insanity and a really good time. And, I'm assuming (but don't know) that the engine should be an easy fit overall.

Ha, I was just driving around in the semi-cold on the 4-year old worn NT05s. The car was sliding in a 4 wheel drift around slow 90s and all I could think was "Just let it do its thing like a race quad"

^^ Crazy indeed! I don't know for certain, but have read anecdotally that the EB 2.3 is a tall engine. So tall, in fact that it won't fit into a Fox Mustang chassis without a fair amount of movement down and back from the factory location for the OEM 2.3L engine. Even then, a different hood may be required. I'd say you're better off dropping a Mazda 2.5L into one, but have read that the 2.5 head doesn't flow as well as the factory Miata head. Many years ago, one of the guys in our local SCCA Region had a Miata with the Flying Miata turbo kit. The thing was stupid fast back then (maybe 10 years ago?). I can imagine they've only gotten better with time.

When we had our 95, my wife would pretty much only drive it in the winter time. You'd cook in your own sweat when driving with the top down during the summer. Although I only did it once, and would never do it again, she'd drive it to work with the heat cranked up and the top down on nice winter days. We don't get 'stupid cold' like Ohio but a few days out of the year here, though, but we did run summer tires on it all the time (one set on Vette knock-off wheels were Nitto 555's, IIRC). It was going to spin the tires anyway.

I’ve been wanting to put the 1.5 turbo from a new Civic Si in a Miata. It’s such a tiny engine and it makes great power and has plenty of aftermarket tuning support. Many shops with 300+ wheel HP out of a 1.5 liter engine.

Mom's Accord pulls like a freight train for a 1.5, and that's non-Si trim in a 400+ lb. heavier car.

It’s a seriously impressive little engine, and you can get another 55 hp and 75 tq at the wheels from just a plug-in tune. My car is bone stock and it has great acceleration for what it is, I’ve had it up to 140 and it was still pulling pretty good. Not to mention the damn thing averages 37.5 mpg and I’m not exactly the most fuel conscious driver. That engine is begging to be swapped into a fun little RWD car. It’s so small and compact it should fit anywhere.

It's comparable to a Hayabusa engine with way more torque and sold to the masses.

I've basically decided to sell the M3 for the same reasons. I don't have time to take it out and enjoy it.

With all these engine swap ideas I really wish someone had wanted my wrecked 1.0T Fiesta. That powertrain was just begging to be swapped into something stupid.

So, you reach a time in every "project cars" life where you wonder what to do next. I've had a string of mostly finished projects and then this one. This one is "done", or it could be. Is it? Now I'm wondering if it's time to find something else to play with or move this one to the next plateau? We've been discussing some fun engine swaps and I've had the itch to build a kit car (Cobra or something fun....like a "Radical"....but a cheaper version. lol). I have welders and have had an itch to get back to fabricating things and doing some welding.

So, do I consider putting a roll bar in this car so I can do fun things with it? It's still a heavy pig, but it could be fun for some events with a roll bar. On the other hand, it's a truly rust free and immaculate car and I'm not wanting to "cut it up". I've considered putting the bar in and welding in floor plates such that I can cut a roll bar out, grind it down and put new carpet back over it at a later date. I'm not saying this car will eventually be valuable, but people didn't think their '69 Camaro would be valuable when they cut it up as a race car either.

Plan B. A small cam and maybe heads? I'd love this car to have 50 or so additional HP. But I don't want to do headers (and deal with scraping or leaking). So I'd want to do a small enough cam to keep the cats and avoid any low end drivability issues. I'm guessing something like a 216/220 around 500 lift. Something that won't tear up valve springs and I can drive anywhere.

Or do I sell it and look for the next interesting thing? I mean, it's all set up. Coilovers, Stoptech brakes, suspension, etc. It's a really driveable car that is ready for anything and it's fun.

At some point, I think a car should be "done" at least for any individual. I've been simply trying to enjoy mine for a few years now and it's been great. It's getting close to to time for some serious maintenance and maybe new shocks and it has me thinking small upgrades again. I don't drive it a ton, but I do love taking it out when I can. I'm keeping mine, but I may get a new project, or turn my old truck into a project. Getting rid of my SS is just not going to happen, I love it too much.

This is basically done. I'd like to get the Rocketman adapters installed with the Xtracker front bearings. I'd like more power and maybe a watts link. And if I wanted to play in CAM or do a track day, I need a roll bar. Hence I'm creeping up on a cross roads.

Don't cut it up, don't open the engine. I'd say just leave it. Hubs would be OK b/c those are 100% bolt on, and sooner or later... But the rest, just enjoy. Keep it clean, drive it and be worry free. Find a new really cool project, something different. At least I'd do something really different. Like an Exocet, Exovette, or electric Exocet type thing.

+1! Don't cut it up. It'll never be a 'race car' unless you _really_ do some surgery. It can be a fun toy, though, and a nice top-down cruiser. As you say, it's heavy. that was what surprised me about our '95, how heavy it felt.

I don't keep up with the rules, so don't know, but do you need a roll bar for CAM, or is it simply a place to connect harnesses to? Our 95 had a bolt-in 4-point, which seemed pretty decent. The back seat was only good for the pups, though, after that. It all fit under the top, too.

But that's just my opinion.

Don't cut it! You know how that story goes, once you start...

Is that your only "fun" car? If so keep it for a fun daily/weekender and get a toy for track/autox.

I'm trying to decide myself what to do. My Camaro is halfway between street and track, and I really want a C5 dedicated track car and keep my Camaro for fun driving on the street. I ran that by the misses and shes ok with the C5 track car but the Camaro has to go! Needless to say I gotta keep working on that! I also thought about making my Camaro a CMC car, then I can someday come home with another fun street car and say it just followed me home

Yea, I'm not talking about truly cutting it up into a race car. Just the next evolution of a street car. It's big, it's fat, it's heavy....and it's never going to be competitive.



Cam requires a bar and HDPE requires a bar. Thus, I am stuck with "just driving it". Now, it's fun to drive and it's super streetable with the current setup. It's actually what GM should have built from the factory. It doesn't squeak, no rattles, no clunks, it goes when you go, stops (Thanks Stoptech!) when you stop and turns (Thanks UMI!) when you turn. It has reflexes and is much improved from the wallowy factory float-box that GM sold as a Z28 convertible.

Thus, maybe it is done. Sadly, I feel like it could be worth money (in 20 years) if I sit on it. Or not. And my bride even said she thinks we will continue with a fun car, but probably not "this one". So maybe I should consider selling it. I don't know... In bad news, the last time I added up the parts list for this car, I think I had $25k and change in it....and I've spent a decent amount of money since then. I refuse to part it out, so I'd have to sell it as is (or swap in a stock radiator, stock brakes, etc and sell it "more stock"....but I'm also lazy these days). If it just had a roof/T-tops, I could actually do more fun things with it.

I've been meaning to go to the local drag strip and see if I can get thrown out. 12.99 in a convertible with no bar should get you tossed. It "should" run that, but I'm not sure if it will using the current suspension and the current driver. lol.

CAM doesn't require a roll bar... unless the safety section they reference requires it for open cars, which I don't have time to read right now.

https://www.scca.com/downloads/48152-2020-c...-11-26/download

I need to make a list like this for my '02 Z, but I'm afraid of the bottom line

~DaVe

I did this back in the early 2000's on a now defunct local web forum. There was debate on whether to include parts only installed on the vehicle, or include spares, repairs, maintenance, labor, etc. I don't have time to go over everything, but the low hanging fruit in the past 2-3 years:

Street wheels & tires: $3000
Front suspension: $5000
Rear suspension: $3000
Steering: $1400
Cooling: $550
Rear-end: $1500
Engine rebuild (labor): $7000ish
Engine rebuild (new parts): $7000

I know I've forgotten a few things, I added two to this list. I didn't do as well at keeping track as things went on. This list seems bad enough at this point. lol. Sadly, I suspect I'd only be able to list it for $15k and I doubt I'd actually get that (unless I found the right buyer who just had to have it).



Yea, I haven't counted oil changes. But there was some maintenance stuff in the list. Though I had a coolant leak and therefore the new hoses and stuff were somewhere between a repair and an upgrade. I've spent more than what's on the list, but there's plenty on the list. People can always subtract out anything they don't think belongs, but they can't guess if it's not there. I'm sure there is more, but I can't think what right now.

I also paid a bit under $200 (from memory) for an SLP Y pipe. I bolted it on and couldn't decide how it was going to fit and if it was going to rub or make noise and I took it off. I might find time to put it back on, but it's out in the garage too.

I changed water pump gaskets on the car yesterday and it appears to have stopped the drip that I've had since I last drove it (it only drips when I start it). I have no idea why, but my original 2002 and this car have both had water pump gaskets leak on me. The original 2002 did it at like 33k miles and again about 80k. This one got a new water pump with the cooling system upgrade and it appeared to be leaking on the passengers side. I installed new Felpro gaskets and torqued it to 22 ft lbs as specified and the leak appears to be gone. As a side note, I ordered an AC Delco water pump gasket from Jegs and when it arrived it was a single gasket (for $9.50). Who replaces a single gasket? I know they are supposed to be reusable, but they seem to leak as it is, so I always replace them in pairs. I also ordered a set of Mishomoto silicone hoses for the waterpump to radiator connections. They came with a 2004 and up "racing thermostat". Now, the typical 2002 Camaro has the old style thermostat in it that uses the water neck/housing combo. I have changed mine over, but many have not. So they include a thermostat (that I'm assuming isn't real cheap) that likely won't work in most of the cars that buy this hose kit. Or maybe everybody has changed their pumps by now. Either way, I'm just going to return it all. NAPA got me fixed up for $8.50 with some new gaskets and I already had coolant.

So, I got it out to drive it last night. Now I need to fix the last remaining issue. I have some tires that were run a bit low on air and one of them has a "soft spot". I've been meaning to replace them and just haven't managed to take the time to do so. Last night I was feeling what felt like a warped rotor and after going out to bed the brakes again (they were bedded before it was parked), I realized that the issue is likely the soft tire and has nothing to do with the brakes. Now I'm trying to decide what to order for new street tires. I have been running the 160 treadwear Sumitomo HTR-Z tires from Tirerack....but those are no longer listed. I like them because they are cheap and fairly grippy for the money. I'm now searching for alternatives. I'm also trying to avoid some of the tires that run on the "narrow" end of the scale (that look like they are too small for the wheels, I'd rather have the wider footprint).

Any thoughts?

I just ordered a set of Nitto NT05's from Discount Tire Direct, they have them on sale AND a $80 rebate until June 5th ... just a low cost option
~Hoppie

What do you think about the "new" Firestone Indy 500?

I was just looking at those. I don't think they are particularly good in the rain, but I'm considering them. EugenioSS used to run them as street tires. My current tires are 160 treadwear and have lived for 4 years. I suspect they will harden from aging before I ever wear them out.



I'm not sure. I almost bought a set a few years ago and I was looking at them again today. They might be a good option as well.

NT05s are supposed to be OK in the rain, but for me they were only like that when they were brand new. After a year and a few thousand miles they got a lot worse any rain that made the road shiny. Maybe they're still fine if you've got full stability control, but that's not us! That's why I'm curious about the Indy 500 -- it's supposed to be much better in the wet. Hate having to worry about parking it when a downpour can literally happen any day between March and September.

I think I'm leaning towards the BF Goodrich Sport Comp 2. They are listed as being like 10.9" in section width and 10.5" where the Firestones (and others) are 10.5" section and about 9.4" of tread (give or take, they all vary a bit).

https://www.discounttire.com/buy-tires/bfgo...-comp-2/p/37064