Hello,

Hoping that someone here can help me out with my question and offer a
solution??

We have a 1981 Camaro 4.4L, 267 V-8 engine ( the small "gas saving 8
cylinder of the early 80's" ), that we have had garaged for a few years
now, that we are trying to restore.

Anyway, the car was very hard to start when the cold weather arrived in
November and December, and it always took like between 6-15 cranks to
start it during the winter months ( we are located in the northeast U.S.
).

We took the car to a mechanic who supposedly only fixes GM cars and
trucks, and told him how the camaro had no problems starting up in the
warmer summer weather, but was very hard to start in the colder winter
weather.

So, we have no idea what he did, but now whenever you start the car, and
the engine has not run for about 20 minutes or more, you start it up,
and the engine idles real "HIGH" and LOUD for about 2-3 minutes and
then you have keep stepping on the gas and rev the engine every couple
seconds, so that it idles at a normal level.

I can't like this, and want this fixed!!

You go to start up the car, whether you are at the gas station, grocery
store, shopping mall, in your driveway, etc, etc, and you have to sit
there in the car for like 3 minutes, with the engine idling super high,
fast, and loud, revving the engine every couple of seconds, to get the
thing to idle normally!!??

We then took the car to two other mechanics, and they both looked at it,
and said they have "NO IDEA" what he did, or how to fix it!!!!????

Does anyone have any ideas, theories or suggestions, of what this guy
did, and how to fix it?????

Any info. will be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks!

MICHELLE H. wrote:

Is this a fuel injected system?

No fuel injection on the car. It has a 2 bbl carburetor. Someone
suggested that he set the "fast idle speed" way to high, and that we
bring the car back to him so that he can fix it. The problem is, the guy
already screwed the car up, so we just don't trust him. He may be a "GM"
expert, but who knows if he knows anything about Chevys!?

On Jul 11, 5:36*am, FALCONG... (AT) webtv (DOT) net (MICHELLE H.) wrote:
i'd look at a haynes car manual and see if there is a fast idle screw
and just try it till it sets nicely. also check out vaccuum lines
for any leaks, punctures, or holes. my friends tell me that
carburetors of that era were rebuilt very frequently. my 80 grand
prix was just like that.
good luck.

"MICHELLE H." <FALCONGIRL (AT) webtv (DOT) net> wrote

It's been years since I messed with it, but that was the first year for a
computer carb. It had a setting for closed loop(default) setting and then
after about 2 minutes it warms up the cat and o2 so that it can go, open
loop. I think this is right. I can't remember, but seems that you use a
dwell meter to adjust the carb? I can't remember...sorry..I know how hard it
can be to trust the guy, but try to explain it to him as a free recheck,
while you watch him(as in you can't wait/leave it). You can at least see
what he is trying to do then??

I had the 81 z28....350 4bbl...