This '95 Camaro Callaway Falls Victim to LT1 Problems!
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- čas přidán 15. 01. 2024
- Hoovies' 1995 Camaro Callaway is soooo Supernatural, but it's also plagued with LT1 engine problems. What do we find and how bad is it? ➡️Don't forget to check out @MrsWizardsWays
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#carrepair #carwizard #carmechanic #autorepairshop #automobile #cars #car #camaro #chevy #chevycamaro #chevycamarolt1 #callaway #supernatural #supernaturalspeed #lt1camaro #lt1 #customcars - Auta a dopravní prostředky
Reeves Callaway, founder of Callaway, passed away July 11, 2023. RIP Reeves Callaway.
I used to work at a dealership and we sold Callaway and Lingenfelter Escalade. They were a really hot seller at the dealer since this was before Cadillac started putting the V on everything. I forget they are somewhat a rare find today since we sold so many of them. But if you ever find one, it's a great sleeper that many don't know about.
I didn't know about the Escalade! Gonna have to look for some videos about them. Thanks for the info bud!
I've had my '96 Camaro since 2001, and it's been a great car. Very underappreciated generation
I steer clear from anything 1995. The in-between year before OBD2 computer emissions came out in 1996. OBD 1.5 or whatever was left on the shelf is a headache.
You're absolutely right, why not do everything, then you know it's right and you don't need to worry about it anymore. Anything worth doing, is worth doing right the 1st time
Probably adds an extra thousand dollars to a multi-thousand dollar job, but prevents some later grief, so you’re better off paying up front…
Unfortunately, new replacement parts today are completely garbage (especially aftermarket). I know it sounds crazy, especially if you don't work in the automotive industry, but ever since 2020, parts quality and supply has hit rock bottom, your lucky if half of the new parts even work out of the box, many parts nowadays arrive broken or totally mis-manufactured. In many cases nowadays if you have known good factory parts still in place, your probably better off leaving it alone until it totally fails. If not be prepared to redo a job 2-3 times till you get a part that actually works.
@@markiangooley
A lesson hard learned
If the tires are older than 2000 you have to look up the DOT code. The Dot started using the 4 digit week / year codes after that. They are the last 4 digits. If the tires are 2000 or newer they are from the fifth week of 2010 based on the DOT code you showed. I would definitely replace those tires. Especially if he plans on getting on it.
Nailed it! Ya beat me to it lol.
@@jjhardie449 I have been working on commercial trucks since 97. You have to know the DOT rules.
That's really interesting, I knew about the date code on tires, but I didn't know it only started in 1990. Are the codes before 1990 randomly generated? Or is there any Rhyme or Reason to them?
The correct DOT date is usually on the other (in this case inner) side of the tire. Every tire I checked had this kind of DOT on one and the date version on the other side.
I noticed those were Nitto tires. If they were indeed 5th week of 2010 I could have very well handled those tires right after they came out of the manufacturing process. I worked at the Toyo Tires plant in Georgia in 2010 and we were also making Nitto tires as well, I honestly think we made more Nitto than Toyo I always found that weird. Thats crazy to think I could have handled the tires that are on Hoovies ultra rare Camaro!
That camshaft seal for the water pump spline is much easier to install than everyone says. Use the cap off a sharpie marker and use that to tap the seal in.
Been there. It's my preferred method
0510 is 5th week of 2010 for the DOT code. Its always the last four numerical digits on one side of the tire with the longer of the two DOT codes.
I'm glad to see replacement Optisparks are available now from other vendors. The Optispark, like the LT1 engine, was ahead of it' time. It was the first time GM used SFI, and the opti has holes at 0 and 180 degrees, as well as one slit per degree so the engine can crank if the starter just bumps it over long enough. Then they put the whole engine underwater. If the high voltage side of the opti is gone, there are external systems that get rid of the distributor, but still require the optical sensor., Bailey LTCC, IIRC.
Yeah i remember that calloway camaro.
Stats from road and track march 1995 where this very calloway was on the cover.
383 cubic inch.
Calloway custom camshaft.
404 hp.
412 pound feet of torque
0-60 is 4.7 seconds
1/4th mile in 13.1 @ 110 mph.
.94 g's lateral exeleration around a 200 ft skidpad.
With the advances in 3d scanning and printing of parts you would think someone in the aftermarket industry would make a cover that would prevent coolant leaking onto the optispark not just better venting of any possible liquid.
I bought a 95 Camaro that was leaking from every gasket and the bottom of the car was coated in a goop that used to be motor oil, and finished up taking the engine out to change them _all_ and pressure wash everything. Because the 4th gen Camaro is basically a 3rd gen with swoopy body work stretched over it, it's a very challenging engine bay to work in; it still had the original plugs and wires at ~100k and I've no idea how you would have changed them with the engine in. My E39 V8 engine bay is a treat in comparison.
That water pump drive seal, I found that a cartridge from a .50 BMG is the perfect install tool. The taper on it is perfect to open it up a bit so it doesn't tear on install.
Changing the plugs is pretty easy. Front four from the top, rear four from the bottom. Use a plug socket with a wrench on the end on the ones that won’t fit a ratchet
Thank you for making a video of this car! I was eyeing it in the background of your other videos and hoping you would have a video on it! Once again Car Wizard doesn’t disappoint!
My sons first car was a 95 Firebird Formula. It leaked oil from all those seals. I’m a machinist, not a mechanic, my 17 yr old and I replaced those seals, the water pump, and both head gaskets. We did this after work in January in an unheated garage. It was a big job, but not impossible. Head gaskets we’re done as a precaution because he had overheated the motor on at least 2 occasions because of a leaky radiator, which we also replaced. Doing the seals was the easy part! Btw, to prove out our work, after the car was buttoned up, we drove from northern NJ to Detroit to visit friends. The car ran flawlessly!
Thank you for seeing your beautiful car Hoovie, I hope that you have lots of fun with it when it's repaired
You think that’s beautiful? I think it looks like a vacuum cleaner. Pitifully cheap interior. And I can only imagine how well those tiny sealed beams work. Form over function on display.
Front looks like Pontiac Sunfire
At first glance, it looked like a Pontiac Sunfire! 🤣🤣🤣🤣
My 95 Z28 convertible with 6-speed daily driver has over 200K miles and has left me walking a couple of times from failed optical triggers and bad water pumps! I've done this job so many times I can do it in an afternoon! Last failure was from the splines on the little stub shaft that drives the water pump that wore out and chewed the pump drive splines as well! Make sure you check the condition of the splines and put a dab of grease inside it to prevent the splines from wearing. Recently replaced the engine with a remanufactured Corvette LT1 with 4-bolt mains! Love my Camaro! I drive it, it breaks, I fix it, and I drive it some more!
I paused this one second in, tell me the water pump leaked on the garbage opti-spark, rendering a no-fire situation. Aftermarket distributors are disappointing to say the least. I've converted them to a 0411 GM PCM with a 24X reluctor, LS coils, and dumped the optispark, it's a more tuner friendly processor, and can easily pass emissions with a 5 gas test, provided the cats are present. A Cadillac Northstar coil pack / ignition module can be used too.
24x is the way to go I regret nothing about the swap I did on my 94.You end up spending as much on new aftermarket
Optisparks over and over as you would spend if you do a 24x swap to begin with
Great information about the optispark. Mine failed last year and the workshop replaced everything you mentioned and now it runs better than before it failed.
I just got a 96 Z28 Camaro a few months ago and I love it. The LT1 is really a fantastic engine and while it's problems are certainly real, some people do blow them way out of proportion when they really arent that bad.
I'm getting ready to do this job on my Camaro in the spring time. My water pump isnt leaking but the drive seal in the timing cover is leaking oil down the front of the motor, so somebody must have botched the install on that seal the last time it was off. Im worried that ill mess up the install, hopefully i can get it first try. Great video as always wizard!
@Crustychevrolet Yeah, when I bought the car I found service receipts showing a water pump and opti replacement in 2017 with 98k on the odometer. Only thing is now It has 107k so the car wasnt driven much only 9k miles on that opti and water pump. So clearly whoever installed it buggered up the seal.
The only thing I ever had with the LT1 in my Roadmaster was the oil filter adapter gasket and failing heaters in the O2 sensors. Otherwise, it was happy to cruise the interstate at 1750 rpms but just give it the slightest nod of the head, and it would come alive!
I got a 96 Roadmaster, only thing I had go wrong is leaky brake lines and optispark.
Looks like a Sunfire GT from the front lol
That's a really cool car, especially the mods to the front end. Normally I'm not a fan of that generation Camaro, or Transam's.
Maybe it's just because I'm older, but the early 70's body style Firebird and Camaro are the best looking to me. I had a 71 Firebird 400, 4 speed, no computers. The engine had been built by a local speed shop, no longer in business, but they did great work.
I wonder about the car from time to time, if it still exists, or someone wrecked it long ago.
It’s unfortunate that that local speed shop is no longer in business
@Jack-yw7bq Well I originally bought the car in 1978, I was just a teenager then. I don't even remember what I sold, or traded it for. I bought the car back in 1984 after a complete restoration. What a beautiful car she was. After completing nursing school in 1985 I had to make a hard decision, and sell it to pay off my student loan. I made the right choice, but in my heart I wish I could have kept her.
I never cared for this generation Camaro.
This is the same problem my brother had with his corvette. He has the LT4 motor but it was the exact same problem with the opti-spark. It went back to the shop 3 times if I’m not mistaken. Now that you’ve explained the process, I think I see why it had to go back so many times. I don’t think the shop changed the seals on it when the opti-spark and water pump was changed out.
Great video showing and explaining the LT1 issue. How much do you charge to do this service and the accompanying tuneup? Just curious as I have looked at several Corvettes with LT1's, but never pulled the trigger on one. Thanks.
If it doesn't have a problem, it probably never will but you need to keep a watch on the water pump. They will fail from the front or back and the minute you lose the pump, you've got to cover everything in water and get the antifreeze out of the situation. Then do everything C. W. pointed out (because you have to and it's more of a pain to remove all those parts to replace anything later).
I realize Hoovie probably wants to keep it as original as possible. That being said, there are several ways to delete the opti and put in a modern computer.
I'm having to do that with my GMC typhoon. Old electronics to many gremlins in the system. Maxxecu for the system deleting the old analog distributor for a holley duel sync distributor. Truck runs strong when it actually runs. Too many none start problems.
That also allows easy upgrade of the radio unit to a blue tooth function with display screen reading numerous engine functions as well as GPS through your smart phone function. This is an easy installation into the space occupied by the stock unit.
Glad you're all healed up
Mrs. Wizard - take a closer look at the stereo; it has a factory Delco-Bose sound system, meaning it probably has dedicated amps for each speaker, and specially designed enclosures
I’m doing this exact job on my ‘94 Z28, same parts and all ( looks like a Petris opti). Love to see a vid of you completing the work!
I hope you are correct about that being a Petris opti. They are about as good as is available on the market today. I have had to change three optis over the years and it's always a tough job. In the early days I used a generic optis and only got 24K miles between replacements. I have used AC Delco since then and have not had a failure.
This is $1,000,000 of information - in a Free Video - Amazing.
Gald you did this video. Alot of good information. Thank you car wizard.
This is really good video, lots of information!
One real problem I ran into with my '94 Z28 was when Mitsubishi stopped making the optical sensor (hence no more AC Delco Optis), and the aftermarket parts had sensors in them that would last about 8000 miles, or 12-15 months. I loved that car, but was SO GLAD to get rid of it!
It was always a Mitsubishi sensor. Those were the good ones. Don’t think you can get any optis with them anymore
@@W.A.R.R. Thanks, it's been a while; I corrected the original post.
Sweet car, gm and that dam optispark. Yeah lets put the ignition behind the waterpump. How could that ever be a bad idea? 😂😂😂
This is why I went with a C4 with an L98 instead of an LT1 or LT4. Just don’t want to deal with the headaches of optispark leaving me stranded and spending thousands to get it fixed.
Plus they’re just as quick around town and the digital dash looks way cooler anyway lol.
This is cope. I had two L98s and an LT1. It shouldn't cost thousands to fix, and the L98 just felt so slow up top. Of my first 6 cars three of them were C4s. Opti issues overblown.
@@SeanPennII its still an issue and you want to make sure you buy a quality optispark kit. If I wanted a corvette with good top end, I’d spring for a Zr-1 or C5/C6 with an LS. Around town and cruising an L98 will do just fine and is a better bang for your buck.
TPI motors just look cooler as well.
@@Darksyne yeah I guess it is important to make sure you don't buy a crappy kit. I got one from a guy who takes OEM ones rebuilds the sensors and installs them in aftermarket MSD housings. Although I will say I bought the LT1 to go as fast as I could for as cheap as I could. All of my Corvettes were $4,000 or so. And you can't get a C5 or a ZR1 for 4k
@@SeanPennII i live in Canada and you can’t get any C5 for under 20k lol. The days of dirt cheap running corvettes are long gone.
Oh man does this bring back memories (nightmares). I had a '95 Z28 in highschool and took it to college. When it pulled the Optispark issue on me (again) on Christmas Eve and I couldn't drive home to my family, I swore off the car, swore off GM in general, traded it for a new '01 Integra GSR, and never looked back.
man if you still had that GSR it would be worth a small fortune right now especially being the last year they made them.
@@george_cramer_1980 I wish I did, I loved that car. Great example of a slow cat that's a blast to drive fast. Unfortunately it was eventually stolen and stripped. They even took the glass, there's nothing left of it.
LQQKY there, Wizard is doing more videos on Hoovies fleet than Hoovie does anymore.
Good video and a beautiful car, I fast forward through the usual dashboard and interior BS
I remember reading an issue of that magazine. That is such an amazing looking car.
Love the LT1! I have one in my '78 El Camino and I converted it to a HEI distributor and a Carburetor. No optispark issues without the optispark lol.
Yup. My '97 Z28 has been sitting in my garage for 2 years in the same state of disassembly because I cheaped out.
I’ve owned a ‘95 Z28 since new and also swapped an LT1 into my ‘55 Chevy. Currently working on a ‘78 C10 that’ll be LT1 powered also. If the optispark was still functioning after its bath, it’s probably OK. Either they work or they don’t. The factory optical sensor inside the distributor is a Mitsubishi sourced part and hasn’t been available for years. Any new opti will have a Chinese sensor which have very high failure rates. The ‘95 optis are already vented, so that wouldn’t be a reason to replace it. The venting eliminates one of the primary failures - ozone buildup damages the sensor. Replacing the WP drive seal is straightforward. Several videos on CZcams show you how without needing a special “tool”. The distributor cap screws and seal are other weak spots. This isn’t addressed on most replacement optis, either, but it’s easy enough to modify on your own (see CZcams).
I was all about Chevy back then, I was in my early twenties,but that body style Camaro I never cared for never wanted one and bought a pickup instead. Any to this day I have a Chevy pickup for when I need it. Thanks to hoovie I got to see under the hood and see things I never knew about those engines 👍
Cool car great video. The front end reminds me of the Pontiac sunfire of the late 2000.
I saw this in the background of the last CW video (and I knew what it was from all the previous vids), but it really did remind me of a later model Sunfire at a glance...😮😅
Hey cool Saturn bro
The coolant has to be changed every 20k-30k miles to lessen the need to change the water pump and the distributor. Over time the coolant loses its ability to lubricate the seals and they fell.
I would probably ditch dexcool 😂
False. Rookie.
GM sold tablets that had to be crushed up and added into Dex cool compatible fluids to stop the coolant leaks.
@@AboveAverageMan97 😂
@@AboveAverageMan97 False
The tires ..... The dot is the last 4 digits .... 0510 .... they're 14 yrs old
Thanks. I had a set of snow tires with a 5 digit code just like the tires on Hoovie's Camaro. Couldn't figure it out.
The tire date codes are easy enough to understand with the first two digits being the week of the year and the last two digits being the last two digits of the year, making 0510 the first week of Feb 2010. Definitely replace those before going fast. My 94 Trans Am is in a similar situation minus the OptiSpark issues.
That noise is hideous...! I'd have to change that immediately...! Thanks for sharing... Keep up your awesomeness...
Like that woody convertible in the background
Ooooh opti spark. Used to love doing tune ups, complete tune ups on LT1's. Book time paid extraordinarily well.
I would not have even known of this car if it was not for you guys, thank you. My jaw dropped when I saw it. note: Mr. Hoovies allowance I bet. 😁
I really love that giant beautiful car behind you Mr Wizard
I had an LT1 equipped 94 Chevy Caprice Classic LS from 1999 to 2015. I put 2 water pumps on it during that time. I never had to replace the Optispark but I think it was on it's way out when I sold it with 265,000 miles on it. I miss that big boat!
Learned something today I was unaware of before.
Yep the ol optispark gremlin. The company whose use to produce the optical sensor stop making them which I believe was Mitsubishi (don't quote me on this) and another Chinese manufacturer started making them back in the early 2000's. I've used almost every brand from performance, Delco, and Cardon. What I discovered was engine heat was damaging them because its attached directly to the block under the water pump. Mine kept failing from heat soak even when temps were kept at 185°f-195°f with cooler thermostats
I wish the trim around that headlight was red. Looks like the car is wearing nerd glasses.
Also HOWTF does Hoovie make so much money to be buying these cars every damn week lol
THANKS WIZARD FOR SHOWING THIS AWESOME CAR.....Shoe🇺🇸
Legendary car. Love the aerodynamic bodywork.
I like what they did with the back end, to bad they couldn’t do the same with the front. Sometimes less (as in front of that car) is more.
Thanks for sharing never seen one don’t believe I want one
I have seen many of these cars, Then again I live about 10 miles from Callaway's Old Lyme CT Showroom/Garage !
While your there, also known as preventative maintenance.
Since it’s such a big job to remove the manual transmission in a 2wd Ford Ranger, when the clutch slave or the clutch itself fails I replace the pilot bearing, clutch slave and clutch all at once.
I bought that magazine when it came out. I still have it.
Mr. Wizard, what’s a rough estimate to do this exact service on an LT1? I’ve thought about buying a 93-97 F-Body but was always hesitant due to this exact issue. Thanks! Keep up the awesome work!
Beautiful car, I love it 😀
I just knew you were gonna say the optispark crapped out lol
Great design, these are the king of things that keep us in business.
I'm surprised at how much room there is to work on the F body.
I have done this job on my 95 Caprice and on my 94 Cadillac in my driveway. You make it sound like a bear of a job,I thought it was quite easy and it took me 4 hours the first time. I have it down to 2.5 now.
Good for you fellow GM fan 👍
I had a Camaro F-Body, it was a fun car. Those new parts look so shiny Wizard!
I thought that was a Sunfire for a second.
I had a 1994 Camaro Z28 and loved it! Torque, torque, torque was awesome. Just so much fun till crappy GM quality caught up with it…transmission issues and rear end gears but I would do it all over again.
Beautiful car, and only 30k miles! I have a 96 SS hardtop in red. BTW i just found the channel, you're not too far from me - i love the content man!
gee Wiz your a boss! can you say what brand of opti you chose? the vette (I got a "96 LT1 vert) forums are very critical of all the different aftermarket optispark units out there and they even complain about going with a GM version. (it looks like you chose MSD?) So cool all the replies you make to comments. very nice channel
@car wizard?
I have a 1994 corvette that was left to me by my father. It has 70k miles and is very rarely driven. It drives well now and no leaks but I’m sure I will have this same issue at some point if I don’t get ahead of it. Should I replace water pump now while distributor is still working. Replacing the water pump would be fairly easy compared to also replacing distributor. Thanks.
Hoovie finds ALL the cool stuff!
Ah this brings me back to high school with my first 4th gen Camaro. 97 Z28 and had to do all this and yes I had to tear it apart multiple times due to that water pump connector seal. Also had major issues with water pumps that machined the o ring groove incorrectly and it would leak. I was so happy to sell that car and move to a LS1 catfish camaro.
good ole opti spark!
6:57 lol the Gen V LT1 showed up first in the c7 corvette, which came out in 2014, 20 or so years after the Gen II LT1 in this camaro
13:01....Stabilizer link bushings need replacing (link kits)
Cute track bars :)
as soon as you said “lt1 shenanigans” i knew you were talking about optispark lol
Nice video. What are you going to do with the old opti? Is it for sale? Im inerested if it is.
Enjoyed the LT1 education.
Got stuck doing this job on my 95', one Christmas Eve in the rain and snow, in the parking lot of my job at 10:30 at night. It was a rough night.
i had a 95 camaro lt1 as well. i loved it, did not love changing the optispark and waterpump, and bleeding that coolant system is a PITA too. but, fun to drive.
It's not really that bad if you know what you are doing.
Back when i started working on cars i used to do a bunch of those opti-spark distributors. Kinda scared me away from ever owning anything with those engines. Really not that big of a deal to fix in a shop but definitely not a fun road side repair
It’s a supernatural delight!
The Opti-Spark water pump thing was a bad idea. I came up on L98s. These early LT-1s were a pain.
Wow that’s a new car only 33k miles on a 90’s sports car a camero at that! Those and the thunderbirds-firebirds-trans-Am with same type body style and T-type sun roof glass removal. Seemed to always leak after so many times of removing and they’re driven a lot and some hard with many miles! So this is nice to see
Honestly, I'd dump that MSD Opti and switch to the TorqHead 24x system. Those Optis don't exactly have a very good track record. The TorqHead 24x system totally eliminates the Opti by going with a modern day coil on plug setup and utilizes the GM 0411 PCM. The best part about it is, it's all plug & play... no crazy rewiring or anything. The supplied 0411 PCM plugs directly into the factory harness and you retain use of the OBD2 port.
With this setup, you now have the ability to tune via all of the modern day software like HP Tuners. I've had this system on my 383 LT4 in my 1997 Trans Am WS6 since 2017.
Hi! What brand of Optispark did you installed? Have a nice day!
I remember those. Always thought the body mods looked like a 3000gt of the same era.
Wizard, doesn’t the aftermarket offer a better seal than the “problem” seal you showed?
I understand why shops prefer to use OEM replacement parts but it seems like there should be a better seal available
There is a mod from canada to swap over to the LS style ignition and computer. No more optispark issues and as tuneable as a LS.
I’ve actually heard of a Callaway Camaro before. I’m more of a Corvette guy but that Camaro is amazing!
That looks like a lane automotive logo a speed and performance shop in Michigan
Calloway specialty cars seem to be about half and half on their ground effects aesthetics. I've seen several of the Corvettes but this is my first Camaro. I guess you're either gonna love the look or hate it. Thanks Wizard.
I had a 95 Buick Roadmaster for a daily. Did this did once, spread it out if a week's time to minimize frustration. Had to switch to dual electric fans due to the mechanical fan tensioner being discontinued. That being said, i hear this job is much worse on a Corvette since the hood pivots from the front