1982 CHEVROLET CAMARO check engine

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 321

Fig. 6: Transmission mounts for vehi cles equipped with the 3.1L engine
10. Remove the torque arm-to-transmission bolts.
11. Remove the flywheel cover, t hen mark the relationship between the
torque converter and the flywheel so that these parts may be
reassembled in the same relationship.
12. Remove the torque converter-t o-flywheel attaching bolts.
13. Support the transmission with a ja ck, then remove the transmission
mount bolt.
14. Unbolt and remove the transmission crossmember.
15. Lower the transmission slightly. Disco nnect the throttle valve cable and
oil cooler lines from the transmission.
16. Support the engine using GM specia l tool BT-6424 or its equivalent.
Remove the transmission- to-engine mounting bolts.

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 322

CAUTION - The transmission must be secu red to the transmission jack
17. Remove the transmission from the vehicle. Be careful not to damage the oil cooler lines, throttle valve cable, or the shift control cable. Also, keep
the rear of the transmissi on lower than the front to avoid the possibility of
the torque converter disengagi ng from the transmission.
To install: 18. Position the transmission and converter into place.
19. Install the transmission -to-engine mounting bolts.
20. Connect the throttle valve cable and oil cooler lines to the transmissio\
n.
21. Install the transmission cro ssmember and secure with bolts.
22. Install the transmission mount bolt.
23. Matchmark the torque converter-to-f lywheel. Install the torque converter-
to-flywheel attaching bolts.
Before installing the converter-to-flywheel bolts, be sure that the weld nuts on
the converter are flush with the flywheel, and that the converter rotates freely by
hand in this position.
24. Install the flywheel cover.
25. Install the torque arm-to-transmission bolts.
26. Connect the speedometer cable, el ectrical connectors and the shift
control cable from the transmission.
27. Connect the catalytic converter s upport bracket at the transmission.
28. Align the matchmark m ade earlier, then install the driveshaft to the axle
pinion. Bolt the universal joint straps to the pinion flange.
29. Lower the vehicle.
30. Install the dipstick tube using a ne w dipstick tube O-ring and secure with
the bolt. Install the tran smission oil dipstick.
31. Connect the throttle valve (TV) c ontrol cable at the carburetor.
32. Install the air cleaner assembly.
33. Connect the negative battery cable at the battery.
DRIVELINE

DRIVESHAFT AND U-JOINTS
The U-joint is secured to the yoke in one of two ways. Dana and Cleveland
shafts use a conventional snapring to ho ld each bearing cup in the yoke. The
snapring fits into a groove located in eac h yoke end just on top of each bearing
cup. The Saginaw design shaft secures its U-joints in another way. Nylon
material is injected through a small hole in the yoke and flows along a circular
groove between the U-joint and the yoke , creating a synthetic snapring.
Disassembly of the Saginaw U-joint requi res the joint to be pressed from the
yoke. This results in damage to the be aring cups and destruction of the nylon
rings.

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REAR AXLE

IDENTIFICATION
The rear axle code and the
manufacturers code, plus the date built, is stamped
on the forward side of the right axle tube. Any reports made on the rear axle
assemblies must include the full code le tters and the date built numbers. The
Limited-slip differentials are identified by a tag attached to the lower right
section of the axle.

Fig. 1: Rear axle ID code
DETERMINING AXLE RATIO
An axle ratio is obtained by dividing the number of teeth on the drive pinion gear
into the number of teeth on the ring gear. For instance, on a 4.11 ratio, the
driveshaft will turn 4.11 times for every turn of the rear wheel.
The most accurate way to determine the ax le ratio is to drain the differential,
remove the cover, and count the num ber of teeth on the ring and pinion.
An easier method is to jack and support th e car so that both rear wheels are off
the ground. Make a chalk mark on the r ear wheel and the driveshaft. Block the
front wheels and put the transmission in Neutral. Turn the rear wheel one
complete revolution and count the number of turns made by the driveshaft. The
number of driveshaft rotations is the ax le ratio. More accuracy can be obtained
by going more than one tire revolution and dividing the result by the number of
tire rotations.
The axle ratio is also identified by the ax le serial number prefix on the axle; the
axle ratios are listed in dealer's parts books according to prefix number. Some
axles have a tag on the cover.
AXLE SHAFT, BEARING AND SEAL
Axle shafts are the last link in the chain of components working to transmit
engine power to the rear wheels. The sp lined end of each shaft meshes with the

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ENGINE & ENGINE OVERHAUL

ENGINE ELECTRICAL

ENGINE ELECTRICAL
The engine electrical system can be brok en down into three inter-related, but
distinct systems:
1. The starting system.
2. The charging system.
3. The ignition system.
BATTERY AND STARTING SYSTEM
The battery is the first link in the chai n of mechanisms which work together to
provide cranking of the autom obile engine. In most modern cars, the battery is a
lead-acid electrochemical device consis ting of six two-volt (2V) subsections
connected in series so the unit is c apable of producing approximately 12V of
electrical pressure. Each subsection, or ce ll, consists of a series of positive and
negative plates held a short distance apart in a solution of sulfuric acid and
water. The two types of plates are of di ssimilar metals. This causes a chemical
reaction to be set up, and it is this reacti on which produces current flow from the
battery when its positive and negative te rminals are connected to an electrical
appliance such as a lamp or motor.
The continued transfer of electrons would ev entually convert the sulfuric acid in
the electrolyte to water and make t he two plates identical in chemical
composition. As electrical energy is removed from the battery, its voltage output
tends to drop. Thus, measuring batte ry voltage and battery electrolyte
composition are two ways of checking the ability of the unit to supply power.
During the starting of the eng ine, electrical energy is removed from the battery.
However, if the charging circuit is in good condition and the operating conditions
are normal, the power removed from the battery will be replaced by the
generator (or alternator) which will forc e electrons back through the battery,
reversing the normal flow, and restoring the ba ttery to its original chemical state.
The battery and starting motor are linked by very heavy electrical cable\
s
designed to minimize resistance to the flow of current. Generally, the major
power supply cable that leaves the batte ry goes directly to the starter, while
other electrical system needs are supplied by a smaller cable. During the starter
operation, power flows from the battery to the starter and is grounded through
the car's frame and the batte ry's negative ground strap.
The starting motor is a specially designed, direct current electric motor capable
of producing a very great am ount of power for its size. One thing that allows the
motor to produce a great deal of power is its tremendous rotating speed. It
drives the engine through a ti ny pinion gear (attached to the starter's armature),
which drives the very large flywheel ring gear at a greatly reduced speed.
Another factor allowing it to produce so much power is that only intermittent

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 345
operation is required of it. Thus, little a
llowance for air circulation is required,
and the windings can be built into a very small space.
The starter solenoid is a magnetic dev ice which employs the small current
supplied by the starting switch circuit of the ignition switch. This magnetic action
moves a plunger which mechanically engages the starter and electrically closes
the heavy switch which connects it to t he battery. The starting switch circuit
consists of the starting switch cont ained within the ignition switch, a
transmission neutral safety switch or clutch pedal switch, and the wiring
necessary to connect these with the starter solenoid or relay.
A pinion, which is a small gear, is m ounted to a one-way drive clutch. This
clutch is splined to the starter armature shaft. When the ignition switch is moved
to the start position, the solenoid plunger slides the pinion toward the flywheel
ring gear via a collar and spring. If t he teeth on the pinion and flywheel match
properly, the pinion will engage the flywheel immediately. If the gear teeth butt
one another, the spring will be compressed and will force the gears to mesh as
soon as the starter turns far enough to a llow them to do so. As the solenoid
plunger reaches the end of it s travel, it closes the contacts that connect the
battery and starter and then the engine is cranked.
As soon as the engine star ts, the flywheel ring gear begins turning fast enough
to drive the pinion at an ex tremely high rate of speed. At this point, the one-way
clutch begins allowing the pi nion to spin faster than the starter shaft so that the
starter will not operate at excessive speed. When the i gnition switch is released
from the starter position, the solenoid is de-energized, and a spring contained
within the solenoid assembly pulls the gear out of mesh and interrupts the
current flow to the starter.
Some starters employ a separate relay, mounted away from the starter, to
switch the motor and solenoid current on and off. The relay thus replaces the
solenoid electrical switch, but does not eliminate the need for a solenoid
mounted on the starter used to mechanica lly engage the starter drive gears.
The relay is used to reduce the amount of current the starting switch must carry.
THE CHARGING SYSTEM
The automobile charging system provides electrical power for operation of the
vehicle's ignition and star ting systems and all the electrical accessories. The
battery serves as an electrical surge or storage tank, storing (in chemical form)
the energy originally pr oduced by the engine driven gen erator. The system also
provides a means of regulating alternat or output to protect the battery from
being overcharged and to avoid excess ive voltage to the accessories.
The storage battery is a chemical device in corporating parallel lead plates in a
tank containing a sulfuric acid-water solution. Adjacent plates are slightly
dissimilar, and the chemical reaction of the two dissimilar plates produces
electrical energy when the battery is connected to a load such as the starter
motor. The chemical reaction is reversible, so that when the generator i\
s
producing a voltage (electrical pressure ) greater than that produced by the

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 346
battery, electricity is forced into the battery
, and the battery is returned to its fully
charged state.
Alternators are used on the modern autom obiles for they are lighter, more
efficient, can rotate at higher speeds and have fewer brush problems. In an
alternator, the field rotates while al l the current produced passes only through
the stators windings. The brushes bear agains t continuous slip rings rather than
a commutator. This causes the current produced to periodically reverse the
direction of its flow. Diodes (electrica l one-way switches) block the flow of
current from traveling in t he wrong direction. A series of diodes is wired together
to permit the alternating flow of the st ator to be converted to a pulsating, but
unidirectional flow at the alternator out put. The alternator's field is wired in
series with the voltage regulator.
Please refer to Engine Performance & Tune-up for ignition system testing
procedures.
IGNITION COIL
REMOVAL & INSTALLATION
INTERNALLY MOUNTED COIL 1. Disconnect and label the wires from cap.
2. Remove the distributor cap from the distributor.
3. On the distributor cap, remove t he coil cover attaching screws and the
cover.
4. Remove the ignition coil attaching screws and lift the coil from the cap.
To install: 5. Position the coil and secure it with the attaching screws. Be sure to install
the carbon button and rubber disc first.
6. Install the coil cover and attaching screws.
7. Install the distributor cap.
8. Connect the wires to the cap.
EXTERNALLY MOUNTED COIL 1. Label and disconnect the wires from the coil.
2. Remove the ignition coil mounting bolts and the coil.
To install: 3. To install, position the coil into place and se cure it with the mounting
bolts.
4. Connect the wires to the coil.
IGNITION MODULE

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4. Remove the distributor cover and wi
re retainer, if equipped. Turn the
retaining screws counterclockwise and remove the cap.
5. Mark the relationship of the roto r to the distributor housing and the
housing relationship to the engine.
6. Remove the distributor reta ining bolt and hold-down clamp.
7. Pull the distri butor up until the rotor just stops turning counterclockwise
and again note the position of the rotor.
8. Remove the distribut or from the engine.
To install: 9. Insert the distributor into the engine, with the rotor aligned to the last
mark made, then slowly install the dist ributor the rest of the way until all
marks previously made are aligned.
10. Install the distributor hold- down clamp and retaining bolt.
11. If removed, install the wiring harness retainer and secondary wires.
12. Install the distributor cap.
13. Engage the wire connections on t he distributor. Make certain the
connectors are fully seated and latched.
14. Reconnect the negative battery cable.
If the engine was accidentally cranked afte r the distributor was removed, the
following procedure can be used during installation.
15. Remove the No. 1 spark plug.
16. Place a finger over the spark pl ug hole. Have a helper turn the engine
slowly using a wrench on the crankshaft bolt until compression is felt. \

17. Align the timing mark on the pulley to 0 on the engine timing indicator.
18. Turn the rotor to point to the No . 1 spark plug tower on the distributor
cap.
19. Install the distributor assembly in the engine and ensure the rotor is
pointing toward the No. 1 spark plug tower.
20. Install the cap and spark plug wires.
21. Check and adjust engine timing.
ALTERNATOR
DESCRIPTION
An alternator differs from a DC shunt generator in that the armature is
stationary, and is called the stator, while the field rotates and is called the rotor.
The higher current values in the alternator's stator are conducted to the external
circuit through fixed leads and connecti ons, rather than through a rotating
commutator and brushes as in a DC generator. This eliminates a major point of
maintenance.
The rotor assembly is supported in the drive end frame by a ball bearing and at
the other end by a roller bearing. These bearings are lubricated during
assembly and require no main tenance. There are six diodes in the end frame
assembly. These diodes are electrical check valves that also change the

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 351
alternating current developed
within the stator windings to a direct (DC) current
at the output (BAT) terminal. Three of these diodes are negative and are
mounted flush with the end frame while t he other three are positive and are
mounted into a strip called a heat sink. The positive diodes are easily identified
as the ones within small cavities or depressions.
The alternator charging system is a negative (-) ground system which consists
of an alternator, a regulat or, a charge indicator, a storage battery and wiring
connecting the components, and fuse link wire.
The alternator is belt-driven from t he engine. Energy is supplied from the
alternator/regulator system to the rotati ng field through two brushes to two slip-
rings. The slip-rings are mounted on the rotor shaft and are connected t\
o the
field coil. This energy supplied to the ro tating field from the battery is called
excitation current and is used to init ially energize the field to begin the
generation of electricity. Once the alter nator starts to generate electricity, the
excitation current comes from its ow n output rather than the battery.
The alternator produces power in the form of alternating current. The alternating
current is rectified by 6 diodes into dire ct current. The direct current is used to
charge the battery and power the rest of the electrical system.
When the ignition key is turned ON, current flows from the battery, through the
charging system indicator light on the in strument panel, to the voltage regulator,
and to the alternator. Since the alternat or is not producing any current, the
alternator warning light comes on. When the engine is started, the alternator
begins to produce current and turns the alte rnator light off. As the alternator
turns and produces current, the current is divided in two ways: part to the
battery(to charge the battery and power the electrical components of the
vehicle), and part is returned to the alte rnator (to enable it to increase its
output). In this situation, the alternator is receiving current from the battery and
from itself. A voltage regulat or is wired into the current supply to the alternator
to prevent it from receiving too much cu rrent which would cause it to put out too
much current. Conversely, if the voltage regulator does not allow the alternator
to receive enough current, the battery will not be fully charged and will
eventually go dead.
The battery is connected to the alternator at all times, whether the ignition key is
turned ON or not. If the battery were shorted to ground, the alternator would
also be shorted. This woul d damage the alternator. To prevent this, a fuse link
is installed in the wiring between the battery and the alternator. If the battery is
shorted, the fuse link melts, protecting the alternator.
An alternator is better that a convent ional, DC shunt generator because it is
lighter and more compact, because it is designed to supply the battery and
accessory circuits through a wide range of engine speeds, and because it
eliminates the necessary maintenance of replacing brushes and servicing
commutators.
PRECAUTIONS