1982 CHEVROLET CAMARO lock

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 489
There is no repair or refinishing possi
ble with the springs, retainers and valve
locks. If they are found to be worn or defective, they must be replaced with new
(or known good) parts.
CYLINDER HEAD
Most refinishing procedures dealing wit h the cylinder head must be performed
by a machine shop. Read the informati on below and review your inspection
data to determine whether or not machining is necessary.
VALVE GUIDE
If any machining or replacements are made to the valve guides, the seats must
be machined.
Unless the valve guides need machining or replacing, the only service to\

perform is to thoroughly clean them of any dirt or oil residue.
There are only two types of valve gu ides used on automobile engines: the
replaceable-type (all alumi num heads) and the cast-in in tegral-type (most cast
iron heads). There are four recommended methods for repairing worn guides.
• Knurling
• Inserts
• Reaming oversize
• Replacing
Knurling is a process in which metal is displaced and raised, thereby reducing
clearance, giving a true center, and providing oil control. It is the least
expensive way of repairing the valve guides . However, it is not necessarily the
best, and in some cases, a knurled valve guide will not stand up for more than a
short time. It requires a special knurle r and precision reaming tools to obtain
proper clearances. It would not be cost effective to purchase these tools, unless
you plan on rebuilding several of the same cylinder head.
Installing a guide insert involves machin ing the guide to accept a bronze insert.
One style is the coil-type wh ich is installed into a threaded guide. Another is the
thin-walled insert where the guide is ream ed oversize to accept a split-sleeve
insert. After the insert is installed, a s pecial tool is then run through the guide to
expand the insert, locking it to the guide. The insert is then reamed to the
standard size for proper valve clearance.
Reaming for oversize valves restores normal clearances and provides a true
valve seat. Most cast-in type guides can be reamed to accept an valve wi\
th an
oversize stem. The cost factor for this can become quite high as you will need
to purchase the reamer and new, oversize stem valves for all guides which
were reamed. Oversizes ar e generally 0.003 to 0.030 in. (0.076 to 0.762mm),
with 0.015 in. (0.381mm) being the most common.

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 491
The first step for any assembly job is
to have a clean area in which to work.
Next, thoroughly clean all of the parts and components that are to be
assembled. Finally, place all of the co mponents onto a suitable work space and,
if necessary, arrange the parts to their respective positions.
1. Lightly lubricate the valve stems and insert all of the valves into the
cylinder head. If possible, maintain their original locations.
2. If equipped, install any valve spring shims which were removed.
3. If equipped, install the new valve seal s, keeping the following in mind:
• If the valve seal presses over the guide, lightly lubricate the outer
guide surfaces.
• If the seal is an O-ring type, it is installed just after compressing
the spring but before the valve locks.
4. Place the valve spring and retainer over the stem.
5. Position the spring compressor tool and compress the spring.
6. Assemble the valv e locks to the stem.
7. Relieve the spring pressure slowly and insure that neither valve lock
becomes dislodged by the retainer.
8. Remove the spring compressor tool.
9. Repeat Steps 2 through 8 until all of the springs have been installed.
ENGINE BLOCK
GENERAL INFORMATION
A thorough overhaul or rebuild of an engine block would include replacing the
pistons, rings, bearings, timing belt/chai n assembly and oil pump. For OHV
engines also include a new camshaft and lifters. The block would then have the
cylinders bored and honed oversize (or if using removable cylinder sleeves,
new sleeves installed) and the cranksha ft would be cut undersize to provide
new wearing surfaces and per fect clearances. However, your particular engine
may not have everything worn out. What if only the piston rings have worn out
and the clearances on everything else are still within factory specifications?
Well, you could just replace the rings and put it back together, but this would be
a very rare example. Chances are, if one component in your engine is worn,
other components are sure to follow, and soon. At the very least, you should
always replace the rings, bearings and oil pump. This is what is commonly
called a "freshen up".
CYLINDER RIDGE REMOVAL
Because the top piston ring does not travel to the very top of the cylinder, a
ridge is built up between the end of the trav el and the top of the cylinder bore.
Pushing the piston and connecting rod assembly past the ridge can be difficult,
and damage to the piston ring lands could occur. If the ridge is not removed
before installing a new piston or not re moved at all, piston ring breakage and
piston damage may occur.

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 492
It is always recommended that you remo
ve any cylinder ridges before removing
the piston and connecting rod assemblies . If you know that new pistons are
going to be installed and the engine bl ock will be bored oversize, you may be
able to forego this step. However, some ridges may actually prevent the
assemblies from being remove d, necessitating its removal.
There are several different types of ridge reamers on the market, none of which
are inexpensive. Unless a great deal of engine rebuild ing is anticipated, borrow
or rent a reamer.
1. Turn the crankshaft until the piston is at the bottom of its travel.
2. Cover the head of the piston with a rag.
3. Follow the tool manufacturers in structions and cut away the ridge,
exercising extreme care to avoid cutting too deeply.
4. Remove the ridge reamer, the r ag and as many of the cuttings as
possible. Continue until all of the cylinder ridges have been removed.
DISASSEMBLY
The engine disassembly instructions fo llowing assume that you have the engine
mounted on an engine stand. If not, it is easiest to disassemble the engine on a
bench or the floor with it resting on t he bellhousing or transmission mounting
surface. You must be able to access the connecting rod fasteners and turn the
crankshaft during disassembly. Also, all en gine covers (timing, front, side, oil
pan, whatever) should have already been removed. Engines which are seized
or locked up may not be able to be co mpletely disassembled, and a core
(salvage yard) engine should be purchased.
If not done during the cylinder head removal, remove the pushrods and li\
fters,
keeping them in order for assembly. Remove the timing gears and/or timing
chain assembly, then remove the oil pu mp drive assembly and withdraw the
camshaft from the engine block. Remove the oil pick-up and pump assembly. If
equipped, remove any balanc e or auxiliary shafts. If necessary, remove the
cylinder ridge from the top of the bore. See the cylinder ridge removal
procedure earlier in this section.
Rotate the engine over so that the cr ankshaft is exposed. Use a number punch
or scribe and mark each connecting rod wit h its respective cylinder number. The
cylinder closest to the front of t he engine is always number 1. However,
depending on the engine placemen t, the front of the engine could either be the
flywheel or damper/pulley end. Generally the front of the engine faces the front
of the vehicle. Use a number punch or scribe and also mark the main bearing
caps from front to rear wit h the front most cap being nu mber 1 (if there are five
caps, mark them 1 through 5, front to rear).

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 495
Again, rotate the engine, this time
to position the number one cylinder bore
(head surface) up. Turn the crankshaft until the number one piston is at the
bottom of its travel, this should allow t he maximum access to its connecting rod.
Remove the number one co nnecting rods fasteners and cap and place two
lengths of rubber hose over the rod bolts/studs to protect the crankshaft from
damage. Using a sturdy wooden dowel and a hammer, push the connecting rod
up about 1 in. (25mm) from the cranks haft and remove the upper bearing insert.
Continue pushing or tapping the connecti ng rod up until the piston rings are out
of the cylinder bore. Remove the piston and rod by hand, put the upper half of
the bearing insert back into the rod, in stall the cap with its bearing insert
installed, and hand-tighten the cap fasteners. If the parts are kept in order in this
manner, they will not get lost and you wil l be able to tell which bearings came
form what cylinder if any problems are discovered and diagnosis is necessary.
Remove all the other piston assemblie s in the same manner. On V-style
engines, remove all of the pistons from one bank, then reposition the engine
with the other cylinder bank head surface up, and remo ve that banks piston
assemblies.
The only remaining component in the engine block should now be the
crankshaft. Loosen the main bearing ca ps evenly until the fasteners can be
turned by hand, then remove them and the caps. Remove the crankshaft fro\
m
the engine block. Thoroughly clea n all of the components.
INSPECTION
Now that the engine block and all of its components ar e clean, it's time to
inspect them for wear and/or damage. To accurately inspect them, you will need
some specialized tools:
• Two or three separate micromet ers to measure the pistons and
crankshaft journals
• A dial indicator
• Telescoping gauges for the cylinder bores
• A rod alignment fixture to check for bent connecting rods
If you do not have access to the proper tools, you may want to bring the
components to a shop that does.
Generally, you shouldn't expect cracks in the engine block or its components
unless it was known to leak, consume or mix engine fluids, it was severely
overheated, or there was ev idence of bad bearings and/or crankshaft damage.
A visual inspection should be performed on all of the components, but just
because you don't see a crack does not mean it is not there. Some more
reliable methods for inspecting for cracks include Magnaflux, a magnetic
process or Zyglo, a dye penetrant. M agnaflux is used only on ferrous metal
(cast iron). Zyglo uses a spray on fluoresce nt mixture along with a black light to
reveal the cracks. It is strongly recommended to have your engine block
checked professionally for cracks, especia lly if the engine was known to have
overheated and/or leaked or consumed coolant. Contact a local shop for
availability and pricing of these services.

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 496
ENGINE BLOCK
ENGINE BLOCK BEARING ALIGNMENT
Remove the main bearing caps and, if sti
ll installed, the main bearing inserts.
Inspect all of the main bearing saddles and caps for damage, burrs or high
spots. If damage is found, and it is caused from a spun main bearing, the block
will need to be align-bored or, if severe enough, replacement. Any burrs or high
spots should be carefully removed with a metal file.
Place a straightedge on the bearing saddles, in the engine block, along the
centerline of the crankshaft. If any cl earance exists between the straightedge
and the saddles, the block must be align-bored.
Align-boring consists of machining th e main bearing saddles and caps by
means of a flycutter that runs through the bearing saddles.
DECK FLATNESS
The top of the engine blo ck where the cylinder head m ounts is called the deck.
Insure that the deck surface is clean of dirt, carbon deposits and old gasket
material. Place a straightedge across the surface of the deck along its
centerline and, using feeler gauges, check the clearance along several points.
Repeat the checking procedure with th e straightedge placed along both
diagonals of the deck surface. If the reading exceeds 0.003 in. (0.076mm)
within a 6.0 in. (15.2cm) span, or 0.006 in . (0.152mm) over the total length of
the deck, it must be machined.
CYLINDER BORES
The cylinder bores house the pistons and are slightly larger than the pistons
themselves. A common piston-to-bor e clearance is 0.0015-0.0025 in.
(0.0381mm-0.0635mm). Inspect and measur e the cylinder bores. The bore
should be checked for out-of-roundness, t aper and size. The results of this
inspection will determine w hether the cylinder can be us ed in its existing size
and condition, or a rebore to the next oversize is required (or in the case of
removable sleeves, have replacements installed).

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 497

Fig. 3: Use a telescoping gauge to measur e the cylinder bore diameter - take
several readings within the same bore
The amount of cylinder wall wear is a lways greater at the top of the cylinder
than at the bottom. This wear is known as taper. Any cylinder that has a taper of
0.0012 in. (0.305mm) or more, must be rebored. Measurements are taken at a
number of positions in eac h cylinder: at the top, middle and bottom and at two
points at each position; that is, at a point 90 degrees from the crankshaft
centerline, as well as a point para llel to the crankshaft centerline. The
measurements are made with either a special dial indicator or a telescopic
gauge and micrometer. If the necessary pr ecision tools to check the bore are
not available, take the block to a mach ine shop and have them mike it. Also if
you don't have the tools to check the cylinder bores, chances are you will not
have the necessary devices to check the pistons, connecting rods and
crankshaft. Take these components with you and save yourself an extra trip.
For our procedures, we will use a tele scopic gauge and a micrometer. You will
need one of each, with a measuring range whic h covers your cylinder bore size.
1. Position the telescopic gauge in t he cylinder bore, loosen the gauges
lock and allow it to expand.
Your first two readings will be at the top of the cylinder bore, then proceed to the
middle and finally the bottom, ma king a total of six measurements.
2. Hold the gauge square in the bore, 90 degrees from the crankshaft
centerline, and gently ti ghten the lock. Tilt the gauge back to remove it
from the bore.

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 498
3. Measure the gauge with the microm
eter and record the reading.
4. Again, hold the gauge square in t he bore, this time parallel to the
crankshaft centerline, and ge ntly tighten the lock. Again, you will tilt the
gauge back to remove it from the bore.
5. Measure the gaug e with the micrometer and record this reading. The
difference between these two readings is the out-of-round measurement
of the cylinder.
6. Repeat steps 1 through 5, each time going to the next lower position,
until you reach the bottom of the cyli nder. Then go to the next cylinder,
and continue until all of the cylinders have been measured.
The difference between these measurements will tell you all about the wear in
your cylinders. The measurements whic h were taken 90 degrees from the
crankshaft centerline will always reflect t he most wear. That is because at this
position is where the engine power presses the piston against the cylinder bore
the hardest. This is known as thrust wear. Take your top, 90 degree
measurement and compare it to your bottom, 90 degree measurement. The
difference between them is the taper. W hen you measure your pistons, you will
compare these readings to your pist on sizes and determine piston-to-wall
clearance.
CRANKSHAFT
Inspect the crankshaft for visible signs of wear or damage. All of the journals
should be perfectly round and smooth. Slight scores are normal for a used
crankshaft, but you should hardly feel them with your fingernail. When
measuring the crankshaft wit h a micrometer, you will take readings at the front
and rear of each journal, then turn t he micrometer 90 degrees and take two
more readings, front and rear. The differ ence between the front-to-rear readings
is the journal taper and the first-to -90 degree reading is the out-of-round
measurement. Generally, there should be no taper or out-of-roundness found,
however, up to 0.0005 in. (0.0127mm) fo r either can be overlooked. Also, the
readings should fall within the factory s pecifications for journal diameters.
If the crankshaft journals fall within specif ications, it is recommended that it be
polished before being returned to service. Polishing the crankshaft insures that
any minor burrs or high spots are smoot hed, thereby reducing the chance of
scoring the new bearings.
PISTONS AND CONNECTING RODS
PISTONS
The piston should be visually inspect ed for any signs of cracking or burning
(caused by hot spots or detonation), and scuffing or excessive wear on the
skirts. The wristpin attaches the piston to the connecting rod. The piston should
move freely on the wrist pin, both sliding and pivoting. Grasp the connecting rod
securely, or mount it in a vise, and tr y to rock the piston back and forth along
the centerline of t he wristpin. There should not be any excessive play evident
between the piston and the pin. If there are C-clips retaining the pin in the piston

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 499
then you have wrist pin bushings in the rods. There should not be any
excessive play between the wrist pin
and the rod bushing. Normal clearance for
the wrist pin is approx. 0.001-0.002 in. (0.025mm-0.051mm).

Fig. 4: Measure the piston's outer diam eter, perpendicular to the wrist pin, with
a micrometer
Use a micrometer and measure the diamet er of the piston, perpendicular to the
wrist pin, on the skirt. Com pare the reading to its original cylinder measurement
obtained earlier. The diffe rence between the two readings is the piston-to-wall
clearance. If the clearance is within specif ications, the piston may be used as is.
If the piston is out of specification, but the bore is not, you will need a new
piston. If both are out of specificati on, you will need the cylinder rebored and
oversize pistons installed. Generally if two or more pistons/bores are out of
specification, it is best to rebore the entire block and purchase a complete set of
oversize pistons.
CONNECTING ROD
You should have the connecting rod chec ked for straightness at a machine
shop. If the connecting rod is bent, it will unevenly wear the bearing and piston,
as well as place greater stress on these components. Any bent or twisted
connecting rods must be replaced. If the rods are straight and the wrist pin
clearance is within specifications, t hen only the bearing end of the rod need be
checked. Place the connecting rod into a vi ce, with the bearing inserts in place,
install the cap to the rod and torque t he fasteners to specifications. Use a
telescoping gauge and carefully measure t he inside diameter of the bearings.
Compare this reading to the rods or iginal crankshaft journal diameter
measurement. The difference is the oil clearance. If the oil clearance is not