Who knows a lot about third gen camaros?

**Firebird Phoenix** · 04-09-2009, 09:41 PM

Friend & I been doing some searching on info of the history of his car. It's a 1988 Camaro Iroc-Z v8 auto.

Question is we are confused abut the engine. It's what we believe is a 350 and has a plate of "tune port injection" on the intake manifold by the throttle. Yet we were looking up his RPO codes, and has code B2L and researching it we found info saying that its PFI (Port fuel injected) and that its a 350 still just iron heads and not aluminum so not a TPI.....yet he found after going home and searching a source saying it is indeed a TPI? So wtf? So which is it...?

**FullBlack4thGen** · 04-09-2009, 10:11 PM

Maby this site can help you with your questions.

I used to be really big into 3rd gens when i got my first car. I believe the later IROC's had TPI engines, both 305 and 350 cid. Hopefully this helped but Ive become a little rusty.

**Firebird Phoenix** · 04-09-2009, 11:24 PM

Originally Posted by FullBlack4thGen

Maby this site can help you with your questions.

I used to be really big into 3rd gens when i got my first car. I believe the later IROC's had TPI engines, both 305 and 350 cid. Hopefully this helped but Ive become a little rusty.

Thanks for that site, I think that may be the one we found to do the rpo decoding.

Edit to add: Is there a difference in PFI and TPI as it seems like they are the same...and that maybe TPI is GM's renaming of PFI?

**John2001SS** · 04-10-2009, 12:27 AM

Originally Posted by Firebird Phoenix

Thanks for that site, I think that may be the one we found to do the rpo decoding.

Edit to add: Is there a difference in PFI and TPI as it seems like they are the same...and that maybe TPI is GM's renaming of PFI?

I used to be really into the 3rd Gen....
In the 3rd generations they had carburetors, TBI and TPI. If it says port fuel injection then it most likely has TPI.
350s were only offered with auto for the 3rd generation. You could only get a manual with a 305.
Hope this helps.

**JaycenK** · 04-10-2009, 05:22 AM

3rd grns were very messed up. There were only like 30+ engine options over the 10 years. look under the back seats and se if the build sheets are still there.

**jstoltz** · 04-10-2009, 06:14 AM

there is no difference in Tuned Port Injection or Port fuel injection I have an 87 convertible that I am doing a big block swap with now. thirdgen.org is another great third gen site. The Camaro 350 tpi motors had iron heads instead of aluminum like the corvette. also the fuel rail is different than the vette as the fuel inlet is in the front. instead of rear. Other than that nearly identical to the vette motor.

**JKB315** · 04-14-2009, 11:09 PM

Most likely TPI. I frequent TGO (thirdgen.org) and they have all the info you need. They have a decoder as well. I own a 89 Iroc that came with a TPI 350/700r4 and a 3:23 Borg Warner 9 bolt rear. I am hoping to restore it to stock condition one day since these cars are getting rare. (at least the ones that aren't clapped out)

**Firebirdjones** · 04-15-2009, 09:08 AM

Love the 3rd gens, sold my 50,000 mile 88 Iroc L98 (350) and wish I had it back.

Look at the vin. Easiest way to tell what you are looking at. The 8th digit is the engine code.

8 - 350/230hp TPI most commonly referred to as the L98

F - 305/195hp TPI looks just like the 350 TPI so the vin code is the only way to know for sure what you are looking at.

E - 305/170hp 305 with throttle body injection. No TPI.

As a side note,,,in 1988 the Iroc was only available with either the 305 TPI or the 350 TPI.

Just check the vin,,,providing the engine hasn't been swapped.

Another way to know you are looking at a legit L98 car,,,is to check for an oil cooler. 350's were the only Iroc's to come with the oil cooler. You will see extra coolant lines running from the oil filter up to the radiator along the side of the block and under the front balancer.

Also if the car still sports original paint (rare at this age) you will see "TUNED PORT INJECTION" emblems on the driver side rear bumper and on both front rocker panels.

Now if the car is a legit 350 TPI,,,then below these TPI emblems you will see "5.7 LITER"

Edit: my memory is coming back to me. The Iroc 350 cars were also particular in that they had the 140 mph speedo.
They should also have the 16x8 wheels.

**Smittro** · 04-15-2009, 09:18 AM

The hard way would be to pull the heads. The 350 has a 4 in. square bore and the 305 has a smaller bore. Sorry dont remember the exact size on the 305.

**SSNAKEATER23** · 04-16-2009, 05:51 AM

My friend had an 89 Iroc and it had the badges but the engine was all wrong!!! He was pissed!!! I think the 3rd gens were all messed up!!!! Even the Iroc rims were different from the earlier 88's

**Firebirdjones** · 04-16-2009, 11:28 AM

Originally Posted by SSNAKEATER23

My friend had an 89 Iroc and it had the badges but the engine was all wrong!!! He was pissed!!! I think the 3rd gens were all messed up!!!! Even the Iroc rims were different from the earlier 88's

Sounds like either someone stuck badges on the car or swapped the motor on your friend.
It's not a sure fire way to tell, the serial number will tell you how the car was factory equipped.

88 was the change over year for the new style Iroc wheel.

**JKB315** · 04-19-2009, 08:50 AM

Originally Posted by SSNAKEATER23

My friend had an 89 Iroc and it had the badges but the engine was all wrong!!! He was pissed!!! I think the 3rd gens were all messed up!!!! Even the Iroc rims were different from the earlier 88's

It's just like any other car that had a long model run. (82-92) It's a given that at one point or another, someone will swap different model parts into these cars.

My Iroc has guts from 6 different cars. lol

**JaycenK** · 04-19-2009, 09:21 AM

lol no thirdgens got messed up by the factory. I went with a guy who lived in my subdivision, and when he turned 18 we went to look at the new 1989 Camaro at the dealer. I was only 12 at the time and he was going nuts at the dealer and we stormed out of there and he dropped me off at home grabed his dad and they bought 2 camaro's that day. years later they both still had the cars about the time I was turning 21 and I had just bought an 83 T/A so I took it over to him so he could help work on it and he told me the story of what happend that day. The local chevy dealer had a deal on V6 camaros that weekend and that is what he asked them to see was V6 camaro's. He walk to the sticker and it showed it was a V6 car. It was an RS so it looked more like a V8 car but was advertised as a V6 with the RS package. When he poped the hood there sat a 305 and the sales men didn't know his ass from a hole in the ground so that sales men sold 2 RS camaros to my bud and his father for the sticker price of a V6. I asked him if it was the dealers falt or if the vin was that of a V6 and he said the vin was for a V6 car. Years latter someone pulled out in front of him and the car was destroyed and the insurance company got pissed at him because it was insured as a V6 but, the adjuster was smart enough to know the differance between a V6 and a V8. Long story short they would not cover the car and David(my bud) had to take the insurance company to court and that vin tag and the build sheet were the only things that saved his ass. Insurance company paid and demanded in the agreement that the car be destroyed (none of the parts were saved). He never herd if they went after Chevy for their losses or not. I lost touch with him a couple of years back but I think his dad still has the other RS. If I ever run into him I will take a picture of the vin, emissions tag, RPO codes and window sticker.