I love the LT1

**Sarge** · 12-03-2006, 05:27 AM

It is so easy to diagnose and work on.......NOT!
But I do love the old LT1 grunt so we continue.....I have rebuilt the LT1 and trannie in the 25th Anniversary Trans Am....body shop finished and she is a very nice ride....rebuilt the suspension....upper and lower ball joints...inner and outer tie rods...bushings....shocks all around....hub assemblies to get the ABS back in working order.....new Opti/Plugs/Wires/Coil/Water Pump/Starter/Fuel Filter/MAF/Amsoil Cone Filter/Granetteli Intake Elbow/EGR Valve/PCV Valve/TPS sensor/TB Polished/....heads/intake and all brand new valve assembly reworked by Greg Spreen himself....here is my issue and my solicitation of your thoughts......
I have a "miss" at between 1500 rpm and 2500 rpm.....making me crazy.....of course I cant get my hands on a O-Scope for shit....The Pontiac dealer has an old one and they lost the manual and we have no clue how to run the dad gum thing...so I am guessing my ass off....matter of elimination so to speak.....I have eliminated the fuel pressure....injectors are firing and clean....Plug wires and plugs have been tripled checked.....she idles like a kitten and WOT she flat out hauls ass just smooth as ice...after she stumbles in the aforementioned RPM range.....So I am out in the shop last night and it dawns on me we still have the original Ignition Control Module....so I am waiting for NAPA to open this morning and I'll replace it.....other than that I am running out of "guesses"......anybody's guess is welcomed...sometimes when I get frustrated I overlook the obvious.....so I appreciate anybody out there with a thought to share....oh yeah...one more thing....when cold there is no miss....it only misses after she goes into open loop....

**Red on Red WS6** · 12-03-2006, 08:49 AM

Originally Posted by Sarge

It is so easy to diagnose and work on.......NOT!
But I do love the old LT1 grunt so we continue.....I have rebuilt the LT1 and trannie in the 25th Anniversary Trans Am....body shop finished and she is a very nice ride....rebuilt the suspension....upper and lower ball joints...inner and outer tie rods...bushings....shocks all around....hub assemblies to get the ABS back in working order.....new Opti/Plugs/Wires/Coil/Water Pump/Starter/Fuel Filter/MAF/Amsoil Cone Filter/Granetteli Intake Elbow/EGR Valve/PCV Valve/TPS sensor/TB Polished/....heads/intake and all brand new valve assembly reworked by Greg Spreen himself....here is my issue and my solicitation of your thoughts......
I have a "miss" at between 1500 rpm and 2500 rpm.....making me crazy.....of course I cant get my hands on a O-Scope for shit....The Pontiac dealer has an old one and they lost the manual and we have no clue how to run the dad gum thing...so I am guessing my ass off....matter of elimination so to speak.....I have eliminated the fuel pressure....injectors are firing and clean....Plug wires and plugs have been tripled checked.....she idles like a kitten and WOT she flat out hauls ass just smooth as ice...after she stumbles in the aforementioned RPM range.....So I am out in the shop last night and it dawns on me we still have the original Ignition Control Module....so I am waiting for NAPA to open this morning and I'll replace it.....other than that I am running out of "guesses"......anybody's guess is welcomed...sometimes when I get frustrated I overlook the obvious.....so I appreciate anybody out there with a thought to share....oh yeah...one more thing....when cold there is no miss....it only misses after she goes into open loop....

You are on the right track replacing the ICM. When you replace it put about 4 washers behind the ICM to keep it off the head, heat kills them. I would also look under the hood at night and see if you see any glowing around your plugs and wires even though they are new. Do you have any access to data logging?

**SexOnWheels** · 12-03-2006, 10:33 AM

What shocks did you buy?

The miss could be just the coil since you replaced the opti. Also check the plug wires you could be getting some arcing..

Did you silicone the hell out of the new opti? what brand or did you just buy a new stocker?

How about some pic's of the new engine bay?

**Sarge** · 12-03-2006, 12:42 PM

I'm a happy camper...fired that bitch up and got out on the old country road here by the ranch....got her sideways from a 45mph punch.....got out on the highway and did about three 0-80mph pulls....smooth as buttah

She will flat shit and get.....need Allen Nelson to give her a final tune and we are ready to go...probably sell her anyway....just like to build em

Ol 440RWHP (here on the forum) wants to sell his 97 Trans Am...got a new 383 Stroker motor in it....sounds like fun....new project

Shocks were new from NAPA...Opti also...and yes....globs of silicone....

**Sarge** · 12-03-2006, 01:31 PM

Well I'm waiting on my girls to go out and eat dinner...so I got time to kill

Here are a couple of pics....

**Firebug** · 12-03-2006, 01:36 PM

I'll give her a good home Sarge...

Although GF will smack me up the back of the head...

How was the holiday?

**BlackLT1Z28** · 12-03-2006, 05:38 PM

Are those factory iron manifolds I see in there?

**5.0THIS** · 12-03-2006, 11:40 PM

Car looks good except those blue valve covers and manifold

**Sarge** · 12-04-2006, 04:44 AM

LOL...Guys....I'm not building it to keep it...It is an return on investment exercise.....headers dont bring any return on investment....when I turn a car like this in less that 60 days....I focus on ride/running/looks for the least amount of money I can achieve those goals for.....I was offered and accepted this morning $12K...I doubled my money.....on to the next one!

**Raoul-Duke** · 12-04-2006, 06:38 AM

Iiii......love It Tooo

**Sarge** · 12-04-2006, 02:02 PM

4th Gens are a steal right now and you can do so little to them and turn a quick profit. Without much work at all. I have access to a good body shop and because I do so much with them I get half price. 90% of what people buy is looks anyway. Nobody on this forum would have bought that TA for $12K but lots and lots of others lined up to. I think it is a testament to the Fbody popularity with the over 40 crowd....and that crowd has disposable income

Oh and the Pontiac blue is for the older guys....they expect to see Pontiac Blue on a TransAm....

**94z28l** · 12-04-2006, 09:46 PM

Originally Posted by Sarge

4th Gens are a steal right now and you can do so little to them and turn a quick profit. Without much work at all. I have access to a good body shop and because I do so much with them I get half price. 90% of what people buy is looks anyway. Nobody on this forum would have bought that TA for $12K but lots and lots of others lined up to. I think it is a testament to the Fbody popularity with the over 40 crowd....and that crowd has disposable income

Oh and the Pontiac blue is for the older guys....they expect to see Pontiac Blue on a TransAm....

disposable income and not too much knowledge on cars for some, is that the pontiac blue? looks kinda lighter but might just be my computer