The person who bought it from me set the little Caviler in his back yard and there it sat until I once again bought the
little car. The person I sold it to had the intentions of rebuilding it and fixing the Caviler up because it was a limited
edition type of Caviler and he really did like the car. Things just got in his way and after sitting for close to four years I
bought the Caviler back. Now I had finally gotten a replacement engine for the car. I ordered a replacement 2.8 Liter
engine from Jim Pace Performance Parts. Jim Pace had some problems finding me a replacement. GM no longer built
the engines so they had to go to Delco to find ne and it had to be specific for this Caviler. It was a Z24 and they had a
different version of the 2.8 Liter then most of the stock 2.8 Liter Engines. After locating me the engine they shipped it
and I got the engine around Halloween 2004.
little car. The person I sold it to had the intentions of rebuilding it and fixing the Caviler up because it was a limited
edition type of Caviler and he really did like the car. Things just got in his way and after sitting for close to four years I
bought the Caviler back. Now I had finally gotten a replacement engine for the car. I ordered a replacement 2.8 Liter
engine from Jim Pace Performance Parts. Jim Pace had some problems finding me a replacement. GM no longer built
the engines so they had to go to Delco to find ne and it had to be specific for this Caviler. It was a Z24 and they had a
different version of the 2.8 Liter then most of the stock 2.8 Liter Engines. After locating me the engine they shipped it
and I got the engine around Halloween 2004.
Launching in 1980, the Chevrolet 60-Degree V6 is a compact powerhouse! A Chevy V6/60-degree engine is the perfect power-plant for a high-tech street rod. This
engine has received changes almost every year of its life and is now one of GM's most widespread engines. It was designed with a 60 degree separation angle to give
perfect balance and a crank throw angle of 120 degrees. This V6 is not like any other Chevrolet V6 which, have all been derived form their V8 cousins. Chevrolet's
60-degree V6 has been produced in three distinct versions. This is the short list of changes to the engine made in 1985 that my Caviler benefits from:
# Switch-over year to larger main journal blocks mid-year main journals now measure 2.648in/67.25mm
# All fuel injected engines received larger valves (1.72 intake, 1.42 exhaust)
# Engine introduced in J-cars Thin front timing cover, offset water pump, and narrower timing set used in models with engine set further forward (i.e... Cavalier,
Cimmaron, etc.)
# Multiport Fuel Injection (MPFI) system was introduced, which included: one fuel injector per cylinder which sprays fuel directly into cylinder, cold start fuel
injectors, special throttle body.
# OBD I computer system
# Different cylinder head gaskets and pistons used with MPFI engines.
# Mechanical fuel pump is replaced with a high-pressure electric fuel pump in tank and fuel pressure regulator.
# One-piece rear main seal introduced (10mm wide)
# O-ring used to seal main oil passage between oil pump and block.
# Distributor downsized.
# Serpentine accessory drive belt on some models.
# Lower friction oil control rings.
# Intake manifold plenum lowered in J-cars to clear hood.
# Horsepower 130
# Torque 160
# Compression 8.9:1
engine has received changes almost every year of its life and is now one of GM's most widespread engines. It was designed with a 60 degree separation angle to give
perfect balance and a crank throw angle of 120 degrees. This V6 is not like any other Chevrolet V6 which, have all been derived form their V8 cousins. Chevrolet's
60-degree V6 has been produced in three distinct versions. This is the short list of changes to the engine made in 1985 that my Caviler benefits from:
# Switch-over year to larger main journal blocks mid-year main journals now measure 2.648in/67.25mm
# All fuel injected engines received larger valves (1.72 intake, 1.42 exhaust)
# Engine introduced in J-cars Thin front timing cover, offset water pump, and narrower timing set used in models with engine set further forward (i.e... Cavalier,
Cimmaron, etc.)
# Multiport Fuel Injection (MPFI) system was introduced, which included: one fuel injector per cylinder which sprays fuel directly into cylinder, cold start fuel
injectors, special throttle body.
# OBD I computer system
# Different cylinder head gaskets and pistons used with MPFI engines.
# Mechanical fuel pump is replaced with a high-pressure electric fuel pump in tank and fuel pressure regulator.
# One-piece rear main seal introduced (10mm wide)
# O-ring used to seal main oil passage between oil pump and block.
# Distributor downsized.
# Serpentine accessory drive belt on some models.
# Lower friction oil control rings.
# Intake manifold plenum lowered in J-cars to clear hood.
# Horsepower 130
# Torque 160
# Compression 8.9:1
When my 1980 El Camino was built and sold it had a factory Horse Power Rating of 148 horses. My 80 had a 305 Ci. V8 engine in it at the time and pushed around lot
more weight. So in comparison this V6 is actually pretty powerful. I know by working on the small block V8 engines that it is reasonable to see 1 (one) horse power
per cubic inch of displacement. Therefore, it is reasonable to believe that I can squeeze 178 to 180 horses from mine in time. For now I will be quite satisfied just to
get my little Z-Car back on the road and me behind the wheel. As I go through this process I am learning a good deal more about my little Z-Car than I ever knew the
first time I had it. At the time, I wasn't concerned with its makeup just that it was a pretty cool car and my very first New Car ever and I really didn't want to work on
cars any more! Up to that point ever stinking car I owned I had to constantly work on to keep them going and I wanted that to be over with. So learning about this
and that was contradictory to my goal of just driving it. I did know that it was a limited model and pretty rare, I could tell that by looking around. Not to many Z-Cars
on the road then and I remember seeing only one other hatchback model. I only saw a few regular hatchback Cavilers during the time I owned the car.
more weight. So in comparison this V6 is actually pretty powerful. I know by working on the small block V8 engines that it is reasonable to see 1 (one) horse power
per cubic inch of displacement. Therefore, it is reasonable to believe that I can squeeze 178 to 180 horses from mine in time. For now I will be quite satisfied just to
get my little Z-Car back on the road and me behind the wheel. As I go through this process I am learning a good deal more about my little Z-Car than I ever knew the
first time I had it. At the time, I wasn't concerned with its makeup just that it was a pretty cool car and my very first New Car ever and I really didn't want to work on
cars any more! Up to that point ever stinking car I owned I had to constantly work on to keep them going and I wanted that to be over with. So learning about this
and that was contradictory to my goal of just driving it. I did know that it was a limited model and pretty rare, I could tell that by looking around. Not to many Z-Cars
on the road then and I remember seeing only one other hatchback model. I only saw a few regular hatchback Cavilers during the time I owned the car.
 |
The last items I needed to collect to start on the project was the Clutch, Pressure Plate, the Throw-Out Bearing and a Pilot bearing. I would also like to replace the CV
joints while I have the little car down. Some things are a must in a case like this. You have to replace the Starter while the engine is out, the Water Pump and the Idler
Pulley needs to be replaced while you have it apart, there really is no better time! Any sensor that mounts on the engine has to be replaced. After all, the car was sitting
for four, almost five years before I got it back so no telling what has rotted or corroded and so on. Better to do all that while it is apart than to have to go back in later
where it is way less easy to do something. I bought a Crate Factory Replacement Engine for this little baby so I wouldn't have to worry about who did what and how
and when. I had thoughts of adding a more aggressive CAM at one time but I think I'll leave the engine alone. I really liked the way the 130 Horse power engine felt.
Anyway, I have two monster 383 Power Plants in two very different El Caminos so when I want to get down and dirty or just change my style, - BAM! There I am!
I'll change or replace as much of the mechanical stuff associated with the power plant and drive train while I have this opportunity. To me making it where I don't
have to work on it all the time or having it so that I don't have to worry about this and that going out because of age is a prime goal after all, Chevrolet didn't make it
easy to work on these little monsters to start with. Still there is more room under the hood of my Caviler than there is under the hood of the Lumina. Both have
essentially the same power plant. The Lumina's engine is the 3.1 Liter which was derived from stroking the 2.8 V6 and giving it a little larger bore, 2.8 Liter + Longer
Stroke + Larger Bore = 3.1 Liter. Also, going back I'll switch over to some platinum tipped plugs, some of the GM 5 year coolant and I'll pull the tank, clean that out
and replace the pump and filter screen as well as the in-line fuel filter. I want good clean gas going into the injectors and those will also be replaced only later, they are
easier to get to so, for now, I'll replace only the ones that are bad.
joints while I have the little car down. Some things are a must in a case like this. You have to replace the Starter while the engine is out, the Water Pump and the Idler
Pulley needs to be replaced while you have it apart, there really is no better time! Any sensor that mounts on the engine has to be replaced. After all, the car was sitting
for four, almost five years before I got it back so no telling what has rotted or corroded and so on. Better to do all that while it is apart than to have to go back in later
where it is way less easy to do something. I bought a Crate Factory Replacement Engine for this little baby so I wouldn't have to worry about who did what and how
and when. I had thoughts of adding a more aggressive CAM at one time but I think I'll leave the engine alone. I really liked the way the 130 Horse power engine felt.
Anyway, I have two monster 383 Power Plants in two very different El Caminos so when I want to get down and dirty or just change my style, - BAM! There I am!
I'll change or replace as much of the mechanical stuff associated with the power plant and drive train while I have this opportunity. To me making it where I don't
have to work on it all the time or having it so that I don't have to worry about this and that going out because of age is a prime goal after all, Chevrolet didn't make it
easy to work on these little monsters to start with. Still there is more room under the hood of my Caviler than there is under the hood of the Lumina. Both have
essentially the same power plant. The Lumina's engine is the 3.1 Liter which was derived from stroking the 2.8 V6 and giving it a little larger bore, 2.8 Liter + Longer
Stroke + Larger Bore = 3.1 Liter. Also, going back I'll switch over to some platinum tipped plugs, some of the GM 5 year coolant and I'll pull the tank, clean that out
and replace the pump and filter screen as well as the in-line fuel filter. I want good clean gas going into the injectors and those will also be replaced only later, they are
easier to get to so, for now, I'll replace only the ones that are bad.
 |
Here it is the middle of 2005 and I'm finally going to start off my 86's new Power Plant. This is my "A" list, that is the parts that made the cut as far as replacement
with the power plant and transmission. I'm actually not replacing the actual Transmission because as far as I know there is nothing wrong with its Motion Maker. I
will however, replace the clutch plate, the clutch and the throwout bearing while I have the Power Plant out of the car. My actual "A" list is a long list of the electronic
senders and inputs that are critical for the engine to operate properly and reliably. I sure don't want to have to pull the engine out again to replace some tiny ass little
part that failed right after I got it running. Anyway this car has just sat, doing nothing, for around 5, or really close to it, years! Its sat doing nothing but rusting and
corroding and oxidizing. Electronics exposed to an operating corrosive environment is one thing but let them sit after that and they go bad quickly.
with the power plant and transmission. I'm actually not replacing the actual Transmission because as far as I know there is nothing wrong with its Motion Maker. I
will however, replace the clutch plate, the clutch and the throwout bearing while I have the Power Plant out of the car. My actual "A" list is a long list of the electronic
senders and inputs that are critical for the engine to operate properly and reliably. I sure don't want to have to pull the engine out again to replace some tiny ass little
part that failed right after I got it running. Anyway this car has just sat, doing nothing, for around 5, or really close to it, years! Its sat doing nothing but rusting and
corroding and oxidizing. Electronics exposed to an operating corrosive environment is one thing but let them sit after that and they go bad quickly.
This little list of parts adds up. This is a little over $500.00 worth of electronics and accessories just
to get the engine back in and another $250.00 to get the electronic Instrument Cluster repaired. But
this little Gem will end up being my work transportation so, I want a dependable car from this not a
hobby project. I want it to run very much like it did when I first got the car in 86 and have no
surprises for a Certified Chevrolet Mechanic should I decide in the future to use one.
to get the engine back in and another $250.00 to get the electronic Instrument Cluster repaired. But
this little Gem will end up being my work transportation so, I want a dependable car from this not a
hobby project. I want it to run very much like it did when I first got the car in 86 and have no
surprises for a Certified Chevrolet Mechanic should I decide in the future to use one.
It was in october by the time I got around to being able to work on this little car. By now fuel costs
have gone through the roof actually doubling since same time last year. Now is the time to brake
out the small guns. I've been driving my 76 El Camino 383 back and forth to work and it's costing
sixty bucks every fill up. The caviler gets 20 MPG on regular gas end of story!
October 15th 2005.
I went to the shop and picked up the trailer and Mitch's Green Ford to tow with. We took some
time to install a wench and then decided to change the cable on the winch. The old cable was
frayed and dangerous! Not so much that it could brake but more on the hands dangerous. Stainless
Steel cable can really tear up someone's hands.
I got the Caviler on the trailer with little effort. Problem was I had it out of gear and it sat so low
that I couldn't get the door open to put it in gear or set a brake. The keys were in it also so I
couldn't crawl through from the back ether. It was going to have to ride that way. I chained it to
the trailer so it wouldn't roll off and blocked the tires as best I could to keep it from shifting and
took off back for the shop.
have gone through the roof actually doubling since same time last year. Now is the time to brake
out the small guns. I've been driving my 76 El Camino 383 back and forth to work and it's costing
sixty bucks every fill up. The caviler gets 20 MPG on regular gas end of story!
October 15th 2005.
I went to the shop and picked up the trailer and Mitch's Green Ford to tow with. We took some
time to install a wench and then decided to change the cable on the winch. The old cable was
frayed and dangerous! Not so much that it could brake but more on the hands dangerous. Stainless
Steel cable can really tear up someone's hands.
I got the Caviler on the trailer with little effort. Problem was I had it out of gear and it sat so low
that I couldn't get the door open to put it in gear or set a brake. The keys were in it also so I
couldn't crawl through from the back ether. It was going to have to ride that way. I chained it to
the trailer so it wouldn't roll off and blocked the tires as best I could to keep it from shifting and
took off back for the shop.
I'll start off by prepping it to pull the entire power plant and Transmission at once. The heads off this engine will be somewhat reconditioned and used to repair the 98
Lumina. That one has overheated and messed up the heads.
Lumina. That one has overheated and messed up the heads.
| Last revised: Sunday, October 16th, 2005 11:08 AM CST Copyright © 1998-2003, V. R. Engstrom, All Rights Reserved |
| Engine and Drive Train |
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