[FlyingDutchman]

Supposed to be heading home from school for the summer next Sunday and of course that's when car issues surface

Brief car history. 1997 Camaro Z28, 6-Speed, only mods are CAI, catback, and !CAGS. Purchased in 2008 with 64k, rebuilt shortly after due to a failed head gasket/bent rod. Currently has 95k on the clock, no major recent issues. All gauges read normal levels with nothing noticeably wrong.

So it rained earlier today when I left for my gf's house (2 miles away). Car ran fine like normal. Parked it and spent a few hours at her house so the car should technically have fully cooled off. Going to leave, I start the car and allow it to idle while I choose some bomb ϟƘƦןƖƖΣx tunes and I feel the car start to shutter and proceed to die. Starts right back up and idles for a minute so I decide to drive away. Car ran fine for about a mile, but then as I am coasting with my foot in the clutch down into dip I put it in 5th and release the clutch to accelerate up the hill. I notice that the car died again. Coast up the hill and creep along the shoulder and start the car back up. Make it back to campus where it dies at a stop sign. Starts one the third attempt and I make it to the apartments where a friend and I take a look at it. Allowed it to just idle and it idles smoothly and randomly chokes and dies. Did it a few more times, sometimes it would start right up, sometimes Id have to take a few attempts. Eventually I drive it across the street into the parking lot. Stopped the car and it died. Took some effort but died again and again. Finally I got it into my parking space where it currently rests.

From what I have read, there are only 303974139470916509 possibilities

The Service Engine Soon light was already on for rear 02 sensor, but no check engine light. SES light does NOT flash or anything indicating misfire. Have not been able to check out codes yet, hopefully will get a scanner asap.

When it dies I am not touching the gas or anything else to provoke it. Sometimes the RPMs will just kinda slowly fall to 0. Other times the engine will attempt to catch its self and rise to 1800ish rpm and either idle or die. If I hit the gas I can raise the RPMs easily and it seems fine.

In the past I have had the car do this before. Once I remember idling out of the driveway backwards and it died. Another time I started it while parked out front of the house and the RPMs dipped a few times before it caught itself.

When I was home removing the cutout, I noticed oil alllllll over from the back of the engine to the tail shaft of the tranny. Not sure if that has anything to do with my problem, thinking the RMS is leaking judging by where the oil was.


So LT1 gurus ... what should I be looking for? I have seen something about the coil being spaced off the head using a washer ... what's the point? Hopefully this is not a sign of a failing opti .....

I will attempt the gather more information and update you. Sorry for the long read, trying to include all that I know.


Thanks,

- Josh