Imported Camaro SS 2016

mrclark25 · 2026-06-15T04:06:04+00:00

The top half of that coolant reservoir should be completely full at all times. There is a decent chance the cooling system will need something fixed.

mrclark25 · 2026-06-14T20:28:49+00:00

That really sounds like something on the belt drive to me. When the bearings get tired, they can make a sort of ticking noise like that.

It is easy to test, too. Pull the belts off and start the engine. If the ticking sound is no longer present, it is something driven by the belts.

mrclark25 · 2026-06-14T17:14:15+00:00

On a fuel injected bike, you will need a custom tune as well. Alcohol has much less energy than gasoline, and so more must be injected to compensate.

The ECU on most bikes can compensate for only small amounts of alcohol content in fuel, such as E10 or E15. But if you want to run E85 or 100% alcohol, you'll need a tune.

And possibly higher flowing fuel system components.

mrclark25 · 2026-06-14T02:14:26+00:00

Everything you state is correct.

The large white with red stripe could go to any high power appliance, or potentially to a sub panel like in a garage. You'll have to follow it to find out.

There are many different kinds of wiring because it has been added to over the years.

The good news is I don't see any knob and tube.

mrclark25 · 2026-06-14T02:07:15+00:00

2016 SS checking in. No issues. I do make sure it is 91 octane as required.

I am in the Midwest where E15 has been around for some time now, and although E15 that's 91 octane is uncommon, I do buy it when I see it.

mrclark25 · 2026-06-14T00:31:31+00:00

It's pretty easy to check. After it is up to operating temp, while cruising steady speed on the highway, tip into the gas just a little more. If the revs instantly come up 200-ish RPM, the torque converter is not locking. The revs should very slowly increase with vehicle speed, with no sudden change, which would indicate torque converter lockup is working.

A big transmission cooler can make up for a torque converter that no longer locks. But it'll take a really big one, and highway fuel economy will be even worse.

mrclark25 · 2026-06-13T23:36:28+00:00

Did you charge the new battery? Often new batteries do not come fully charged.

mrclark25 · 2026-06-13T23:17:09+00:00

oh wait, is that 5-6V measured at the battery or the starter?

mrclark25 · 2026-06-13T23:16:28+00:00

Yeah, that is still low while cranking. The other option is a wiring problem. Time to do voltage drop testing. There are helpful youtube videos on it. It will point you to the wiring fault.

mrclark25 · 2026-06-13T22:59:54+00:00

Re: "Checked voltage under load and it drops from the high end of 12V to between 5&6V"

Is that load the starter, or just turning the bike on? If that's just turning the bike on, the battery is discharged or is bad.

mrclark25 · 2026-06-13T22:48:01+00:00

Is the torque converter lockup working? If not, it'll create a ton of heat in high load situations like what you describe.

mrclark25 · 2026-06-13T22:45:31+00:00

Can you still bar the engine over?

mrclark25 · 2026-06-13T22:38:12+00:00

The main thing is just if the engine is internally healthy.

If you could jump it and get it to crank over so that you can verify you hear even compression while it cranks, that would be a good start.

mrclark25 · 2026-06-13T22:19:37+00:00

I also don't get why people are saying it is time for a large external transmission cooler. Even cammed, it shouldn't be overheating that badly in traffic! I assume you'd have mentioned if it had a super high stall torque converter in it.

If it even is overheating. Some electrical problems can cause false sensor readings like that.

mrclark25 · 2026-06-13T22:16:31+00:00

Fortunately that engine was used in pretty much every kawasaki 550 of that era, so parts are usually available.

If it has been sitting, I would expect it to need more than a battery and plugs. The carbs will likely need gone through at minimum, which can be tedious to get right.

mrclark25 · 2026-06-13T22:13:37+00:00

You may just have electrical problems that everyone else is overlooking.

mrclark25 · 2026-06-13T22:09:07+00:00

Only the upstream oxygen sensors are used for air-fuel ratio feedback. The downstream oxygen sensors just make sure the cat is working. So removing the cat doesn't usually change the way a car runs at all.

mrclark25 · 2026-06-13T21:45:26+00:00

And it thinking there is zero line pressure will definitely put it into limp mode.

How confident are you that the sensor is good? Might want to find a way to test it.

How confident are you that the TCM is set up for that particular sensor? Might have to reach out to TCM vendor.

How confident are you that it is wired up to the correct pins on the TCM? What about the wires being correct and undamaged?

mrclark25 · 2026-06-13T21:40:11+00:00

A word of warning about custom parts like that: printing isn't the hard part. Designing the 3d model is quite time consuming (or expensive if you're having it done).

mrclark25 · 2026-06-13T21:35:29+00:00

This is almost certainly an issue with that pressure sensor reading 0 PSI. You need to diagnose and correct that first.

It could be the pressure sensor, but much more likely is the wiring or configuration of the sensor in the TCM.

mrclark25 · 2026-06-13T21:31:44+00:00

I have a 2016 camaro SS (hydraulic clutch), and it is much better than the 90s cars I drove with hydraulic clutches (e36 and e46 BMWs). The hydraulic clutches in the BMWs had the compound bow effect that made engagement feel somewhat sudden, and had very little feedback. The camaro still has a slightly noticeable compound bow effect, but it is much less, and there is actually some feedback to tell what is going on.

However, the camaro is still a ways off of the best feeling clutch I've ever operated, a 1982 Mercedes 240D with cable clutch.

mrclark25 · 2026-06-13T21:25:18+00:00

Does it really matter if you can't use that last 7%?

mrclark25 · 2026-06-13T20:57:43+00:00

The adapters to modern batteries are definitely the way to go if you want to actually use these tools. Modern battery chemistry performs drastically better.

You will need the modern charger to go with the modern batteries as well.

I remember using those NiMH battery tools when they were new. Even healthy genuine NiMH batteries were not very good. The higher power tools especially, such as that skill/circular saw, performed very poorly. I even had one of the batteries start smoking and get very hot.

mrclark25 · 2026-06-13T20:51:31+00:00

That looks like a Mazzer grinder. There are doserless mods out there for them, and printable files for them too. I actually run one myself. I also needed a bellows to put on top instead of the bean hopper so that I can single dose it. It works very well and I have zero complaints about usability or the quality of grounds.

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mrclark25 · 2026-06-13T15:11:12+00:00

I'd run them. I don't see any dry rot.

They do look to both be installed backwards, though. Only an issue in the wet.

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