This is a relief because my tail light is dim and I thought it was the wiring that was going bad since I had just replaced the bulbs. Glad I don't have to go digging for wires!
Window motors to. Ive learn how to work on these well cause owning 3 of them ive learned everything you said and more. But like you said , my ws6 is 20 years old and 127,000
Good job. You nailed it 'spot on' for the most part. I bought my 2001 T/A 'vert new and still own it today. It's been my favorite car over my 50 years of driving.
as to the leaking t-top. i almost agree. i had a 1992 Camero t-top, and yes it leaked ll the time here in Portland Or. my next one was a 1996 Firebird, and after a few years it also started to leak. i looked into it, and found something good for it. i tried Honda Shin-Etsu Grease. it cost me about $20 10 years ago. it is not %100 cure, but hardly ever leaks now. if your t-tops are leaking, clean the gasket, then put this grease on it. i think it will impress you as it did for me.
My T Tops leaked really bad. I tried everything but than I realized the door hinges needed to be rebuilt. Ordered upper and lower bushing kit installed and took it through a car wash zero leaks.
Keeping your Cars garaged helps a lot to prevent some of these issues. I had the 10 bolt fail then used Yukon gears and upgraded the gear ratio. Water pump backing plate the large O ring failed. Knock sensors, water can get under the intake as there are slots in the plastic intake.
Water *will* get under the intake, it's just a matter of having some rainfall in the forecast and how soon you'll pull it off see how much of it is already there. Rear one on my car was there for 19years fully submerged in rusty water!
I drive a 2002 Firebird with T-Tops, haven't had any rain coming inside. I do have the cracks on the door panels on each side. My Lucy car (she's red) never sees what I call ROUGH driving. I've had her up 90 one time to pass, but that's been in. She's my second Firebird. My first is the pewter gray T-Top I bought brand new. in 2001. Like an idiot, after 4 yours I traded her for, all of the stupid things a PT Cruiser. I'm 65 years old, and I enjoy driving her. Our other car is Betty Buick century, also a 2002. My husband like that one best, easier for him to get in and out of. Firebird ROCKS!
Another problem on these cars is the plenum below the front of the windshield behind the dash, on the driver side where water runs down the windshield behind the fenders and down to the ground there's a seal path that the robot missed right at the bottom of the drain and that gets water inside your car down inside of the firewall and can rot out the floorboards as well. My 2002 WS6 pewter Trans am seen rain one time and that's all it took to get the carpet wet and spongy and this is where the investigation led me. It can also happen any time you wash your T/A.
I bought an 01 formula firebird. Had it for 16 yrs. Fun car!! T tops, chrome wheels, but no leather interior. Everything he said spot on. But got leaks in the trunk too. Sold it for $2500 when i turned 40 in 2017. Bought a 2011 Challenger rt. Im the 2nd owner. Not as fun as the firebird cause its a heavy car. The formula was like a rocket on wheels. The Challenger not so much. If only i could have a 6.4 liter. Oh well. I still get compliments on it though. I love both cars!! Both have their looks and personality.
I had a 2000 ta ws6. My biggest issues was headlight motor n electric motor for the windows. And since i had it modded the rear tail lights would crack from the torque. But still a fun ride
My 2000 firebird conv. Headlight nylon gears stripped , so i purchased solid billet brass gears and have had no problems since, another problem is the front fog light and blinkers , they get water in them and short out . I had this happen a dozen times in 25yrs ,even after sealing bulb housing and using thicker gaskets on sockets , but still water gets in . Very expensive fix for top shelf bulbs and sockets and housings that melt . Rear lights unevenly darkening , i used a polishing small attachment on my drill and cleaned and polished the inside of light through bulb holes. Also the moonsoon radios volume control doesnt work correctly. , the sun visors break very easy because there are no 2 contect points like most cars these only have the 1 contact point so if you are not carefull they will bend in half and start to droop . I always have a power window motor in reserve parts stash . But i love my 4th gen . Riding the gulf coast 😎 of florida beachs ⛱️ with the top down
window motors is a big one. the glass is too heavy and they inevitably burn out. swapping in a powered automatic window motor is a huge quality of life improvement. the LS1 also benefits greatly from an oil catch can which are easy to install. plenty of room in the engine bay.
You kept listing things and I kept checking them off on what I've replaced on my bird. 😂😭 I've got a basic little V6 model that I bought over a decade ago now. Door panels have cracked, dash cracked recently much to my dismay, I've done fuel pump, rear end, drive belt assembly, headlight motor, cat converter twice, window motors; you name it, I've fixed it or had it fixed. All of that even though it's garage-kept and not at all driven roughly. I love the car to bits but it sure loves playing money sink on me. Probably doesn't help that I drive it daily, but I don't think a car over two decades old with only 160k on the odom is wild.
I have an 02 Trans-Am WS6 with 45k in pristine condition. The only issue I have is the power antenna doesn't work. I can hear the motor working but it doesn't extend. Rather than that I love it.
mine have done the same. Ive just disconnected the antenna motor connector. antenna still works, just has shorter range since it stays in the down position
You need to release the tension on those door panels by removing the factory staples in the top. U will see the panels instantly relax. And yes u would swear my WS6 has a loose rod on a cold morning. Piston slap is very noticeable but goes away after 10 to 15 seconds.
I've wanted tone of these since high school. What is the handling like? I'm used to driving nimble sports cars like RX-8 and BRZ ... also drive a 91 Vette. My concern is finding the car a little too much like my old 75 Pontiac Grand Ville and not enjoy an S curve/twisty roads as much. I've talked the wife into letting me get one, but want to make sure my dream isn't bigger than the reality ;)
I regularly drive mine on a twisty parkway and love it, 45-50mph through a 25mph curve feels fully stable and my tires are quite old too, high speed sweepers are even more fun at 75-90mph. If I put Michelin Pilot 4S and such it would do even better. The only thing I don't like in those cars when cornering is the lateral support from the seats or the lack of it, your ass will be shifting left and right in there during cornering. Other then this i can't see much difference between this and an IRS equipped car....well at least when the road is smooth, live axle is very sketchy on bumpy roads and likes to jump off the surface for fractions of a second, not good when you're in tight turn.
I lucked out. The only issue I have with my '98 Z28 was the leaky t-top issue during HARD rain. CA car - no underbody rust at all. Window motors are original and work - DS is getting iffy.
Headlights, ayup. Bought an 01 v6 a few months ago and one of my headlight motors died. I raised both lights (one manually) and pulled the fuses until I can get it fixed lol
These T tops have gutters and have never seen one leak; best system I ever seen, better than third gen. They will leak at the door window seals if sprayed with high pressure, but keeps normal rain out.
I attest to that, my '02 SS has 20y.o Ts and even in the heaviest rain they keep the interior 100% dry. I park in a driveway where the sun can hit it direct around 6 hours on longest summer days and never have I had problems with leaking yet. You can aim a garden hose at it, it will be dry. The only time I saw single water drops getting in was an automatic car wash with those giant air blowers when the car was all wet...
does anyone know if the 3800 V6 version of the Camaro suffers from engine fire? this engine was used in Pontiac and some of their models were recalled due to engine fires.
that was very few an far between, it was caused by leaky valve cover gaskets. Believe me, you KNOW when your valve cover gaskets leak onto the exhaust because it SMELLS. Dont let that steer you away, valve cover gaskets are not a very difficult job on any 3800 vehicle. Cheap to replace too
I have a 2000 Trans Am. The door panels start to crack because the factory put too much side pressure due to the staples that are located on the metal window piece. Not a hard fix, remove the 2 back staples and pull the 2 sections back together using a small zip tie, then loosely fit the staples back in place.
10-bolt lasts longer when you don't shock it. Dead hooking with slicks, aggressive clutch discs, etc. I have aftermarket axles, diff & gears in mine, no problem with my 418 LS3 the last 2 years but I haven't beaten on it. If I knew it'd be compatible with my aftermarket suspension, a lightweight 9" would be nice.
4 rebuilds of axle, under warranty. 7.62" ring gear is Vega iron Duke shit. My 3rd brake light fell off with less than 10 miles on it, leaving dealership. Cam sensor failed at 200 miles. 3 clutch failures, 1st a lever on pressure plate broke. They computer pulled throttle wide open at a stop sign, tried to put me in front of a semi. 10 spoke chrome wheels peeled the chrome in sheets never held air. Antiloc brakes decided not to stop the car, twice. Hyd clutch pedal problems. Leather seats were junk. Rotors warp. 7 catalytic conv failures. PS cooler in radiator hose leaked, wiping pump and rack, and radiator. Just ordered a 9" axle. But goes and turns...
sounds like you had ALL the bad stuff happen! sorry to hear that. Ive been lucky i havent had a 10 bolt go out on me yet, also havent encountered the common PS cooler issue (havent had one with it). Hydraulic clutch issues on the LS cars very common, my TA got all new clutch/hydraulics this summer due to those issues. And yes, the chrome wheels are CRAP, mine peeled and leaked this summer too. I should probably make an updated version of this video at some point, some people seem to find it helpful, but some dont haha.
People have a bad habbit of over tightening the adjustment it mushroomed the gasket The best policy if you are unlucky enough to have T tops is never ever never take them out
I keep mine parked in the garage for the last 10 years occasionally drive it on a nice Sunday afternoon so the interior has stayed flawless and the paint the t tops leaking I don’t know I haven’t put them in in years and I don’t drive it in the rain the 10 bolt is a little weak so I put a Ford 9inch in it 4.11 gears with a Detroit locker and as for piston slap ??? I put in an LSX 427 and a really big cam it’s ungodly loud and scary fast 🤣
10 bolts aren't as weak as people think if you keep the diff oil changed. Also something you didn't mention is the fiberglass door skins separating from the door and the doors sagging over time, which happens with all years, especially 2nd gens.
I think it depends on what kind of rear-end. The 93-97 F bodys got the 10 bolt that had the auburn posi unit which I believe was overall weaker than the 98-02 which had the zexel torsen LSD. I replaced my rear end with an 02 for the 3.42 gears and what I noticed when I decided to rebuild that rear end with my grandfather was the wheel bearing on one axle had went bad and was putting shavings in the diff oil. So yeah keeping an eye on this diff oil and replacing wheel bearings when they start going bad will most likely preserve the life and strength of the 10 bolt.
@@3500camarzdon't forget the revised rear end cover that reinforces the rear end and has adjustments to put a preload on the bearings. Hawks makes one and I installed it on mine right after I bought it and changed diff oil at same time.
im sure the sun beating on them makes them more brittle over time. Harsh temperature changes from hot to cold may cause cracking, much like dashpads do the same thing
1993 - 2000 All Pontiac Firebird Trans Am , have another two Problems : The Radiator every Year & Half can be Replaced , The Window Elevator Engines can be Replaced every Year !
window motors in these cars are GARBAGE. even when they work as they should theyre so damn slow lol. I havent had an issue with a 4th gen radiator yet though
2000 trans am did not have a weak rear end. I had a 2002 ws6 broke rear end 3 times. Switched to a 2000 rear end it took 600 ho to wheel never had an issue after that.
its the same rear end... 99-02 are all identical with the same differential. 98 and earlier had auburns but theyre all about equal in strength. Definitely can get luckier with one versus another, but theyre all the exact same
I have a 2001 Firebird ragtop in red. I fixed everything wrong with mine and added rearview camera. Had to rebuild the rearend and change both axles. But runs and looks like new now with black top.
So the paint issue is partly not gms fault. Apparently at the time new regulations required them to do a fast switch to a water based paint instead as well as a new primer and clear coat meaning while the paint was better for the environment (and health of those working near it) the first few years had issues with getting it to stick long term. This is why so many 90s gm cars have paint peeling on the hood,roof and deck lid. Another issue was that they were treating the metal body to be rust resistant making an already unseen at the time problem even worse. Lighter color cars (white, gray, light blue) seem to be hit the worst while darker color cars (red,black,dark green etc) tend to have clear coat fail a fair bit before the paint itself comes off whereas the lighter color cars seem to have both fail at around the same time
chassis flex can be an issue as well, especially on t-top cars. I managed to get my t-tops on my 98 formula pretty well sorted. It's not perfect, but 99% there... my car has been converted to right hand drive, but it's not a bad job.
Im very interested to see how the RHD conversion went. The engine bay/steering setup on these cars is extremely tight.... i had to experience that a lot when I installed my longtube headers. Videos on that coming soon.
@@CaptainThirdGen you are right about the engine bay, it's even more fun with the steering rack on the other side. I still have the EGR setup on my car as well... here is what the interior looks like ua-cam.com/video/36p5zA3IkyA/v-deo.html
Does anybody know why I have to stump the gas to get my car up a certain mph but it cuts out at 50 or 60mph unless like I really stump it then go up to about 70 or 80mph but when I'm cruising car getting stuck at 30 or 40mph
Try some Aerospace sealant on your rubber around your T-tops brass gears 4 your headlight Motors and if your door panels are cracked already remove them from the door and reinstall they got some kind of stress from the factory if you can catch it in time they won't crack try to keep it out of the Sun something in the windshield keep it undercover if you can with all that also Umi BMR and a few other companies make subframe connectors aftermarket of course rear control arms panhard bars stiffeners for the front strut Towers it's really not that much and have some fun
@@jimmysmith773 yeah the flat hood still breathes through the small holes. But the flat hood cars have a much shorter gap for air to get to the filter. I doubt it makes any real difference but worth noting.
Oops! Ok, maybe it's not so great, but it is a "great looking" car!! LOL! Good luck with the transmission. It's going to make the car a lot better, closer to being great! Don't give up on it!
@@steffyhobmann5037 haha yeah, i love the car! Thats the only reason Im willing to put this much work into it. Lots of bloody knuckles but it will be worth it in the end!
I agree that the realignment of the headlights after a motor change is the only pain I've had besides some aftermarket parts the previous owner put on, but that is not the manufacturer's fault.
@@CaptainThirdGen My 99 has a blown out door. The roller that the door position bar thing rides along to hold the door is toast, so the door is a bitch to open all the way (which I avoid doing) and it even gets slightly hung up on the fender just enough to wear the paint. Ill make a short video showing what I mean, the hinge itself doesnt go bad. Gorgeous car by the way, same 'pewter' champagne color as mine but mine is just a lowly V6 5spd lol
@@CaptainThirdGen cool, I bought a 2001 camaro SS back in Nov 2021, trans oil pump went out in Nov 2022, sent the trans to a trans shop for most of the upgrades from sonnax and a bullet circle d flexplate. Also did the entire suspension from bmr and the K-member and longtube headers. Now I'm saving up for 3.73 gears.
Use conventional 10W40 Valvoline and piston slap is gone. I ran 10/30 Royal Purple in my 98 z28 when I first got it and the top end sounded like a sewing machine. Switching to conventional stopped all noise. I never ran synthetic in any vehicle I ever owned. Got over 300,000 on several
Id rather to have a ws6 hood on my v6 as a starter car than over time I would upgrade everything to after market such as the taillights and the rear end to avoid those small issues
@Vend Master i did the brass gears in my 95 trans am, worked great. I did the brass gears in my 02 v6 about 6 months ago, and they failed after 1 month! Very frustrating. Not happy to have to tear it down again
@@MegaBALLINOUT id pass on it for that price. for that kind of $ the miles are too high, you're likely to spend a few thousand on repairs/maintainence shortly after purchasing
Haha, my passenger motor is like that as well, if rolled down all the way I have to roll it up in portions because it will stop😄 But for 20years and all the bitching people do about GM quality from then it stood the test of time in my opinion.
If you have piston slap try using 10w-30 that's what I did on my 2000 Camaro SS it has 95k miles on it and still runs like a champ :). LS1 are always going to sound like a diesel especially when it's cold outside and that's just the con to having an all aluminum motor. Once oil is dispersed and the metal heats up and expands the noise should go away.
Yep mine does that too piston slap 10 W 30 motor oil does help mine's a 01 Trans Am WS6 red in color T-tops and have 42k actual miles anybody out there looking for one I think I'm going to sell it very sharp looking cars and they're worth money every year goes by
I've been really lucky with mine. I have a 1998 Firebird with 80K miles on it. I've been fortunate enough to have been able to keep it garage kept and only drive it on nice days, avoiding rain and snow (as it's our third car). It was only an every day driver for about the first 5 years I had it. No cracks on the dash or doors, no taillight discoloration, and no rust underneath. Although I do have the issue with the headlight. There's obviously a gear busted in the motor. It will go up and down, but when it goes down there is a terrible loud buzzing sound for a few seconds. I've been meaning to get it fixed and just haven't gotten around to it yet. I don't know if I should bust it open and replace the gear, or just replace the whole motor.
Piston slap ? I'll take that over crazy sensor issues I'm having with mine, sometimes you can tear your hair out owning an F-Body and having to find a weird fault....of which sadly they have many.
Taillights are not to hard to repair. Heatgun, separate lens, spray reflective paint inside, reseal. Best Car Ever... I have an 2 Vert's... 01 V6 and 01 WS6.
im goin to be trying that tail light repair on my 02 V6 this summer. The 1 tail light being darker is driving me nuts. Luckily my Trans Am doesnt have the same issue
I bought it on Friday, put $25 worth of gas in it, and Sunday morning it was all on the ground. I started it up and it was coming out like rain. I went from three quarters of a tank to a quarter of a tank and 20 minutes.
Bro, you forgot to mention how weak the 4L60E transmission is. It cannot handle the power the LS1 creates during hard load driving. The clutches always burn up. I went through a number of rebuilds before I had it strengthened with stronger aftermarket parts. The work was done in 2015 and I have not had another transmission issue since.
depends on where you live. I would not recommend having one as an only car, especially if you live in an area with snowy/salty winters. And if you live in a crowded city I was also not recommend it as a daily driver. But I would recommend it as a weekend car to have fun with.
If anybody could reach out to me sometime that would be amazing just need to know what I need to do both windows are slow to go up but drivers side door seems like it is just falling apart and it is hard to close without slamming it
slow windows? these cars naturally have very slow windows. you can get a kit from magg performance I believe to up the voltage to the motors. But if your motors are really slow but still work, id leave them be. The motors are a pain to replace on these cars. As for your door issue, could be worn door pins or worn latch.
If you want to stop them from cracking any more you have to pull the panels, remove the 2 staples that are in the front part of the metal window piece and it fit loosely. It was a factory defect side put too much sideways pressure on the panels.
The door shell will land in the parking lot at Walmart one day they built these usin Elmer's glue and plastic punch tabs the shocks on the back gate goes bad and lady's and bud light drinkers will let it close hard again another part that's glued together the bottom half is heavy and will separate from the top half that holds the rear glass
Door skins coming unglued. , electrical system issues, body control module has many cold solder joints. Etc. but hey On a quite night you can hear a Chevy rust.
You forgot sagging doors...they are long and heavy...always been a problem with these cars...not to sure about the pre 77 cars but from 1977 thru the 2002 models.
I owned one, and to be honest, they were pretty crappyly made. Just open the doors and jack up the front and you won't be able to close the doors. Can you keep them running? Sure just keep replacing parts.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Common problem is my daughter just got a 99 firehawk and now I want one.
seems like my type
I love 4th gen Trans Ams. I know they have flaws, but damn just look at them!! Cars today are so painfully boring.
they are fun
today's cars are too restrained...boring styling and "feel". Mazda do a few nice cars... but most are dull
much faster and better handling though
@@colclumper and that's how it always goes. In 20 years cars will blow today's cars out of the water when it comes performance.
@@colclumperCars of old had character.
This is a relief because my tail light is dim and I thought it was the wiring that was going bad since I had just replaced the bulbs. Glad I don't have to go digging for wires!
yep, to fix it you have to pull the lens off and repaint the inner housing, or get a new housing all together
Window motors to. Ive learn how to work on these well cause owning 3 of them ive learned everything you said and more. But like you said , my ws6 is 20 years old and 127,000
yeah, overall theyre pretty solid cars, but definitely have some common issues
doing mine tomorrow
If you could message me somehow that would be amazing
Don't every car have issues?! Lol
preachin the truth man... ive changed 6 power window motors in 10 years
Good job. You nailed it 'spot on' for the most part. I bought my 2001 T/A 'vert new and still own it today. It's been my favorite car over my 50 years of driving.
Vaseline works great for keeping the water out,just wipe the rubber good with it
interesting idea, ill have to try it out!
Zymoil makes a seal conditioner that works well.
I remember back in 2004 i used to see old men at dealerships using vaseline in the interior dash never asked why
Do not use Vaseline. Use dielectric grease like the owners manual says.
Im aware I'm replying to a 3 year old post.
as to the leaking t-top. i almost agree. i had a 1992 Camero t-top, and yes it leaked ll the time here in Portland Or. my next one was a 1996 Firebird, and after a few years it also started to leak. i looked into it, and found something good for it. i tried Honda Shin-Etsu Grease. it cost me about $20 10 years ago. it is not %100 cure, but hardly ever leaks now. if your t-tops are leaking, clean the gasket, then put this grease on it. i think it will impress you as it did for me.
My T Tops leaked really bad.
I tried everything but than I realized the door hinges needed to be rebuilt.
Ordered upper and lower bushing kit installed and took it through a car wash zero leaks.
Where did you ordered them from, my tops leak
I took my t-top through a car wash. My passenger did not have a good day😂
@@Stylez-13 I ordered mine from Amazon I believe eBay also has the kit available
@@metroman1971 what bushings?
Keeping your Cars garaged helps a lot to prevent some of these issues. I had the 10 bolt fail then used Yukon gears and upgraded the gear ratio. Water pump backing plate the large O ring failed. Knock sensors, water can get under the intake as there are slots in the plastic intake.
very true
Water *will* get under the intake, it's just a matter of having some rainfall in the forecast and how soon you'll pull it off see how much of it is already there.
Rear one on my car was there for 19years fully submerged in rusty water!
Best solution to the ten bolt is a Ford 8.8
My Y87 code firebird has the 3.42 rear diff. Love that car
I drive a 2002 Firebird with T-Tops, haven't had any rain coming inside. I do have the cracks on the door panels on each side. My Lucy car (she's red) never sees what I call ROUGH driving. I've had her up 90 one time to pass, but that's been in. She's my second Firebird. My first is the pewter gray T-Top I bought brand new. in 2001. Like an idiot, after 4 yours I traded her for, all of the stupid things a PT Cruiser. I'm 65 years old, and I enjoy driving her. Our other car is Betty Buick century, also a 2002. My husband like that one best, easier for him to get in and out of. Firebird ROCKS!
cant beat a firebird, glad to hear you got another one! Theyre super fun cars
Another problem on these cars is the plenum below the front of the windshield behind the dash, on the driver side where water runs down the windshield behind the fenders and down to the ground there's a seal path that the robot missed right at the bottom of the drain and that gets water inside your car down inside of the firewall and can rot out the floorboards as well.
My 2002 WS6 pewter Trans am seen rain one time and that's all it took to get the carpet wet and spongy and this is where the investigation led me.
It can also happen any time you wash your T/A.
I put subframe connecters in my T/A. It keeps the car more rigid and the body panels tighter.
i will be doing the same in the near future
I bought an 01 formula firebird. Had it for 16 yrs. Fun car!! T tops, chrome wheels, but no leather interior. Everything he said spot on. But got leaks in the trunk too. Sold it for $2500 when i turned 40 in 2017. Bought a 2011 Challenger rt. Im the 2nd owner. Not as fun as the firebird cause its a heavy car. The formula was like a rocket on wheels. The Challenger not so much. If only i could have a 6.4 liter. Oh well. I still get compliments on it though. I love both cars!! Both have their looks and personality.
Don't even dare comparing awful brick mopar to 4th generation of Camaro/TransAm.
super car bro and like put and in black this car looks very dangerous ferocious powerful bold and high quality
I had a 2000 ta ws6. My biggest issues was headlight motor n electric motor for the windows. And since i had it modded the rear tail lights would crack from the torque. But still a fun ride
My 2000 firebird conv. Headlight nylon gears stripped , so i purchased solid billet brass gears and have had no problems since, another problem is the front fog light and blinkers , they get water in them and short out . I had this happen a dozen times in 25yrs ,even after sealing bulb housing and using thicker gaskets on sockets , but still water gets in . Very expensive fix for top shelf bulbs and sockets and housings that melt . Rear lights unevenly darkening , i used a polishing small attachment on my drill and cleaned and polished the inside of light through bulb holes. Also the moonsoon radios volume control doesnt work correctly. , the sun visors break very easy because there are no 2 contect points like most cars these only have the 1 contact point so if you are not carefull they will bend in half and start to droop . I always have a power window motor in reserve parts stash . But i love my 4th gen . Riding the gulf coast 😎 of florida beachs ⛱️ with the top down
window motors is a big one. the glass is too heavy and they inevitably burn out. swapping in a powered automatic window motor is a huge quality of life improvement. the LS1 also benefits greatly from an oil catch can which are easy to install. plenty of room in the engine bay.
You kept listing things and I kept checking them off on what I've replaced on my bird. 😂😭 I've got a basic little V6 model that I bought over a decade ago now. Door panels have cracked, dash cracked recently much to my dismay, I've done fuel pump, rear end, drive belt assembly, headlight motor, cat converter twice, window motors; you name it, I've fixed it or had it fixed. All of that even though it's garage-kept and not at all driven roughly. I love the car to bits but it sure loves playing money sink on me. Probably doesn't help that I drive it daily, but I don't think a car over two decades old with only 160k on the odom is wild.
Yep window motors...these things eat window motors for breakfast
I have an 02 Trans-Am WS6 with 45k in pristine condition. The only issue I have is the power antenna doesn't work. I can hear the motor working but it doesn't extend. Rather than that I love it.
mine have done the same. Ive just disconnected the antenna motor connector. antenna still works, just has shorter range since it stays in the down position
You need to release the tension on those door panels by removing the factory staples in the top. U will see the panels instantly relax. And yes u would swear my WS6 has a loose rod on a cold morning. Piston slap is very noticeable but goes away after 10 to 15 seconds.
I've wanted tone of these since high school.
What is the handling like?
I'm used to driving nimble sports cars like RX-8 and BRZ ... also drive a 91 Vette.
My concern is finding the car a little too much like my old 75 Pontiac Grand Ville and not enjoy an S curve/twisty roads as much.
I've talked the wife into letting me get one, but want to make sure my dream isn't bigger than the reality ;)
I regularly drive mine on a twisty parkway and love it, 45-50mph through a 25mph curve feels fully stable and my tires are quite old too, high speed sweepers are even more fun at 75-90mph.
If I put Michelin Pilot 4S and such it would do even better.
The only thing I don't like in those cars when cornering is the lateral support from the seats or the lack of it, your ass will be shifting left and right in there during cornering.
Other then this i can't see much difference between this and an IRS equipped car....well at least when the road is smooth, live axle is very sketchy on bumpy roads and likes to jump off the surface for fractions of a second, not good when you're in tight turn.
What does piston slap sound like?
Wtf that's a thing?!? thought my lt1 was weird
I lucked out. The only issue I have with my '98 Z28 was the leaky t-top issue during HARD rain. CA car - no underbody rust at all. Window motors are original and work - DS is getting iffy.
Headlights, ayup. Bought an 01 v6 a few months ago and one of my headlight motors died. I raised both lights (one manually) and pulled the fuses until I can get it fixed lol
Got mine fixed under 100$
I changed mine out watching a utube video.
Easy fix to rebuild like new.
These T tops have gutters and have never seen one leak; best system I ever seen, better than third gen.
They will leak at the door window seals if sprayed with high pressure, but keeps normal rain out.
I attest to that, my '02 SS has 20y.o Ts and even in the heaviest rain they keep the interior 100% dry.
I park in a driveway where the sun can hit it direct around 6 hours on longest summer days and never have I had problems with leaking yet.
You can aim a garden hose at it, it will be dry.
The only time I saw single water drops getting in was an automatic car wash with those giant air blowers when the car was all wet...
does anyone know if the 3800 V6 version of the Camaro suffers from engine fire?
this engine was used in Pontiac and some of their models were recalled due to engine fires.
that was very few an far between, it was caused by leaky valve cover gaskets.
Believe me, you KNOW when your valve cover gaskets leak onto the exhaust because it SMELLS. Dont let that steer you away, valve cover gaskets are not a very difficult job on any 3800 vehicle. Cheap to replace too
My 97 Firebird has pretty much most of those problems you named lol and I’m slowly fixing them
My 98 Camaro has some similar issues too.
@@JillyBean860 yup that's fourth gens for u lol
its a process with these old cars lol. Still a lotta fun at the end of the day.
I have a 2000 Trans Am. The door panels start to crack because the factory put too much side pressure due to the staples that are located on the metal window piece. Not a hard fix, remove the 2 back staples and pull the 2 sections back together using a small zip tie, then loosely fit the staples back in place.
10-bolt lasts longer when you don't shock it. Dead hooking with slicks, aggressive clutch discs, etc. I have aftermarket axles, diff & gears in mine, no problem with my 418 LS3 the last 2 years but I haven't beaten on it. If I knew it'd be compatible with my aftermarket suspension, a lightweight 9" would be nice.
4 rebuilds of axle, under warranty. 7.62" ring gear is Vega iron Duke shit. My 3rd brake light fell off with less than 10 miles on it, leaving dealership. Cam sensor failed at 200 miles. 3 clutch failures, 1st a lever on pressure plate broke. They computer pulled throttle wide open at a stop sign, tried to put me in front of a semi. 10 spoke chrome wheels peeled the chrome in sheets never held air. Antiloc brakes decided not to stop the car, twice. Hyd clutch pedal problems. Leather seats were junk. Rotors warp. 7 catalytic conv failures. PS cooler in radiator hose leaked, wiping pump and rack, and radiator. Just ordered a 9" axle. But goes and turns...
sounds like you had ALL the bad stuff happen! sorry to hear that.
Ive been lucky i havent had a 10 bolt go out on me yet, also havent encountered the common PS cooler issue (havent had one with it). Hydraulic clutch issues on the LS cars very common, my TA got all new clutch/hydraulics this summer due to those issues. And yes, the chrome wheels are CRAP, mine peeled and leaked this summer too. I should probably make an updated version of this video at some point, some people seem to find it helpful, but some dont haha.
Daytime running lights on our 2002 Collectors Edition water leak problem. Headlight motors a constant problem could be wiring
I have a 2002 i need help with my dash light it wont turn on i checked fuses and bulbs are good
People have a bad habbit of over tightening the adjustment it mushroomed the gasket The best policy if you are unlucky enough to have T tops is never ever never take them out
I keep mine parked in the garage for the last 10 years occasionally drive it on a nice Sunday afternoon so the interior has stayed flawless and the paint the t tops leaking I don’t know I haven’t put them in in years and I don’t drive it in the rain the 10 bolt is a little weak so I put a Ford 9inch in it 4.11 gears with a Detroit locker and as for piston slap ??? I put in an LSX 427 and a really big cam it’s ungodly loud and scary fast 🤣
10 bolts aren't as weak as people think if you keep the diff oil changed. Also something you didn't mention is the fiberglass door skins separating from the door and the doors sagging over time, which happens with all years, especially 2nd gens.
I think it depends on what kind of rear-end. The 93-97 F bodys got the 10 bolt that had the auburn posi unit which I believe was overall weaker than the 98-02 which had the zexel torsen LSD. I replaced my rear end with an 02 for the 3.42 gears and what I noticed when I decided to rebuild that rear end with my grandfather was the wheel bearing on one axle had went bad and was putting shavings in the diff oil. So yeah keeping an eye on this diff oil and replacing wheel bearings when they start going bad will most likely preserve the life and strength of the 10 bolt.
@@3500camarzdon't forget the revised rear end cover that reinforces the rear end and has adjustments to put a preload on the bearings. Hawks makes one and I installed it on mine right after I bought it and changed diff oil at same time.
Are firebird tail lights prone to crack by themselves from road bumps or maybe hot weather ?
im sure the sun beating on them makes them more brittle over time. Harsh temperature changes from hot to cold may cause cracking, much like dashpads do the same thing
Fourth Gen Firebirds have a lot of flare. I love my 02’
1993 - 2000 All Pontiac Firebird Trans Am , have another two Problems : The Radiator every Year & Half can be Replaced , The Window Elevator Engines can be Replaced every Year !
window motors in these cars are GARBAGE. even when they work as they should theyre so damn slow lol. I havent had an issue with a 4th gen radiator yet though
Spot on. Old school antics
i got a 02 firebird doing a l.s swap going from a 3800 to a 6.0 having trouble installing headers on driver side any suggestions
remove steering linkage (the part that bends), mine had to come off to fit the header in, i reinstalled the linkage at the end
I have a 2002 trans am I have the Tcs and brake light coming on here and there at the same time what's could be the most common problem
most likely bad wheel speed sensor. sometimes a bad wheel hub will throw the sensor off or the sensor itself is just bad
@@CaptainThirdGen thank u I will have to look into it it's kind of annoying for me
@@CaptainThirdGen by any chance u don't have extra parts laying around
a spare ttop and 2 spare sets of factory fbody wheels is what i got pretty much. 2 sets of stock front shocks/springs as well
@@CaptainThirdGen kool got u I got a convertible trying to look for a center console
2000 trans am did not have a weak rear end. I had a 2002 ws6 broke rear end 3 times. Switched to a 2000 rear end it took 600 ho to wheel never had an issue after that.
its the same rear end... 99-02 are all identical with the same differential. 98 and earlier had auburns but theyre all about equal in strength. Definitely can get luckier with one versus another, but theyre all the exact same
Cool video! Now I know what to look forward to with mine! (some I have encountered) I have a few videos on mine and my Buick!
I have the 98 firebird an yea vaseline works great on the t-tops an mine doesn't leak anymore
You may be able to get the metal gears for tour headlights similar to the c5 vetted
Why would my lights on the rearview mirror stay on?? It's a 01 v6 t top
not sure. door shut all the way? did you hit the buttons? could be a lotta stuff
The rear end part scares me😂 I looked up the price for a 12 bolt rear end and was like 2k🤦🏼♂️
more like 3500 by the time its ready to go in the car... no small price haha. I may be rebuilding my stock rear end soon, not sure yet
22 years old..original rear end 150,000 ...450hp on the motor..🤷♂️
"Who buys an F-body to not drive like an idiot?" 😂💯🔥😎
I have a 2001 Firebird ragtop in red. I fixed everything wrong with mine and added rearview camera. Had to rebuild the rearend and change both axles. But runs and looks like new now with black top.
nice! Sounds like quite the project
So the paint issue is partly not gms fault. Apparently at the time new regulations required them to do a fast switch to a water based paint instead as well as a new primer and clear coat meaning while the paint was better for the environment (and health of those working near it) the first few years had issues with getting it to stick long term. This is why so many 90s gm cars have paint peeling on the hood,roof and deck lid. Another issue was that they were treating the metal body to be rust resistant making an already unseen at the time problem even worse. Lighter color cars (white, gray, light blue) seem to be hit the worst while darker color cars (red,black,dark green etc) tend to have clear coat fail a fair bit before the paint itself comes off whereas the lighter color cars seem to have both fail at around the same time
chassis flex can be an issue as well, especially on t-top cars. I managed to get my t-tops on my 98 formula pretty well sorted. It's not perfect, but 99% there... my car has been converted to right hand drive, but it's not a bad job.
Im very interested to see how the RHD conversion went. The engine bay/steering setup on these cars is extremely tight.... i had to experience that a lot when I installed my longtube headers. Videos on that coming soon.
@@CaptainThirdGen you are right about the engine bay, it's even more fun with the steering rack on the other side. I still have the EGR setup on my car as well... here is what the interior looks like ua-cam.com/video/36p5zA3IkyA/v-deo.html
Wow!
Subframe connectors (weld in) transformed mine.
Tbh I prefer the v6 hood on the V8, it looks so sleek
Gotta go with the aggressive ram air hood one that one, but to each thier own
Does anybody know why I have to stump the gas to get my car up a certain mph but it cuts out at 50 or 60mph unless like I really stump it then go up to about 70 or 80mph but when I'm cruising car getting stuck at 30 or 40mph
Try some Aerospace sealant on your rubber around your T-tops brass gears 4 your headlight Motors and if your door panels are cracked already remove them from the door and reinstall they got some kind of stress from the factory if you can catch it in time they won't crack try to keep it out of the Sun something in the windshield keep it undercover if you can with all that also Umi BMR and a few other companies make subframe connectors aftermarket of course rear control arms panhard bars stiffeners for the front strut Towers it's really not that much and have some fun
Just sold my 87 Camaro. Low mileage but the engine had a cascade failure after the intake manifold gasket went
Should i buy one now and daily drive?
id advise against it. if you plan on daily drving get something newer
It's nice to see a TA without the ram air hood.
ill probably put one on at some point when budget allows
Those are also ram air hoods just not the double nostrils that to me look better
@@jimmysmith773 yeah the flat hood still breathes through the small holes. But the flat hood cars have a much shorter gap for air to get to the filter. I doubt it makes any real difference but worth noting.
@@CaptainThirdGen yea my 99 has that hood but I will get the other one just because I like the look better
I have a 2000 3.8 Firebird how do I make my 275 rear tires go past my fender and not so tucked in
youll need wheel spacers, or wheels with a smaller offset
With all its flaws, it's still a great car!
as of today, I disagree lol. Currently removing the transmission
Oops! Ok, maybe it's not so great, but it is a "great looking" car!! LOL! Good luck with the transmission. It's going to make the car a lot better, closer to being great! Don't give up on it!
@@steffyhobmann5037 haha yeah, i love the car! Thats the only reason Im willing to put this much work into it. Lots of bloody knuckles but it will be worth it in the end!
😎
I agree that the realignment of the headlights after a motor change is the only pain I've had besides some aftermarket parts the previous owner put on, but that is not the manufacturer's fault.
Jesus not even a minute in and he named 10 problems my Camaro has 🤣
Thanks for the tutorial
thanks for watching
Don't forget the door hinges wear out too.
ive never encountered that on a 4th gen, certainly on 3rd gens though
I've never seen a bad one?
@@CaptainThirdGen My 99 has a blown out door. The roller that the door position bar thing rides along to hold the door is toast, so the door is a bitch to open all the way (which I avoid doing) and it even gets slightly hung up on the fender just enough to wear the paint. Ill make a short video showing what I mean, the hinge itself doesnt go bad.
Gorgeous car by the way, same 'pewter' champagne color as mine but mine is just a lowly V6 5spd lol
@@zackmatulis4094 i have a v6 5spd as well. Love that car. considering selling it as I dont drive it much anymore
You still have it, uodate??? 😀
yep, still got it. Just had it out a couple weeks ago. Still running great
@@CaptainThirdGen cool, I bought a 2001 camaro SS back in Nov 2021, trans oil pump went out in Nov 2022, sent the trans to a trans shop for most of the upgrades from sonnax and a bullet circle d flexplate. Also did the entire suspension from bmr and the K-member and longtube headers. Now I'm saving up for 3.73 gears.
Use conventional 10W40 Valvoline and piston slap is gone. I ran 10/30 Royal Purple in my 98 z28 when I first got it and the top end sounded like a sewing machine. Switching to conventional stopped all noise. I never ran synthetic in any vehicle I ever owned. Got over 300,000 on several
You ever had a problem with the key and ignition?
nope. usually thats VATS related though.
@@CaptainThirdGen VAts?
@@CubanMofo the old school security system on these cars. Theres tutorials on bypassing it online
@@CaptainThirdGenmy alarms messed up nothing fixes it besides keeping it unlocked at all times
Id rather to have a ws6 hood on my v6 as a starter car than over time I would upgrade everything to after market such as the taillights and the rear end to avoid those small issues
they have a brass gear you can use to permanently repair headlights!
yes. i have also found the amazon replacement motors to work pretty well
Forgot about the alternator problem with it being on the bottom of the motor
good point. Definitely a pain to replace on these cars
@@CaptainThirdGen yes it is I had to already I would rather change the one on my 95ta
THe headlight motor and the power window motor are a pain in these cars also. I've had to replace them a couple times.
agreed. Both are big pains in the ass. Gotta do headlight motors on my v6 next
@Vend Master i did the brass gears in my 95 trans am, worked great. I did the brass gears in my 02 v6 about 6 months ago, and they failed after 1 month! Very frustrating. Not happy to have to tear it down again
@Vend Master yeah, just very frustrating that even my brass gears failed. Hopefully this time they last a long time!
@Vend Master the 93-97 dont have sail panel and door panel issues. in 98 they changed the material on both of those, causing the problems
@Vend Master haha, i knew what u meant
I seen one with 230k miles with the v8 in it should I try to get it or pass on it
all depends on price. And how willing you are to be repairing it often. And how mechanically inclined you are
@@CaptainThirdGen its 7k and ik a little bit about cars not much tho
@@MegaBALLINOUT id pass on it for that price. for that kind of $ the miles are too high, you're likely to spend a few thousand on repairs/maintainence shortly after purchasing
@@CaptainThirdGen damn okk thanks for the advice great looking car btw
@@MegaBALLINOUT thanks, good luck on your car search!
The dealer mechanically adjusted my t-tops and stopped the leaking.
My 02 convertible power windows are like watching grass grow when you put them up...
lol i feel your pain. No ac in either of my firebirds so i gotta do the window ritual every time in the summer. patience is a virtue so they say
Haha, my passenger motor is like that as well, if rolled down all the way I have to roll it up in portions because it will stop😄
But for 20years and all the bitching people do about GM quality from then it stood the test of time in my opinion.
If you have piston slap try using 10w-30 that's what I did on my 2000 Camaro SS it has 95k miles on it and still runs like a champ :). LS1 are always going to sound like a diesel especially when it's cold outside and that's just the con to having an all aluminum motor. Once oil is dispersed and the metal heats up and expands the noise should go away.
i may give that a try sometime. Im at 99,800 right now
Yep mine does that too piston slap 10 W 30 motor oil does help mine's a 01 Trans Am WS6 red in color T-tops and have 42k actual miles anybody out there looking for one I think I'm going to sell it very sharp looking cars and they're worth money every year goes by
My 98 ls1 has never had that problem it now has 104k and very quiet cold or warm low and high rpms only use Mobil 1 oil and filter
Windows not going up when the radio turns off.
I've been really lucky with mine. I have a 1998 Firebird with 80K miles on it. I've been fortunate enough to have been able to keep it garage kept and only drive it on nice days, avoiding rain and snow (as it's our third car). It was only an every day driver for about the first 5 years I had it. No cracks on the dash or doors, no taillight discoloration, and no rust underneath. Although I do have the issue with the headlight. There's obviously a gear busted in the motor. It will go up and down, but when it goes down there is a terrible loud buzzing sound for a few seconds. I've been meaning to get it fixed and just haven't gotten around to it yet. I don't know if I should bust it open and replace the gear, or just replace the whole motor.
Wow lotta comments, good video, shoulda explained piston slap 👍👍
i love piston slap, very pleasant noise. Sounds like my aluminum block engine is gonna fall apart every time i start it. Love it
I just got a black trans am yesterday the paint is so faded on the hood it’s gone lol
Best looking generation if you ask me
I own an 02 been a great vehicle and rarer and rarer
Piston slap ?
I'll take that over crazy sensor issues I'm having with mine, sometimes you can tear your hair out owning an F-Body and having to find a weird fault....of which sadly they have many.
unfortunately the truth with most old vehicles
Taillights are not to hard to repair. Heatgun, separate lens, spray reflective paint inside, reseal. Best Car Ever... I have an 2 Vert's... 01 V6 and 01 WS6.
im goin to be trying that tail light repair on my 02 V6 this summer. The 1 tail light being darker is driving me nuts. Luckily my Trans Am doesnt have the same issue
@@CaptainThirdGen I have not yet done it my self, seen may that have. My WS6, just started it, in the last month or 2. Made me want to cry.
my 1998 firebird has none of those problems you mentioned, but, it is leaking gas out of the fuel line like crazy.
I bought it on Friday, put $25 worth of gas in it, and Sunday morning it was all on the ground. I started it up and it was coming out like rain. I went from three quarters of a tank to a quarter of a tank and 20 minutes.
@@kennycarneal6765 fix it
Earlier 98 builds dont have the cracking door panels
Bro, you forgot to mention how weak the 4L60E transmission is. It cannot handle the power the LS1 creates during hard load driving. The clutches always burn up. I went through a number of rebuilds before I had it strengthened with stronger aftermarket parts. The work was done in 2015 and I have not had another transmission issue since.
Get one with a t56 you’ll never break that trans
@@1_slow4.89 Incorrect, the T56’s on these cars have pretty bad shift forks, ask me how I know I already broke mine.
@@sigbaconater910 I thought only the lt1 cars had shift forks, because my ls1 has a slave cylinder
mine got a p1518 problem out of nowhere😐
I’m buying that car should I buy it or not it will be my daily driver so should I buy it?
depends on where you live. I would not recommend having one as an only car, especially if you live in an area with snowy/salty winters. And if you live in a crowded city I was also not recommend it as a daily driver. But I would recommend it as a weekend car to have fun with.
@@CaptainThirdGen Oh ok thx!
Seems like almost all of its issues come from water damage, I am thankful because I don’t live in rainy areas
If anybody could reach out to me sometime that would be amazing just need to know what I need to do both windows are slow to go up but drivers side door seems like it is just falling apart and it is hard to close without slamming it
slow windows? these cars naturally have very slow windows. you can get a kit from magg performance I believe to up the voltage to the motors. But if your motors are really slow but still work, id leave them be. The motors are a pain to replace on these cars. As for your door issue, could be worn door pins or worn latch.
@@CaptainThirdGen Is there a way I could show you a picture of my door?
I have 2001 TransAm 5.7, and it does have that little hairline crack on the door, driver side...im the original owner.
If you want to stop them from cracking any more you have to pull the panels, remove the 2 staples that are in the front part of the metal window piece and it fit loosely. It was a factory defect side put too much sideways pressure on the panels.
Mine started to crack 1/8 inch and a tiny bit of super glue gel and 2 years later it never cracked any further
@@dlm9477 yep there are more than 2 staples. but easy to remove and replace with wire.
98's don't have the sail panel bubbling issue
early to mid 98s dont, later 98s do
@@mikeb6902 I didn't know that
yeah, thats when GM got cheap, with the tops and the door panels
@@mikeb6902 👍
The door shell will land in the parking lot at Walmart one day they built these usin Elmer's glue and plastic punch tabs the shocks on the back gate goes bad and lady's and bud light drinkers will let it close hard again another part that's glued together the bottom half is heavy and will separate from the top half that holds the rear glass
I need a driver door for a 02 can't find one in Ohio
PADRE TIEMPO ES DURO CON LAS PERSONAS Y LAS COSAS...SOLO DISFRUTA LO QUE TIENES O.
Door skins coming unglued. , electrical system issues, body control module has many cold solder joints. Etc. but hey On a quite night you can hear a Chevy rust.
Have u ever had the security like stay on
not in an fbody but in my buick yes. probably a VATS related issue
@@CaptainThirdGen thank u for replying it's means a lot really
@@CaptainThirdGen what did u do to fix it
i didnt fix it. I just left it. It still comes on from time to time but hasnt stopped any vehicle function yet
@@CaptainThirdGen mine hasn't stopped but it bugs me seeing that light on
You forgot sagging doors...they are long and heavy...always been a problem with these cars...not to sure about the pre 77 cars but from 1977 thru the 2002 models.
Problems with my car. Door cracked, leaky t-tops, 10 bolt, amber lights don’t work, and some more but that’s
do you have a contact email? I bought a beat firebird and not quit sure how to fix my interior
captainthirdgen@gmail.com
what interior parts are broken?
You forgot to mention the seats turn to shit. I've had 3 TAs. All the seats had rips.
seat covers help protect the seats
Can I Ask you questions?
sure, You can comment questions, or email me at my contact info on my channel pages. Either is fine with me
I owned one, and to be honest, they were pretty crappyly made. Just open the doors and jack up the front and you won't be able to close the doors. Can you keep them running? Sure just keep replacing parts.
yeah theyre definitely not built like a buick or cadillac. But i guess its made it this far lol