Looking for a good (cheap) mechanic in the Bloomington/Bedford area. Recommendations?

[muncie21]

Looks like I'm going to keep my 95 Chevy Z71 that I posted for sale previously, so now I need to get it running top notch. I'm looking for a good, reasonable mechanic in the Bloomington/Bedford area that can work on older vehicles. It's sad that I have to say this, but I am pretty good on newer LSx model engines but the older dizzy firing motors are a bit more challenging for me.

The truck runs, but has an intermittent miss and also a miss under load. I'm guessing timing or ignition, but I am at the point that I would give this to a professional to get it out of my hair.

Any recommendations for mechanics in the area?

 

[CountryBoy19]

Looks like I'm going to keep my 95 Chevy Z71 that I posted for sale previously, so now I need to get it running top notch. I'm looking for a good, reasonable mechanic in the Bloomington/Bedford area that can work on older vehicles. It's sad that I have to say this, but I am pretty good on newer LSx model engines but the older dizzy firing motors are a bit more challenging for me.

The truck runs, but has an intermittent miss and also a miss under load. I'm guessing timing or ignition, but I am at the point that I would give this to a professional to get it out of my hair.

Any recommendations for mechanics in the area?

At the risk of sounds obvious, if this has a distributor on it have your replaced the cap, rotor, and plugs?

ETA, '95, I don't think they had rotors that late.

What about the coil-packs? Have you checked those? One of my coil-packs went bad on my Buick and I replaced them and changed the plugs and it ran like it was brand new.

They aren't very hard to change out. I'm right between Bedford and Bloomington, but don't have much in the way of tools for that work, just the basics (wrench/hammer/screwdriver).

 

[muncie21]

Thanks for the suggestions Countryboy!

The only thing left on the ignition system that hasn't been replaced is the coil (only 1) and the ignition module.

At the risk of sounds obvious, if this has a distributor on it have your replaced the cap, rotor, and plugs?

ETA, '95, I don't think they had rotors that late.

What about the coil-packs? Have you checked those? One of my coil-packs went bad on my Buick and I replaced them and changed the plugs and it ran like it was brand new.

They aren't very hard to change out. I'm right between Bedford and Bloomington, but don't have much in the way of tools for that work, just the basics (wrench/hammer/screwdriver).

 

[360]

Check out this place. A friend of mine, good work, and very fair!

Link: Auto Guys Repair
1208 S. Walnut St
Bloomington, IN 47401
Phone 331-4897

 

[x10]

If I"m remembering right the 95 needs to have the final timing adjustment with a GM tool, a standard OBD tool won't get it done

 

[Andre46996]

If I"m remembering right the 95 needs to have the final timing adjustment with a GM tool, a standard OBD tool won't get it done

Your sort of correct My Mac Maximizer will do it so will the new Snap-on unit,I also upgraded to us the new CAN system mandated for full implementation in 2012. however if this was the case it would set a SES light. What you are describing is a variation between the crank sensor and distributor pickup rpm readings you have 2 degrees of timing separation to work in before it sets a fault code.

A loose chain would cause such a problem, but as mentioned it would set a SES light.

A VERY common problem on these motors is an intake leak, some will show a coolant leak others will not, even a small leak will cause a lean condition on heavy acceleration or while under a load.

 

[ReSSurrected]

A few observations.

1995 was still a cap/rotor configuration.

A bad module could cause your problems, but 99.99% of the time a GM module just goes toes up and the vehicle is DRT. Same goes for the coil, although it hasn't been that long since I had a 350 that refused to fire, but produced spark with a spark tester. Turned out the coil had just enough life left in it to make a spark, but the compression stroke was enough to blow it out.

I had a similar problem (low engine speed/high load miss) with a 2.2 in a Sonoma, turned out to be a bad plug. I had planned to do a full tuneup, but ran out of time and just swapped plugs, intending to do the rest the next day. After putting new plugs in, the miss was gone.

Just out of curiosity, what brand plugs are you using? Bosch by any chance?

ETA: The rampant intake leak issues (on V8's at least) didn't start until the '96 model year with the Vortec heads. The gaskets they were using back then used a plastic "chassis" and a silicone-like port seal. You can still get this gasket set, FelPro P/N MS90131-2, but it's just the same fail prone gasket as they used back in '96. FelPro P/N 98000T is the upgrade, witch uses a steel "chassis" and a rubber seal. FYI, a '95 would use FelPro 93317, which is a "Gen 1" (non-Vortec) gasket.

 

[ReSSurrected]

I was wondering, was that truck on Craigslist a while back? I remember seeing it, and had contemplated calling about it.

I was going to PM you, but that privilege is still 6 posts away...

Scott

 

[Jack Ryan]

Looks like I'm going to keep my 95 Chevy Z71 that I posted for sale previously, so now I need to get it running top notch. I'm looking for a good, reasonable mechanic in the Bloomington/Bedford area that can work on older vehicles. It's sad that I have to say this, but I am pretty good on newer LSx model engines but the older dizzy firing motors are a bit more challenging for me.

The truck runs, but has an intermittent miss and also a miss under load. I'm guessing timing or ignition, but I am at the point that I would give this to a professional to get it out of my hair.

Any recommendations for mechanics in the area?

Rick Norman, Rick's Automotive in Bedford. First stop for me on any thing automotive body work, electrical, transimissions, what ever. Never had him say he'd fix any thing he could't fix and never had him recomend any one else to do work he doesn't do that didn't do a top notch job as well.

I've been taking work to him for years and years and I've never had the first complaint of any type with any work he's ever done for me or people he has recomended to me.

 

[mettle]

Looks like I'm going to keep my 95 Chevy Z71 that I posted for sale previously, so now I need to get it running top notch. I'm looking for a good, reasonable mechanic in the Bloomington/Bedford area that can work on older vehicles. It's sad that I have to say this, but I am pretty good on newer LSx model engines but the older dizzy firing motors are a bit more challenging for me.

The truck runs, but has an intermittent miss and also a miss under load. I'm guessing timing or ignition, but I am at the point that I would give this to a professional to get it out of my hair.

Any recommendations for mechanics in the area?

Dennis Robertson, Robertson Automotive. He is up 37, behind Wylie's carpet off the highway if you know where that is. He takes care of Nature's Way fleet vehicles and is reputable.
876 2312

He's done everything my vehicles have needed that past few years. Honest, excellent and privately owned, so the money stays here instead of going overseas or to some big business exec.