1985 Monte Carlo - new user

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sonix

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Mar 8, 2010
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Hey guys,
I just picked up this car for a friend of mine, but I want to get it running right before I give it to him (in July).

It's a 1985 Monte Carlo, 305 with 3 speed auto.

I'm a long time member on the 3rd gen Camaro forum (thirdgen.org), but have very little Monte Carlo specific knowledge. I intend to do a lot of reading on here, but was hoping for a few tidbits to start me off;

- What rear end gear ratio would be expected in this car? I will pull the cover and change the fluid, but I was hoping you guys could give me a heads up?

- I was told this car has the heavy duty transmission as it has the towing package. I take it this is a TH350 - correct?

- Car has a standard gauge cluster of speedo, gas gauge, and idiot lights. The one on the right doesn't really do anything, was that a clock at one time, or is that simple a holder for the cars that didn't get a tach? (I can provide a picture, but i'm hoping you know what I mean?)
- Is there a way I can buy a complete gauge package, ready to drop in? ie, water temp, oil pressure, 200km/hr speedo, tach, etc - and just bolt it in? Or would I need to go custom aftermarket for gauges, and some type of cluster to hold it, and new sending units?

- Does this car use a mechanical fuel pump only, or is there an electric in tank as well? Is the mechanical fuel pump a return style? (This is where my Camaro background comes in, I have to make comparisons to my F-body).



Thanks guys
 

axisg

Comic Book Super Hero
Jul 17, 2007
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Welcome first off !! By dropping the KPH I would assume you are canadian eh !!

Yes, it will have a mechanical fuel pump

Stock rear with the 305 would probably be the 2.73 ratio or 3.42. Trans is likely not a TH350 but actually a 350c ( lockup ) unless it was swapped out somewhere in its life

The guages should be pretty much a drop in and go scenario but I am not 100% sure. If I recall correctly I think you may need the surround for the guages to plug into as well but again not 100%.

good lunk, I am sure others will chime in with their $0.02
 

sonix

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Mar 8, 2010
21
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Thanks AxisG.

The 350C isn't one i'm familiar with. Is that just a TH350 with a pneumatically controlled lockup, or is it a totally different animal? Or is an electronic lockup?

Yep, I am Canadian - i'm in Calgary AB.

ok, well if anyone knows of a place to buy a drop in cluster replacement, let me know. For my '82 Trans-am it's not available, but perhaps Gbodies had a better aftermarket following.
 

drogg1

G-Body Guru
Jan 25, 2009
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sonix said:
For my '82 Trans-am it's not available, but perhaps Gbodies had a better aftermarket following.

HAHAHAAHHAHAHA. Sorry that was just funny cause I wouldn't say G bodies have even close to the aftermarket following as third-gens.
 

Blake442

Geezer
Apr 24, 2007
6,864
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Minneapolis
Welcome!

You can find your rear gear ratio by looking at the RPO label on the underside of the trunk lid.
It will start with a G. You can find what it is here:

http://gbodyforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=5155

The blank space in the instrument cluster is where there would be either a clock or a tachometer, or in your case, neither, depending on how the car was ordered.
Your best bet is to find an instrument cluster out of a Monte SS and swap that in, but it will require some wiring work as well as sending units.

It is a mechanical pump. Some run a return, and some don't. You can easily confirm this by taking a look at it and seeing how many hoses go into/out of the pump.
A non-return pump will have a rubber hose going in, and a hard line going out to the carb.
A return pump will have a rubber hose going in, a rubber hose for the return, and the hard line to the carb. Easy as pie.
 

axisg

Comic Book Super Hero
Jul 17, 2007
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sonix said:
Thanks AxisG.

The 350C isn't one i'm familiar with. Is that just a TH350 with a pneumatically controlled lockup, or is it a totally different animal? Or is an electronic lockup?

Yep, I am Canadian - i'm in Calgary AB.

ok, well if anyone knows of a place to buy a drop in cluster replacement, let me know. For my '82 Trans-am it's not available, but perhaps Gbodies had a better aftermarket following.

I am not a transmission guy by any stretch but from what I have read the th350 and th350c have many common components and the main diff is that the 350c will lock-up at highway and crusing speed helping your fuel economy. They were commonplace and used in both cars and trucks in the early to mid 80's until the 200-4r and 700-4r were introduced. There was one from the factory in my 84ss but I swapped it out for a 200-4r to get the overdrive.

Check the FS column here and over at some of the other Gbody related forums as there are always clusters for sale as no-one reproduces many parts for the g-body.

Now how about some pics ??
 

sonix

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Mar 8, 2010
21
0
0
Thanks for all the help guys!

axisg - Thanks for the links. Looks like Dixies or whatever it is has a repo gauge cluster for these cars (can't get that for a Camaro, just so you guys know...) But it's $900 !?? hahah, going to have to skip that one. I might fab one up, which is common on Camaro's, but of course it makes it look VERY out of place. I'll have to sleep on that one.

ok, i'll check the trunk for the label explaining the gearset. I'll change the fluid anyway to verify.

The car barely runs now, so i've got to track down everything that's been botched on it. It looks like they pulled the AC and cruise control, so i'll have to make sure they were properly pulled, and remove the rest of the traces of junk from that (ie hard A/C lines cut with bolt cutters --sigh). Idle speed is a bit low, and when the throttle is flicked before it's completely warm it just stalls. I'll go through the Q-jet with a fine tooth comb and see what I find.
It's got a rock stead 14" of vacuum at about a 700RPM idle speed - that seemed like a low vacuum amount for a bone stock carbed 305 with a stock camshaft??

I haven't taken any pictures yet, but i've attached the ad for the car for when I bought it. It desperately needs to be washed and detailed. Desperately.
 

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