NEED GURU HELP!!

[noisemker]

Ive been experiencing a issue with my 2010 V6 camaro for almost 4 years now. I've had it to 7.... literally 7 different mechanics and 3 of those being GM dealerships and have had no luck in finding a solution. Im so fed up with this car I want to drive it over a cliff. So heres the issue. I get a misfire in either cylinder 2 or 4 and sometimes a random misfire. Typically it happens under full throttle and it seems to come in either 3 or 4 gear. More often than not it happens when im passing a car or getting on the highway. The RPMs come up to around 6K then the car doesn't want to shift. Then eventually it does but it almost like it slams it into the next gear, thats when the misfire happens and the car really bogs down and I lose a lot of my power and acceleration. If I clear the code while driving or put it into neutral and shut it off and restart it, the light goes away and it drives normal. There was a TSB about misfire in this year to which GM dealer said it would cost $1000 to do a flush on it. I asked what would happen if that didn't work and their response was a new crate motor.
The repairs done so far through suggestions of the different mechanics have been as follows. New mass air flow sensor, valve flush, flashed the car back to stock, replaced all the spark plugs, replaced ignition coils on 2 and replaced the cats. Intake filter has been checked and full maintenance and oil change has been done as well.
Some side notes to be aware of are , the cats were replaced because they were destroyed completely and were only a few years old. I also am experiencing a lot of black soot on the exhaust pipes. I have the full solo exhaust system including the J pipes and shorty headers on the car. other mods include the oil catch can, manifold spacer(which im probably going to remove), a cold air intake and ported throttle body. There is also a device the will allow you to change the reaction time of the accelerator to either faster or slower but I cant recall the name for it. The problem came before a had a lot of these mods on the car but has gotten progressively worse over time.
Thats all the info that I can give to maybe help figure out what this issue may be. Im so tired of spending money on this POS and not getting any results.

[ChibiBlackSheep]

What are they calling a valve flush? Was your motor disassembled and cleaned? You sound like you are running super rich, and everything could be coated in carbon and completely screwing up your timing. I know they said they flashed it back to stock, but stock timing was (IMO) too lean and too aggressive timing on my LFX. So if you are already coated all over with carbon, and then the stock timing is being too aggressive, it's probably knocking like crazy.

[noisemker]

i believe its suppose to be like a sea foam cleaning. he said it was a 3 step process with an additive in the gas line to clean the fuel system. an additive in the oil to clean the engine block and in the intake to clean the valves. this was just done so i want to drive it around a bit and i might remove the intake manifold this is what they looked like before

[Rock-It Man]

Modern cars don't take well to modifications designed by bubba.

Sorry to be so harsh, but yes, either restore the car to stock or be rid of it.

[Eddiefuzz]

MANIFOLD SPACER!!!! I had the same problem a few years back. You need OEM gaskets on top and bottom! The RTV/ Gasket Maker leaks air and causes misfires! You need for longer bolts for the center 4, Take one of the 4 originals and use it for the one up front, take the original front and use it for the back. I had this problem for a month before I figured it out, AMAZON sell OEM gasket for about $20.

[noisemker]

Originally Posted by Eddiefuzz

MANIFOLD SPACER!!!! I had the same problem a few years back. You need OEM gaskets on top and bottom! The RTV/ Gasket Maker leaks air and causes misfires! You need for longer bolts for the center 4, Take one of the 4 originals and use it for the one up front, take the original front and use it for the back. I had this problem for a month before I figured it out, AMAZON sell OEM gasket for about $20.

Good to know I will be removing it very soon. Can you elaborate on the bolts I’m not sure I understand. Can’t I just remove the space and just add the rtv sealant and be done with it?

[Pro-tuned]

Any air leak will cause increase in fuel delivery. You may want also to check 02 sensors.

[Eddiefuzz]

Originally Posted by noisemker

Good to know I will be removing it very soon. Can you elaborate on the bolts I’m not sure I understand. Can’t I just remove the space and just add the rtv sealant and be done with it?

No RTV! it will eventually fail again. Buy an OEM gasket. Boltdepot.com you need (4)8mmx1.25x140mm Metric Hex head bolts. When you use a 10mm spacer they tell you to use RTV with the original bolts and the (1) OEM gasket that was there, right. When you add a secondOEM gasket, one on the bottom of the spacer and one on the top of the spacer, adding the second OEM gasket makes the original bolts too short. The (4) new bolts that I mentioned are for the (4) center, they make a square on the intake, Then there is (1)all by itself in front, where the Throttle Body is, and there is (1) all by itself in back under the wiper cowl..... The (1) in the back is the shortest, the (1) in the front is 10mm longer, and the (4) in the middle are 10mm longer than the front . You are buying (4) that are 10mm longer, so they go in the center/square, Take (1) of the original (4) center and used it for the Front near the throttle body. Take the original Front (1) and use it for the rear, under the wiper cowl, So you have (4) original bolts, (3) from the center/square and (1) from the rear, under the wiper cowl, Save them just in case you return your car to stock. I hope I've explained it.

[noisemker]

Originally Posted by Eddiefuzz

No RTV! it will eventually fail again. Buy an OEM gasket. Boltdepot.com you need (4)8mmx1.25x140mm Metric Hex head bolts. When you use a 10mm spacer they tell you to use RTV with the original bolts and the (1) OEM gasket that was there, right. When you add a secondOEM gasket, one on the bottom of the spacer and one on the top of the spacer, adding the second OEM gasket makes the original bolts too short. The (4) new bolts that I mentioned are for the (4) center, they make a square on the intake, Then there is (1)all by itself in front, where the Throttle Body is, and there is (1) all by itself in back under the wiper cowl..... The (1) in the back is the shortest, the (1) in the front is 10mm longer, and the (4) in the middle are 10mm longer than the front . You are buying (4) that are 10mm longer, so they go in the center/square, Take (1) of the original (4) center and used it for the Front near the throttle body. Take the original Front (1) and use it for the rear, under the wiper cowl, So you have (4) original bolts, (3) from the center/square and (1) from the rear, under the wiper cowl, Save them just in case you return your car to stock. I hope I've explained it.

I think I got but my only question is if I find all the original bolts could I just use them or do I need to buy the new ones. Because I think the originals were a different size but it’s been a while since I did it

[noisemker]

Also when I put back in a oem gasket I shouldn’t use any rtv is that correct?

[Eddiefuzz]

Originally Posted by noisemker

Also when I put back in a oem gasket I shouldn’t use any rtv is that correct?

NO, The OEM Gasket has rubbery stuff around the holes. No RTV is needed when using two gaskets. Remember it's, Motor=OEM gasket=Spacer=OEM gasket=Intake Manifold

[ChibiBlackSheep]

I would remove the spacer first before buying all of this stuff, and if your problem gets fixed, then buy all of the proper parts to replace the spacer and put it on.

[noisemker]

Update. I removed the spacer and got a new oem gasket and put it on. It still gave me a misfire. I seemed to be having issues with my torque wrench so after I toke it for a test drive I tried retorquing them and sure enough didn’t I shear a bolt off in the engine block. Well is seems someone up there seen how bad I was struggling with this POS and thankfully I was able to remove the rest of the bolt without having to drill and tap it. But I did notice my valves still seem to have build up on them after 2 separate flushes by two different mechanics.
Went to GM to see what they said and they said they would take the manifold apart and put a cleaner on the valves themselves and manually work the engine anyone think this would be a good idea. Because I’m fresh out of any myself

[ChibiBlackSheep]

Originally Posted by noisemker

But I did notice my valves still seem to have build up on them after 2 separate flushes by two different mechanics.
Went to GM to see what they said and they said they would take the manifold apart and put a cleaner on the valves themselves and manually work the engine anyone think this would be a good idea. Because I’m fresh out of any myself

They probably just dumped crap into your gas tank and called it a flush and charged you too much. But that doesn't work on these engines at all. So it is as I suspected you are pushing a ton of valve carbon and the timing is probably too aggressive and even worse now.

If GM will do that, go for it. Or try to find a mechanic that will do a crushed walnut cleaning to the valves.