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Car Forum / Pontiac / Pontiac Firebird / February 2004

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shop manuals

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Hitman0187 - 24 Feb 2004 00:03 GMT
I am going to purchase a shop manual off ebay, as the year I am looking for is
no longer in print. Does anyone know if the year covers all models. ie 87 6cyl
- 8cyl or is there variations in print.
MG McAnick - 24 Feb 2004 05:16 GMT
Most factory shop manuals will cover all of a given year and model.  For instance, one for a 1969 Camaro will cover everyting from the 250 six through the V-8s.  Note: you want a GM FACTORY  shop manual. That's the kind that were issued to all of the dealers when your car was new, not a Chilton or Haynes.  
Hitman0187 - 24 Feb 2004 06:48 GMT
yeah the chilton and haynes are useful to a point, but aren't offering the
coverage Im looking for.
Bigjfig - 24 Feb 2004 12:30 GMT
>Subject: Re: shop manuals
>From: hitman0187@aol.com  (Hitman0187)
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>yeah the chilton and haynes are useful to a point, but aren't offering the
>coverage Im looking for.

Hitman:

Try www.helminc.com if you haven't already. They are GM's original publisher.
Sometimes they offer reprints of out of print ones.

Danger! The reprints don't include the fold out wiring diagrams that the
originals did. In my years, this makes a difference. In later years, they may
not.

In that year, from what I remember, the F car had its own manual. In 1979 and
1980, it was supplements against the 1978 Pontiac book which covered all models
that year.

Inquire what the seller as to what the manual covers. Sometimes, the body
manual is separate (typically covers ALL GM that given year). Sometimes they
split them out.

My '84 Delta 88 is a MESS when it comes to shop manuals. There are like FOUR
books for the thing. LOL. I have all of them. My Chevy Cavalier? Easy. One book
covers the whole car. I paid $15 off an Ebay seller.

Try:

Dan Bower at factorya@tir.com
Dan Klein at dansautolit@aol.com
"Dave's Books" seller ID on Ebay.

I have dealt with all three and all three are fair and equitable. Good luck.
It's a worthwhile investment.

Joe--ASE Certified Parts Specialist & 10th Ann.Club Tech Director
'80 Carousel Red Turbo T/A, 26k orig.
'79 "Y89" 400/4 speed 10th Ann. T/A, 57k orig
'84 Olds 88 Royale Bgm 2 dr, 307 "Rocket" (lol), 141k and still going....
'80 T/A project car...
notbob - 24 Feb 2004 16:28 GMT
> Try www.helminc.com if you haven't already. They are GM's original publisher.
> Sometimes they offer reprints of out of print ones.

I strongly urge you to follow the above advice.  Helm service manuals are
the best manuals available, clearly written and generously illustrated.
Even Honda uses them.  They're certainly pricey, most costing $50-100, but
worth every cent, especially if you need accurate wiring diagrams.

nb
SgtSilicon - 25 Feb 2004 03:25 GMT
My 2001 F-body manuals are a combined thickness of over 4 inches.
Cost $120 from Helm.  If you spend around $300 or so, you can get a
CDROM with like most (maybe all) the GM service manual information on
it (for a given model year).

>My '84 Delta 88 is a MESS when it comes to shop manuals. There are like FOUR
>books for the thing. LOL. I have all of them. My Chevy Cavalier? Easy. One book
>covers the whole car. I paid $15 off an Ebay seller.

** To email a reply, please remove everything up to and
including the underscore in my email reply header.
Charles Bendig - 25 Feb 2004 05:16 GMT
> >Subject: Re: shop manuals
> >From: hitman0187@aol.com  (Hitman0187)
[quoted text clipped - 39 lines]
> '84 Olds 88 Royale Bgm 2 dr, 307 "Rocket" (lol), 141k and still going....
> '80 T/A project car...

   Pretty good advice. Especially asking about the coverage of the book.
The one time I didn't on eBay, I didn't get the book I had intended. Totally
my fault. Yet you forgot to advise them to ask about condition. Ask the
seller if the pages are dog eared, if they have grease stains, condition of
the bindings. The more you know about the item the better both parties will
be served.

   What year J-body do you have? Which engine?

Charles
Bigjfig - 25 Feb 2004 12:30 GMT
>Subject: Re: shop manuals
>From: "Charles Bendig" rarepartshunter@yahoo.com
[quoted text clipped - 64 lines]
>
>Charles

89 2.0 vin 1. It was my grandparent's car from new. Only 33,000 original miles
on it.

I have every piece of paper and document pertaining to that car!

Joe--ASE Certified Parts Specialist & 10th Ann.Club Tech Director
'80 Carousel Red Turbo T/A, 26k orig.
'79 "Y89" 400/4 speed 10th Ann. T/A, 57k orig
'84 Olds 88 Royale Bgm 2 dr, 307 "Rocket" (lol), 141k and still going....
'80 T/A project car...
Charles Bendig - 26 Feb 2004 00:38 GMT
> >Subject: Re: shop manuals
> >From: "Charles Bendig" rarepartshunter@yahoo.com
[quoted text clipped - 75 lines]
> '84 Olds 88 Royale Bgm 2 dr, 307 "Rocket" (lol), 141k and still going....
> '80 T/A project car...

   I have an 87 Z-24 W code 2.8 with a 5 speed. It does have the fiberglass
cowl induction hood.  Mines pushing close to 125,000.
Charles
notbob - 26 Feb 2004 01:24 GMT
>     I have an 87 Z-24 W code 2.8 with a 5 speed. It does have the fiberglass
> cowl induction hood.  Mines pushing close to 125,000.
> Charles

Aww...c'mon, man.  Trim your posts.  Thank you.

nb
Hitman0187 - 26 Feb 2004 18:49 GMT
Is 55 bucks a decent price for my 87 camaro, "new" with all documents shop
manual?
All aboard the Yankee express, next stop October.....

Http://www.yanksource.com
Bigjfig - 27 Feb 2004 02:10 GMT
>Subject: Re: shop manuals
>From: hitman0187@aol.com  (Hitman0187)
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
>Http://www.yanksource.com

Depends on how many books & what Helm  sells/sold it for new.

I know the Cavalier book would be about $100, so $15 for a used one was great
:).

Did you try the sellers I've suggested? I've bought from all three---you can
say I sent you.


Joe--ASE Certified Parts Specialist & 10th Ann.Club Tech Director
'80 Carousel Red Turbo T/A, 26k orig.
'79 "Y89" 400/4 speed 10th Ann. T/A, 57k orig
'84 Olds 88 Royale Bgm 2 dr, 307 "Rocket" (lol), 141k and still going....
'80 T/A project car...
Hitman0187 - 27 Feb 2004 06:39 GMT
you said the helms won't have the wiring diagrams, like the original GM book.
Or did I not understand the post completely?
Hitman0187 - 27 Feb 2004 07:00 GMT
ok i checked out helmsinc, they are selling the factory original for $75. The
ebay guy wants $55. The thing is while the Ebay guy says it has everything this
listing says about 1100 pages, helms site says almost 3000 pages. I think I
will go with helms.
Bigjfig - 27 Feb 2004 12:16 GMT
>Subject: Re: shop manuals
>From: hitman0187@aol.com  (Hitman0187)
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>listing says about 1100 pages, helms site says almost 3000 pages. I think I
>will go with helms.

Depends on what the other guy is selling---ask him for the publication # and
compare it to the Helm manual to make sure it's apples and apples.

Regarding my previous post, if the Helm manual is listed as REPRODUCTION, it
will not have the fold out wiring stuff like the originals. This is the case on
the 1978 Pontiac book if you buy it from them.

I buy my shop manuals used from those sellers. I just got a 1991 S10 Blazer
from someone. As luck would have it (for me, not him), a friend's truck got
totalled and he has the full set which he's giving me.

I have never paid more than $78 for a FULL set of shop manuals :).

Good luck.
Joe--ASE Certified Parts Specialist & 10th Ann.Club Tech Director
'80 Carousel Red Turbo T/A, 26k orig.
'79 "Y89" 400/4 speed 10th Ann. T/A, 57k orig
'84 Olds 88 Royale Bgm 2 dr, 307 "Rocket" (lol), 141k and still going....
'80 T/A project car...
notbob - 28 Feb 2004 02:39 GMT
> Regarding my previous post, if the Helm manual is listed as REPRODUCTION, it
> will not have the fold out wiring stuff like the originals.

That's a valuble little piece of info.  Thank you.

nb
SgtSilicon - 28 Feb 2004 04:53 GMT
Right, but lest anyone be confused, the Helm manuals ARE the
originals.  Helm publishes them for GM.  The ones missing the fold
outs would be re-releases they do later.  At least that's what I
understand so far.

My 2001 F-body service manuals have wiring diagrams and I ordered them
right from Helm.

>> Regarding my previous post, if the Helm manual is listed as REPRODUCTION, it
>> will not have the fold out wiring stuff like the originals.
>
>That's a valuble little piece of info.  Thank you.
>
>nb

** To email a reply, please remove everything up to and
including the underscore in my email reply header.
Phil Izor - 27 Feb 2004 13:32 GMT
My '96 bird 3.8L 98K miles has low oil light and Service Engine Soon light on.  The code for the service engine soon was EGR position sensor which I wasn't terribly worried about fixing right away.  The low oil light concerns me, but, the oil pressure guage reads 80-90 cold and 60-70 hot which is normal.  And yes, I checked the oil level...it's been 2k since the last oil change and it never uses any.  Electrical/sensor problems maybe?

Signature

'96 Bird T-Tops 3.8L 5-speed...love those gears

notbob - 28 Feb 2004 02:37 GMT
> you said the helms won't have the wiring diagrams, like the original GM book.
> Or did I not understand the post completely?

who are you replying to?  Leave the attributes in please.

It's been my experience that Helm manual have excellent wiring diagrams.
OTOh, some cars have such extensive electrical systems/options, they require
a separate manual from the mechanical manual.

nb
 
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