When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
History / OriginalityGot a question about 1982-1992 Camaro or Firebird history? Have a question about original parts, options, RPO codes, when something was available, or how to document your car? Those questions, answers, and much more!
I've been behind the wheel of enough 2.5L GM products to know that in the years they were offered in the Camaro/Firebird, they were anemic at best. Push the gas pedal through the floor, and nervously merge into traffic hoping to God the on-coming traffic will let you in. They were bad. Very bad. But then lots of cars back then were scary slow. The Ford straight six in the Fairmonts and Zephyrs is one that comes to mind. No throttle response to speak of, rebuild the carb every year or two, never ever ever let off the gas on the highway if you can see a hill anywhere in the distance... Well, you get the idea. Slower than the molasses in January.
Saw this in a Copart auction not long ago, I can imagine 0-60MPH being measured with a calendar as portly as these cars are. I once drove a 1986 S10 Blazer 4x4 with the 2.5, auto, A/C, PS and I'm not sure it could have gone 60MPH.
On another note, I didn't know that full gauges could be had with a 4.
I had an 81 Buick Skylark with the Iron Duke. It was a dog. The only good thing about it was the fact that basically nothing I could do as a teenager would kill it.
I haven't had the (dubious) honor of driving an iron duke third gen, but I did drive an '01 Ford Ranger with a 2.5 i4 paired with an automatic. So I can definitely relate to the fear of merging into interstate traffic!
I seem to remember reading some threads regarding performance iron duke builds, but I'm not sure if any of those ever got off the ground.
Hi all. Yes I've driven more than one camaro powered by the iron duke from being in the car business. Anemic at best. Embarassing to hear that engine start in a camaro body. It is just as weak as you think it is. The 2.5 engine should never been put in a camaro sized car. Having said all that now that I'm older I'd gladly drive one just because they are different and I miss the Duke. In the Fiero the Duke does an excellent job. I've owned several Fieros with them. Had a 86 Buick Somerset with a Duke that I put 100,000 miles on and only did a tune up and oil changes to the motor. Every one of those miles was hard teenaged miles of redlining and abusing but it held up. It was awesome to be able to stop and pull the thermostat (with just opening a radiator type cap) on those hot summer nights idling through town to keep those temps down.
The Duke was a great engine until they moved the oil filter inside the oil pan on the later versions. I personally love the 2.5 . It is simple to work on and easy to maintain. Darn near indestructable. We laugh at it but it is an awesome engine.
al
Last edited by fan1701; 08-21-2016 at 10:22 PM.
Reason: editing
I bought my wife a Pontiac Phoenix with the old Iron Duke. The engine would not quit and you barely ever had to put a wrench on it! No complaints from me. It just never should have been put in a Camaro. Then again.. nothing smaller than a 350 or 327 should have ever been put in a Camaro in my opinion.
can't find any videos of a thirdgen doing any pulls but I watched a cutlass 0-60 and it was bad lol
There are no videos.I remember talking about this in a old thread where a guy said he will rebuild and do a 0 to 60 for the community's sake and curiosity ...he give up fixing it .I'd actually pay for a damn video with a third gen with 4cyl engine doing 0 to 60 or at least a clear engine sound.
I have an 83 which I bought from a neighbor in 89. Didn't know or care at the time what it had, because it was my first car. It came with a 4 speed manual, and 3.42 rear end. It has since become a project car trying to replace it with 89 L98/Auto trans, 3.23 rear end, 4-wheel Disc brakes, suspension upgrades. Money problems has stalled this project. Currently working on buying headers and exhaust.
08-19-2016, 05:46 PM
