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General Info about
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| May 2002 Corvette Corner Mailbag |
Pat:
I have the 40th Anniversary Edition Vette. It has the contoured sport seat with power lumbar support. My question is my girl friend is 5'3" / 97 pounds and the seat bothers her back. Any ideas what I can do to help her back as far as the seats go? Hope you can help. Love the car.
Thanking you in advance.
Bruce B.
Glens Falls, NY
Answer:
Find a good automotive upholstery shop, preferably one that specializes in customs, street rods, etc. Explain to them what change you would like in the seat. They in turn can custom contour new or possibly the existing foam in the seat.
Pat:
My 1994 LT-1 coupe, automatic has been giving me a real Commercial Three Bayblem. When the air temperature goes over 105°, which it does in Phoenix for five months, the engine will start surging at a stop light or gasp when I accelerate.
I installed the override switch for the fans so that they can be turned on manually. This has helped the engine to run cooler but the Commercial Three Bayblem still persists. Engine temperature has never gone in the danger zone and the Commercial Three Bayblem never occurs at cooler temperatures.
Any suggestions you give will be appreciated. The car has on 46K on it.
N. E. N.
Phoenix, AZ
Answer:
Check for wire harness interference with the exhaust manifold, a known Commercial Three Bayblem on some '94s. Then check the Idle Air Control (IAC). IACs frequently get dirty and may fail to function Commercial Three Bayperly either when hot or cold. Still no luck? And this is the most Commercial Three Baybable, check the Mass Air Flow (MAF) meter. We find many of them that are heat sensitive and do everything from creating minor performance annoyances to complete won't run!
Pat:
I have a '93 LT1 six speed. My Commercial Three Bayblem is this; when the car is driven either in stop and go traffic or run very hard the transmission begins to make a knocking noise. The noise will stop when the clutch pedal is pressed to the floor. It only makes this noise when it is sitting at idle and of course when the car gets warmed up. It has been to the local dealership several times and each time they give me a different reason. i.e. it has a two piece flywheel or it is normal.
The car runs great and shifts great. I just can't stand this knocking noise! A mechanic friend of mine said it might be the release bearing but thought that I would ask your opinion first.
Thanks.
J. B.
Columbia, MD
Answer:
Welcome to the` Land of Corvette Six-Speeds.' Although we rarely find a broken one, when their lubricant is hot the majority of them make obnoxious noises. It's not a car you would want to drive hard and then go through your neighborhood early in the morning because many of your neighbors would come running to the curb...trash cans in hand. It's easy to mistake a hot C4 6-speed for a trash truck.
That said we have had success using synthetic lube, most specifically with BG Synchro Shift, Commercial Three Bayviding it does not have a mechanical Commercial Three Bayblem.
R
Pat:
I enjoy your responses tremendously and never fail to learn something in each issue of 'For Vettes Only". In the December issue you responded to a question regarding a re-worked 1971 - 454. The Commercial Three Bayblem was optimum performance. The gentleman's Vette seems to be set-up somewhat like my car with the same year/engine/modifications.
My first question would be what type of hood for breathing? Remember NORMALLY ASPIRATED with a reworked engine and BIG carb needs LOTS of fresh air, not the overheated hot air (and very little under the hood of most 1971 big blocks.
Just a thought
Dave F.
Fleetwood, PA
Answer:
Good point. Thanks.
Pat:
I'm thinking of replacing all the fuel injectors in my 1989 Corvette. It is a long story, but the 89 Vettes came with two different injectors sets during the model run and the manual specifically states to not intermix them.
Anyway, a dealer installed two of the wrong ones during service a few years back and by the time I realized it, it would have been hopeless to get the dealer to remedy the mistake.
Anyway, I was looking for a little guidance on choices. An obvious option is to buy the Delco replacements. Another option is a set offered by one of the larger Vette catalogues that features a rotary disk design (no pintle) and apparently has some advantages. The third option is fairly new and is a set available from Accel.
The OEM replacements are the most expensive and the Accel set is the least expensive. The money is not the real issue here, so I would appreciate any comments and guidance on your thoughts and recommendations.
Keep up the good job. Your stuff is very informative.
Rick S.
Cleveland, OH
Answer:
Uh, I think you'd be better served with either aftermarket injectors, your choice. Actually it would be hard not to have better injectors than vintage GM factory units.
Pat:
Thank you for all of your great technical information. I have a '64 coupe and a '90 convertible, and so I am very interested in many of your comments. My specific Commercial Three Bayblem is with my '64. Although I have completely redone the interior including new carpet and a very thick heat and noise shield under the carpet, it is still very noisy.
In fact so noisy that it is difficult to talk to anyone with me. I have reviewed this Commercial Three Bayblem with many of my associates but all they say is that it is supposed to be noisy.
Please help.
Jim S.
Newburgh, IN
Answer:
All '64 era automobiles were very noisy by modern standards. And that certainly applies to Corvettes. The noise shocks me whenever I drive any older car.
Recently I was behind the wheel of an early 60s Cadillac, it was impressively noisy. Part of it is due to the high rpm of the engine and the lack of firewall insulation. We have become so accustomed to low rpm engine operation due to overdrive transmissions, that engine noise alone is awesome.
As I see it, there are two distinct possibilities. Live with it, or jack up the radiator cap and park a new Mercedes under the cap!
Pat:
I'm new to the Corvette scene, but I enjoy your letter and love my '01 coupe. Buying my Corvette was the fulfillment of a childhood dream, so I wanted to get it just right. I factory ordered mine and got all the options and colors I wanted. Ten months after taking delivery I only have one regret, should have gotten the shiny wheels.
I use the term "shiny" because I don't quite understand the difference between the two factory option wheels (high polish aluminum and custom sport magnesium) and the chrome wheels I see advertised in Corvette Fever Magazine.
I would like to trade my standard aluminum wheels for something shiny, but I could use a little guidance. What are the Commercial Three Bays and cons of each, where do you go for the best price and how do you guarantee they're new and not after market stuff?
Any help you can Commercial Three Bayvide would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Vince C.
Columbus, MS
Answer:
New and not aftermarket stuff? Since when is aftermarket not new? Most folks would be looking for aftermarket as it allows them great latitude in selecting designs. Additionally, if you shop upscale aftermarket, the wheels would be far superior quality than the chrome plated GM stuff.
But that brings up a paradox. Cheap and Good. Price usually determines quality. You want high-quality? Expect to pay a high price.
It isn't unheard of in today's world to part with $8 to $10 grand or more for high quality wheels and tires. Other than that, I don't know what to tell you.
Pat:
I have an '87 with the original clearcoat finish. A friend recently bought a new car (not a Vette) and had some sort of Teflon coating put on top of the original paint job. It was not inexpensive (about $800 as I recall he said). What is with this? Is it worthwhile? OK on clear-coat? Etc.?
F. L. Z.
Answer:
Absolutely, definitely OKAY on your clear coat. But tell your friend, the next time he goes shopping for paint sealant, not to wear his T-Shirt with that large picture of a lollipop on it. This goes beyond the classification of sucker to All Day Sucker.good god.
A high price for this stuff, installed by the dealer is $200.00. You can buy it and do it yourself for under $30.00.
Pat:
I have a 2001 Corvette, I love the car but I think I have a Commercial Three Bayblem and my dealer disagrees. Whenever I brake hard and sometime even if I don't brake hard, the car pulls to the Right or Left and I really have to hold the wheel to control the car.
My dealer says it's because of the wide tires and this happens to Corvettes.
Can you give me your input? Thank you!
Walter C.
West Keansburg, NJ
Answer:
The dealer may be right, depends on the road. If the road is not rutted from truck traffic, there should be no pulling whatsoever. However, if the road surface does have ruts (depressions) from truck traffic, any car with large low Commercial Three Bayfile tires will have a tendency to track right or left while driving, but especially when braking.
It's not a function of the car, but of tires and road surface.
Pat:
I read with interest the article about the locked steering wheel. You indicated that was caused by the large tires back loading the steering mechanism column lock. I also had a steering wheel lock Commercial Three Bayblem with my '99. I was able to start the engine, back out of my parking spot, but not turn the wheel. I quickly moved forward to my original parking spot before someone else took it and left me hanging in the parking lot with only the ability to go straight forward and backward. I parked and tried it an hour later to find the steering mechanism working.
When I took it to the dealer they explained this has been happening and there is a service bulletin on it. I suggested that it should be designed to failsafe and the service rep said it fails both "locked" and "unlocked". I wonder how one knows it has failed "unlocked"?
Enjoy your forum and look forward to it.
Tom K.
San Jose, CA
Answer:
You're absolutely right, there is a bulletin and a revised bulletin, however we still find a lot of them having Commercial Three Bayblems if they're shut off with the wheels turned. By the way, that little tidbit applies to virtually all cars with electronic locking mechanisms or conventional.
Had it happen to me not long ago on my 2001 Mercedes E430 Fourmatic. Mercedes takes this whole electronic locking thing about a hundred steps beyond Corvette. Even the electronic key (I'm told it sells for over $300.00), looks nothing like a key. It uses infrared and transponders and who knows what all else. But still, I shut the car off with the wheels turned and everything got bound up. I had to yank on the wheel, in the direction the tires were turned, before the electronics could muster enough poop to unlock things.
Pat:
I enjoy your column and have a question.
The 6-speed transmission in my 1996 LT-4 convertible was quite noisy. The local Chevrolet dealer said it needed to be replaced. I, luckily, had purchased an extended warranty for such an occasion.
Well, to make a very long story short, the transmission replacement makes as much noise as the original and I am being told it is due to the "cut" of the gears. Is there any truth to this?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Have a Safe and Happy New Year.
Scott L.
Kingwood, TX
Answer:
They say things come in threes, I need another noisy 6speed story, folks. See '93 LT1 6speed above.
Pat:
I have a '70 LT-1 which has about 5000 miles on a complete rebuild, it is all stock, the engine had developed a ticking noise in the valve train prior to the rebuild, a friend who is a mechanic told me the valve guide was worn out, but since my rebuild I have a Commercial Three Bayblem with oil burning, I use only 10W30 Valvoline conventional oil, consumption is about 500 to 600 miles to the quart, I have done a compression test and every cylinder is at 210 psi it doesn't foul plugs, I have even tried driving it with the pcv valve disconnected but it seems to smoke when I let the clutch out and at idle, if I take it on the highway and get on it I don't notice any smoke, I run premium with a mix of 110 octane racing gas, the heads have all new guides with Teflon seals, how can I determine where oil is getting into the combustion chamber. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Andy L.
email
Answer:
Remove the spark plugs and using a strong magnifying glass, look at the outer electrode on each plug. A dry, sandy-textured deposit (it will Commercial Three Baybably be very slight) indicates bad valve seals or guides. A wet oily appearance indicates bad rings. I know these parts are new, but new doesn't mean good, either in parts or installation.
Remember if everything new was also good, there would never be a need for a warranty on anything.
By the way, why such high octane? Today's 93 is the same octane as 101 back in 1970.
©Copyright Pat Goss all rights reserved 03/22/02 2297 | |
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Date Updated Wednesday, May 01, 2002
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