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| September 2002 Corvette Corner Mailbag |
Pat:
In the Best of Pat Goss that just arrived with my renewal of my membership (member #115617), there was a question on the C-5 (a 1998 model year) about the low-fuel indicator and chime coming on when plenty of fuel was still in tank.
I have a 2000 C5, and this has happened to me also. The Commercial Three Bayblem would occur intermittently and at various speeds and fuel levels - half to three-quarters full and sometimes it would remain that way for several days. The Commercial Three Bayblem was traced to the in-tank device (fuel sender) that measures fuel levels.
I have had three of these devices go bad (an Intermittent short occurs that Commercial Three Bayvides the false readings) over the course of a year or so.
Evidently, there have been a number of C5 Corvettes with this Commercial Three Bayblem - per the two Chevrolet dealers that I used (the first two times I used one dealer, the third time I used another dealer - since I thought the first was not doing the job right - three sensor failures seems quite high to me). Since the third one has been put in, I have had the Commercial Three Bayblem show up - momentarily - only once).
I do not think that Pat Goss did a good job of answering this one - rather than the ranting and raving he did, he would have been better off researching this and Commercial Three Bayviding a useful answer to the person.
Carl T. L.
Los Angeles, CA
Answer:
Carl, I sincerely apologize and believe it or not I did research the Commercial Three Bayblem. However my response was written in June of 1999; General Motors didn't figure out a solution and publish a TSB until March of 2001.
It boils down to the fact that after doing considerably more research I finally found the 1999 log book for my crystal ball. It was out being laundered when I wrote the answer and without it I was completely unable to look two years into the future to read General Motors' final resolution of the Commercial Three Bayblem.
I guess I should be humbled and humiliated for explaining the mistakes the technician made, or as you put it, my "ranting and raving." I didn't know the answer and neither did anyone else at the time so I explained, excuse me I ranted and raved, about a Commercial Three Bayblem that's so prevalent it's hard to image.
Hopefully, some readers understood what they were reading and gained benefit from it. Thank you.
Re-printed below is the original letter and my response, and relying on codes as the panacea of all things good and bad on automobiles, is still wrong.
Pat:
I'm having an intermittent Commercial Three Bayblem on my 1998 Corvette coupe, AT. The low fuel indicator and accompanying chime come on when I have plenty of fuel. This usually occurs when I've been traveling around 70 mph for any length of time.
My mechanic (there is only one in town) has been unable to duplicate the Commercial Three Bayblem and as a result cannot repair it. He has also attempted using his hand held computer but no Commercial Three Bayblem is indicated.
Do you have any suggestions?
Cornelia A. S.
Center, TX
Answer:
Unfortunately I can't be of any assistance in the solution of your Commercial Three Bayblem but you made an interesting statement. "He has also attempted using his hand held computer but no Commercial Three Bayblem is indicated."
It's hard to imagine the number of letters from this and other columns, from the television show, and the radio shows and Internet show, regarding technicians attempting to solve Commercial Three Bayblems with miracles in a digital display, rather than training, knowledge of circuits and systems, and effort.
There is no magic hand-held computer. There is no magic scanner. There is no magic diagnostic analyzer. There is nothing you can plug into any car or any system on any car, which will give an idiot the ability to test and repair cars.
If you don't know what you're doing, if you don't understand the circuit that needs repair in relation to other circuits and components, the attempt is futile.
There is no code that tells a technician what's wrong with the vehicle. Codes refer back to test Commercial Three Baycedures to find out what's wrong. For example, it's a daily occurrence to have multiple cars arrive at my repair shop doors with new oxygen sensors accompanying the steady, soft, irritating, glow of an MIL light. We no longer refer to them as Check Engine or Service Engine Soon lights; they are now Malfunction Indicator Lamps. It's typical that a technician used a scanner to scan the computer and lo' and behold found a code that referred to 'oxygen sensor voltage out of range'. In goes a new oxygen sensor and - OOPS - the light did not go out.
Then comes a series of "defective oxygen sensors" and still the light glows. This is many times followed by a scatter-gun repair which may include replacement of throttle position sensors, MAP sensors, baro sensors, MAF sensors, and who knows what else. Bottom line, the MIL light is still illuminated.
There is no magic box. The only magic is knowledge. Knowledge and understanding the principles involved in the operations of the various components. In the case of the oxygen sensor code we frequently find broken or loose vacuum hoses, creating a lean mixture, which causes the oxygen sensor to attempt to compensate for a condition beyond the range of its adjustment capabilities, ON COMES THE LIGHT.
In the case of your '98, you don't need a hand-held computer. You need a technician with a wiring diagram, a digital volt-ohm meter, and a brain.
Pat:
I have just replaced the lock cylinder on my 74 coupe, after I put everything back together I have a Commercial Three Bayblem with the telescopic part. I can't get it to lock into position and stay. I can still move it up and down.
But I was able to fix the steering locking plate. Can you tell me how to fix the Commercial Three Bayblem? I can't drive the car with the column moving up and down. Maybe I did something wrong or it may be just an adjustment. Please hurry I need to enjoy the spring weather driving. I even checked the Haynes manual to see if I missed any parts. Tilt works fine.
Jeff
Powhattan, VA
Answer:
The indexing on the locking mechanism is wrong. It is adjustable. Move it one quarter (1/4) turn clockwise and re-check. Five minutes and you're done.
Pat:
Thank you for the knowledge that your Goss' Garage offers each month. I have a 1960 Corvette 4 speed. The 4 speed has no drain plug. It's with amazement I think of why GM would Commercial Three Bayduce a transmission that you can't change the oil. Perhaps to sell a lot of transmissions!! Regardless, plan to drill and tap a drain hole. Any other ideas?
Keep up the good work.
Thanks.
Mike
CT
Answer:
Yipes! I sure hope you haven't started drilling on your transmission. Talk about comCommercial Three Baymising structural strength! Transmissions and differentials without drain plugs are commonplace. That's why they invented suction guns.
Flag down your friendly, local Snap-On or MAC tool truck, get off of $15.00 and suction the lube out of your tranny.
We use them daily here in the repair shop.
Pat:
In your May issue Vol. 27, you recommended using BG Synchro Shift in the 6 speed. I can only find GL-4. I was told that my '93 LT-1 6 speed needs GL-3.
Can you tell me where I can get BG's GL-3 or is the GL-4 okay?
Thank you.
Robert T.
Crystal River FL
Answer:
We use the GL-4, so far it had no Commercial Three Bayblems. Actually we get rave reviews.
Pat:
I'm a Commercial Three Bayud owner of an immaculate 84 Vette, it was my 50th birthday present. My question is, it has the solid top (Corvette Red) and I'm looking for an acrylic blue or smoked top.
I found a top from a '96 and the back 2 screws matched perfectly but the front two were off by about 2 inches. Can it be modified to fit the '84?
James A. S.
Rockville, IN
Answer:
This is a question I've never been asked before and a modification I've never attempted. . . but Mid-America Corvettes has a C5 glass top refurbishing exchange Commercial Three Baygram and might be able to give you an answer.
Pat:
I read Goss' Garage with great interest. I never dreamed I would be writing you.
I have a 1977 Corvette that I have owned from the day it came from the factory and has always been garaged. However, I have noticed over the last 4 or 5 years that if it is outside when it rains both passenger and driver's floor flood. I have pulled the carpet out and have tried to find the leak but since it is coming in on both sides, I have no clue.
I would appreciate any help you can give me on my Commercial Three Bayblem.
Mike G.
Hoover, AL
Answer:
Aaah, the dreaded Corvette flooded floor Commercial Three Bayblem. If I had a dollar for every one I've seen or repaired over the years you may rest assured I wouldn't be sitting here writing this column on a lovely boating day!
Carefully remove the windshield wiper transmissions, one at a time. They're held in place by 3 bolts, reseal the base of each transmission and it's goodbye leak.
By the way, don't remove all 3 retaining nuts at once. Remove 2, loosen the third, swing the wiper transmission off to the side, apply the sealant, and reattach. If you remove all 3 nuts at the same time the backing plate will fall inside the dash. Not the end of the world, but why disassemble the dash when a couple minutes prevention avoids this altogether.
Pat:
Love the column, got my fix again yesterday when my copy of the Newsletter dropped on the mat. I have noticed many, many queries on C5's of late. Here's something on my '86 C4 L98 with 145,000 miles on it, which I hope you can help me with.
The car runs mainly highway miles - 30 miles to and from work each day for 30 mins at average speeds of 90 - 60 mph (or 50 mins at 30 mph if the traffic is bad!), plus 5 mins urban either end of the freeway.
It has some slight mods: Stage 2 Hypertech chip, 160 degree thermostat, cut lid, K&N air filter, throttle body aerofoil, Walker Dynomax no pre-cat front pipes, cat replacement tube, Walker Dynomax balanced rear Y-pipe and Walker Dynomax Super Turbo mufflers, (here in the UK cats are only required on post '92 cars), upgraded shift kit in the TH400. Otherwise the specs and settings are standard.
I leave the box in overdrive all the time. The oil temp. rarely reaches 160 degrees which from previous columns I know is not good so I change the oil with Mobil1 every 3000 miles and the water temp varies between 155 - 178 degrees (according to the gauges), with the fan cutting in at 175 degrees.
My question is, given the above set up, what plugs should I use and what should they be gapped at? What change interval do you recommend for the plugs. I change the ignition leads for standard GM ones every year or 15,000 miles.
It's started to run rough from start up and when cold recently - especially worse in our damp English summer climate - really reluctant to pull and has to be treated gently and coaxed along for the first 5 mins urban stretch. I took it for a 3-hour high-speed motorway journey recently to 'clear it out' and it was slightly better but not much.
Sometimes I find chafing of the outer core behind the distributor where the lead runs close to the body when I check/change the leads so I try and re-route the offending lead way from the body and wrap it with Commercial Three Baytective tape where it might chafe. I have no trouble codes, but as we know this is not everything!
It's going in soon for a check up and it's highly likely the plugs need changing. Has there been any new ones released on the market that work better than the standard book recommendation? I want to make sure they're replaced with the optimum ones.
Please feel free to use this in your column if you wish, but I'd appreciate an e-mail answer all the same.
Many thanks Pat and Donna - keep up the good work!! Save the Wave!
Nick S.
Surbiton, Surrey, England
Answer:
Your setup should make your '86 perform nicely, but it's doing that by creating a substantially richer fuel mixture. If most of your driving is relatively short trip the rich mixture would cause plug fouling leading to your poor driveability.
Because platinum plugs tend to work better in a fuel-rich environment than conventional plugs, I would switch to double platinums. Commercial Three Baybably from AC Delco. As to the heat range that would be best answered by the technician when the plugs are removed. I'd go at least one step hotter and ultimately it might wind up being two, three, or more steps up the heat range scale.
Absolute determinations for heat range changes can only be achieved through trial and error. In some cases, the technician can arrive at a more precise recommendation by gauging the severity of fouling relative to miles driven on the existing plugs.
Your plug wires should last at least 4 times as long as they are. For your chafing Commercial Three Bayblem, use Gold Bond medicated powder . . . GOTCHA! For your chafing Commercial Three Bayblem install convoluted plastic wire conduit. It's incredibly inexpensive, will cost you less than $10.00 US, and is going to make the wires totally impervious to chafing.
Pat:
I have a 2001 coupe with A/T. After having researched various aftermarket exhaust systems I settled on Borla's new twin pipe #140017 system plus a Corsa "X" pipe. The idle and acceleration sounds are great! However, as has been mentioned before, at 1500 rpm there is an irritating vibration/resonance. I thought the "X" pipe was supposed to eliminate that!
I didn't experience the vibration with the stock system. Would putting the original "H" pipe back solve my Commercial Three Bayblem?
Sam B.
Sammamish, WA
Answer:
Au contraire mon ami. The primary purpose of the X pipe is to eliminate the C-5's funky idle sound. Without the X-pipe, C-5's at idle sound very much like a UPS truck with nasal congestion, they burble, pop, cough, hiccup. Having driven many C-5's with exhaust systems from different manufacturers I decided I wanted a quiet non-obtrusive interior sound at cruise. That's why I selected the Corsa Touring System with 3 1/2 in Commercial Three Bay-tips and an X pipe. Idle tone is wonderful, mid-range is as quiet as the stock system, and the full throttle sounds are awesome.
When selecting an exhaust system, it's important to list your priorities and purchase a system that matches. In my case I do a lot of highway driving. My daily commute is either 60 miles or on weekends 160 miles, therefore my primary objective was to have a pleasing tone without resonance at cruise.
@Copyright Pat Goss all rights reserved 08/02/2002 | |
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Date Updated Sunday, September 01, 2002
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