terrapinjam99

Hello , I was still looking to purchase a 95 or 96 , been looking at a few in my area, and was hoping to get some input on some of the common issues in the cars that I am looking at .

- If a car's power antenna does not work , will I still get a decent FM / AM radio signal. I know that the signal/reception may note be as good as if the antenna was up - but will I get any reception ??

- Power seats not working . What is the "ball park" cost of replacing the power seat motor ? How big of a job is that ? Is there just one motor , or is there separate motors for each of the movements (forward/aft , up/down , tilt ) .

- Bose radio head unit display back light ? The display is visible during the day , but not in the dark. Are there places that you can send these GM units into for repair ? I am quite capable of working on electronics - has anyone found a way/part to fix this issue themselves ?

- Headliner issues . Headliner material is very good condition, no holes , just separating and sagging from the top .

- Running temp questions . I have been told to pay attention the running temps of the C4s while I am test driving them . Per the temp gauge, what is an acceptable temp range that these cars should run in ( 1995 & 1996 ) ?

Thank you very much , in advance , for any input / comments !

markKlein

I doubt if the reception will be very good, if you are handy you can replace it yourself.

There are places you can send the radio to be rebuilt (Dr. Dons?).

The designed running temp is anywhere from about 190 to 230. Keep in mind that the analog gauge is not linear so looking at that may make you think the car is too hot. Look at the digital readout instead, it is more accurate.

terrapinjam99

Thanks for the info ! Well , I made my purchase !!! 1995 Coupe , Torch Red , 64,000 miles , un-molested - all stock , LT1 , auto , Bose Gold Series, single body colored top , power passenger seat , performance rear end ratio . So far I am loving it . It is a beautiful car and something that I have always wanted .

The only thing that I am a bit concerned with is the operating temp . In motion it is fine , but in stop-and-go traffic , my temp is getting above the 230 you stated . ( looking at / constantly monitoring the digital readout ) . sometimes peaking as high as 250 . Once traffic starts moving and I get good air flow , the temp goes back down . I have looked in between the 2 radiator assemblies , and there is not any "junk " in there. There is some normal bugs in the front of the the main ( rear ) radiator , but nothing major. Current looking for more info on here about this , but any info / input you have would be appreciated. Thanks

antfarmer2

Nice car you can run the a/c to keep the temp down. How did you look good inbetween without pulling the top shroud or did you?

250 is to hot for me!!!!!

I would pull the knock sensors and do a proper flush never get the opti wet!!!!!!

The head liner is a easy fix with spray glue and a trip to Joanns fabric for a new headliner.

The seat tracks can be rebuilt buy then send yours back for core charge.

DGXR

250F is too hot, even for these cars. What do the service records say? Any maintenance done on the cooling system? If yes, has it been a long time?
As antfarmer2 said, in the interim you can turn on the A/C which will trigger the cooling fans and bring down engine temperature. But I wouldn't bother unless it's 232F and still climbing, that's at the upper end of normal range. Also don't ignore the oil temp in these situations, it's easy to do when obsessing over engine temps. Oil temps above 260-275 warrant a shut-down and cool off in my opinion. But obviously get it diagnosed correctly, and fixed. Enjoy the car! These are great handling driver's cars.

Christi@n

Great purchase, if you need help to replace mast antenna, im here, recently done my 1995, and you could have some problems, with the insteuctions inside

Also i think i never run over 230 F

tenaus

Be careful because the fans should come on at around 238, I could be wrong, but if the fans are already on turning on the A/C will cause it to overheat even more.

antfarmer2

Your not wrong the fans come on at 228 and 238 I suggested to turn on the A/C all the time till he cleans it out and fixes the problem. Can use the defrost to trigger the A/C also. I would not be trying to drive the car as he has I don't like walking and rebuilding the engine.

antfarmer2

hcbph

Mine's older (86) but the fans kick on at 228 or 229. Temp can be watched on the display as it drops.

Check to insure the fans are actually running when they should be, it's known that fans can go bad over time. I know there's a way to manually jumper something to test them, but I don't have that info.

markKlein

I agree, the primary fan should come on around 229. Check and make sure it is. Also look and see if it runs when the AC is on. If the temp comes down when you are moving I would guess that airflow is not the problem, maybe the fan just needs to be replaced.

terrapinjam99

Antfarmer2, Thanks . I just looked at the space between rad. and AC coil , from the passenger side gap . I suppose that you suggest that I remove the shroud and really look ( and clean ) the area and radiator . Are there instructionals on here for doing that ? I am constantly monitoring the temp to try to acquire exact data on temp.

terrapinjam99

Thank you . The antenna is working great so far . But I am thinking of putting in the "antenna switch mod " so that it only comes up when I need to listen to radio , as I listen mostly to CDs and want to save the antenna. What are you thoughts on antenna "care " , should I just clean the antenna mast , or should I lubricate it ? If lubrication is a good idea - what should I use ?

9T3VETTE

The best purchase you will ever make for the car is a factory service manual, it has procedures for every system on the car.

Like others have said 250 is too hot. I'd suggest taking the shroud off and looking for debris blocking radiator flow, followed by a proper coolant flush. If it's still running that hot, your waterpump may need to be looked at.

Welcome!

antfarmer2

It is pretty straight forward except for the six 7mm screw on eithe side on the nose. Get a flat ratchet wrench to get to some of them and ele tape the screws to it to install. They are a big pita.

Blow it out both ways and flush do not get your opti wet!!!!!


Whatching your temp going to 250 is not helping or makeing it cheaper to fix.

You will be walking soon and spending a lot of money to fix.

Tom400CFI

Right in the stickies...HERE. Ignore the "draining the coolant" part, unless flushing or replacing the radiator.

whalepirot

Keep it clean. IF you 'lube ' with anything, I suggest silicone, not an oil that will absorb dirt, then build up in the antenna body.

We get good indications for isolating a cooling problem by 1) knowing the higher-than-we're-used-to temperatures and 2) seeing if those temps are sitting at idle or while driving over about 35.

Driving faster, the fan adds little or no airflow, and is deactivated. Restrictions to air or water flow will show too-high temps in both cases; sitting will point to that or a bad fan.

This, of course, assumes proper thermostat ops, engine tune and good coolant.

Local2Ed

Make sure you have a thermostat and it is not stuck open.

Tom400CFI

How would that cause it to run too hot?

larry_c4

I had a problem with my rear speaker Amplifier on my '92 sent it out to a place in Florida called Factory Stereo Repair and they fixed it good. They fix the backlights and head units as well. My '92 runs at 215-235 fully warmed up. here's the link to the site http://www.carstereohelp.com/corvette.htm