Christian Brothers Automotive
10-25-2014, 04:47 PM
#1
Christian Brothers Automotive
Is anyone familiar with this company? I have two of them near me, and while I'm taking my Z to Marc next year to get a few things repaired, my misfire situation is worsening. I've been through all of the diagnostics with Marc, but I am, for the most part, coming up with nothing, though I did find a shot coil pack for cylinders 4&7.
Anyhow, I found Christian Brothers Automotive and they are ASE certified and specialize in GM and Cadillac, which doesn't mean much considering our Z's age and .... uniqueness. So, pretty much, would they be a safe bet to have diagnose my misfire situation? I just don't want another mechanic to tell me the misfire is due to improper gap on the spark plugs, and then the mechanic sets the gap to the later 93-95 gap. I don't know how much that will affect misfiring, but it is worse than a gap issue, and I don't want a "run around" answer.
I have a, somewhat, local mechanic who isn't confident, but said he would try to diagnose the issue without tearing anything apart until he was comfortable. The mechanic has great reviews online, but I would like someone with a bit more confidence in working with older cars.
Anyone with some info on this company would be greatly appreciated. I will call them Monday since they are closed on weekends.
Thanks.
Anyhow, I found Christian Brothers Automotive and they are ASE certified and specialize in GM and Cadillac, which doesn't mean much considering our Z's age and .... uniqueness. So, pretty much, would they be a safe bet to have diagnose my misfire situation? I just don't want another mechanic to tell me the misfire is due to improper gap on the spark plugs, and then the mechanic sets the gap to the later 93-95 gap. I don't know how much that will affect misfiring, but it is worse than a gap issue, and I don't want a "run around" answer.
I have a, somewhat, local mechanic who isn't confident, but said he would try to diagnose the issue without tearing anything apart until he was comfortable. The mechanic has great reviews online, but I would like someone with a bit more confidence in working with older cars.
Anyone with some info on this company would be greatly appreciated. I will call them Monday since they are closed on weekends.
Thanks.
10-25-2014, 05:00 PM
#2
Le Mans Master
Don't trust a mechanic who has little to no experience with your ZR-1. Take the time now and have someone (marc) look at it. I had an intermittent miss in mine. It ended up being fuel pumps.
10-25-2014, 06:50 PM
#3
is anyone familiar with this company? I have two of them near me, and while i'm taking my z to marc next year to get a few things repaired, my misfire situation is worsening. I've been through all of the diagnostics with marc, but i am, for the most part, coming up with nothing, though i did find a shot coil pack for cylinders 4&7.
Anyhow, i found christian brothers automotive and they are ase certified and specialize in gm and cadillac, which doesn't mean much considering our z's age and .... Uniqueness. So, pretty much, would they be a safe bet to have diagnose my misfire situation? I just don't want another mechanic to tell me the misfire is due to improper gap on the spark plugs, and then the mechanic sets the gap to the later 93-95 gap. I don't know how much that will affect misfiring, but it is worse than a gap issue, and i don't want a "run around" answer.
I have a, somewhat, local mechanic who isn't confident, but said he would try to diagnose the issue without tearing anything apart until he was comfortable. The mechanic has great reviews online, but i would like someone with a bit more confidence in working with older cars.
Anyone with some info on this company would be greatly appreciated. I will call them monday since they are closed on weekends.
Thanks.
Anyhow, i found christian brothers automotive and they are ase certified and specialize in gm and cadillac, which doesn't mean much considering our z's age and .... Uniqueness. So, pretty much, would they be a safe bet to have diagnose my misfire situation? I just don't want another mechanic to tell me the misfire is due to improper gap on the spark plugs, and then the mechanic sets the gap to the later 93-95 gap. I don't know how much that will affect misfiring, but it is worse than a gap issue, and i don't want a "run around" answer.
I have a, somewhat, local mechanic who isn't confident, but said he would try to diagnose the issue without tearing anything apart until he was comfortable. The mechanic has great reviews online, but i would like someone with a bit more confidence in working with older cars.
Anyone with some info on this company would be greatly appreciated. I will call them monday since they are closed on weekends.
Thanks.
10-25-2014, 07:02 PM
#4
I do intend to see Marc about it, but as it stands, it is nearly undriveable at times. While diagnosing the issue, we(Marc and I) determined that the fuel pump was likely not the culprit. The primary injectors are New and the secondaries are not OEM because they have a ford logo on them from previous owner.
10-25-2014, 08:40 PM
#6
Brownsville, TN. About an hour NE of Memphis, TN. The mechanic I'm asking about is in Jackson, TN (30 min away from me) and Memphis, and there is one other in Memphis that I haven't touched yet but has been around for years and has 4.8 out of 5 stars, so I would think they are respectable enough to tell me that they won't touch my Z if they don't think they can work on it. I'm simply trying to fix the misfire, all of the other "small" issues can wait until I see Marc in June '15.
On a side note, some Bar's engine oil stop leak solved the small oil leak under my car, I guess some seals were just a bit worn, to be expected on a 20 year old car. I didn't even know engine oil stop leak existed.
On a side note, some Bar's engine oil stop leak solved the small oil leak under my car, I guess some seals were just a bit worn, to be expected on a 20 year old car. I didn't even know engine oil stop leak existed.
10-26-2014, 02:42 PM
#9
10-26-2014, 06:55 PM
#11
Melting Slicks
Most of the things he's been called isn't acceptable for polite conversation, but a few that come to mind are:
King of ZR1's
He Who Has Forgot More Than Most Will Ever Know About ZR1's
Someone Who Might Have Drove a ZR1 once or twice.
Someone Who Might have raced a ZR1 or three
Someone Who Might have owned a ZR1 or three
Maker of Thunder in Stillwater
Owner of one of the original 8 Black Widows (the lady Weekendr)
And an all around good guy, reasonably honest, drop dead handsome (so he says).
Do keep an eye on your wife and/or teenage daughters (he is a Pirate after all).
Tell him "Crabs" says Howdy Captn!!
'Crabs
10-26-2014, 08:37 PM
#12
I've heard the 'ol Pirate himself a few things in the last 20 years, but "a ZR-1 kind of guy" I've never heard before.
Most of the things he's been called isn't acceptable for polite conversation, but a few that come to mind are:
King of ZR1's
He Who Has Forgot More Than Most Will Ever Know About ZR1's
Someone Who Might Have Drove a ZR1 once or twice.
Someone Who Might have raced a ZR1 or three
Someone Who Might have owned a ZR1 or three
Maker of Thunder in Stillwater
Owner of one of the original 8 Black Widows (the lady Weekendr)
And an all around good guy, reasonably honest, drop dead handsome (so he says).
Do keep an eye on your wife and/or teenage daughters (he is a Pirate after all).
Tell him "Crabs" says Howdy Captn!!
'Crabs
Most of the things he's been called isn't acceptable for polite conversation, but a few that come to mind are:
King of ZR1's
He Who Has Forgot More Than Most Will Ever Know About ZR1's
Someone Who Might Have Drove a ZR1 once or twice.
Someone Who Might have raced a ZR1 or three
Someone Who Might have owned a ZR1 or three
Maker of Thunder in Stillwater
Owner of one of the original 8 Black Widows (the lady Weekendr)
And an all around good guy, reasonably honest, drop dead handsome (so he says).
Do keep an eye on your wife and/or teenage daughters (he is a Pirate after all).
Tell him "Crabs" says Howdy Captn!!
'Crabs
***Update***
I decided to check the resistance of the coil packs through the plug wires again today, just on a whim. One thing a decided to do, by accident, was use the probe from my multimeter to see the spark from the plug wire. I checked all 8, and of course the mis worsened with each plug pull, however, when I pulled what I believe was plug #5 (3rd from the front on driver side), nothing changed. This told me right away that this is where my mis is coming from. However, through the plugs, the coil pack resistance tests out at ~16K, and another sign that the coil pack on 5 is bad is that I had to stick the probe nearly all the way in the boot of the wire to get a spark, whereas with the other 7 plugs, I just had to get near the opening of the boot and I got a spark, so the spark on 5 is weak. Can a coil pack be bad on one post and still have good resistance? Keep in mind, these plug wires are nearly brand new, less than 8K miles on them. They are Lingenfelter plug wires bought straight from the Lingenfelter website. Also, if I'm right, 5 is paired with 8, right? If so, could anything from plug/wire/post #8 affect 5 since they are paired? I doubt it, because I get a strong spark from 8, but when I first put these new wires on, I pulled the 8 wire off the plug (don't remember why) and (because I'm an idiot) I pulled the wire itself because I couldn't get a good grip on the boot. So, I ended up pulling the red insulation out of the boot, but the wire itself stayed attached. I wound the wire back up, as carefully as possible, and gently pushed the insulation back in the boot. #8 seems to be fine, spark, plug, and all, so is it just the coil pack causing 5 to be crappy? I will be getting a new coil pack Thursday, regardless, because something is clearly wrong there.
Last edited by 90VetteZR-1; 10-26-2014 at 08:59 PM.
10-26-2014, 08:51 PM
#13
Melting Slicks
But does he make Brandy?
Marty
NCRSZR1
95PACER
Marty
NCRSZR1
95PACER
I've heard the 'ol Pirate himself a few things in the last 20 years, but "a ZR-1 kind of guy" I've never heard before.
Most of the things he's been called isn't acceptable for polite conversation, but a few that come to mind are:
King of ZR1's
He Who Has Forgot More Than Most Will Ever Know About ZR1's
Someone Who Might Have Drove a ZR1 once or twice.
Someone Who Might have raced a ZR1 or three
Someone Who Might have owned a ZR1 or three
Maker of Thunder in Stillwater
Owner of one of the original 8 Black Widows (the lady Weekendr)
And an all around good guy, reasonably honest, drop dead handsome (so he says).
Do keep an eye on your wife and/or teenage daughters (he is a Pirate after all).
Tell him "Crabs" says Howdy Captn!!
'Crabs
Most of the things he's been called isn't acceptable for polite conversation, but a few that come to mind are:
King of ZR1's
He Who Has Forgot More Than Most Will Ever Know About ZR1's
Someone Who Might Have Drove a ZR1 once or twice.
Someone Who Might have raced a ZR1 or three
Someone Who Might have owned a ZR1 or three
Maker of Thunder in Stillwater
Owner of one of the original 8 Black Widows (the lady Weekendr)
And an all around good guy, reasonably honest, drop dead handsome (so he says).
Do keep an eye on your wife and/or teenage daughters (he is a Pirate after all).
Tell him "Crabs" says Howdy Captn!!
'Crabs
10-27-2014, 03:08 PM
#15
NCM Lifetime # 982
Jim knows his way around a ZR-1.
10-28-2014, 11:03 AM
#16
I have spoken with Jim, and will be taking my Z to him when I get time and money to do so. For now, I was able to replace the coil pack for 5&8, and she runs much better. Hasn't stalled at idle and drives almost as good as the day I bought her two years ago. She still feels like she is missing about 10%, which is what I will be having Jim look at. She still wants to stall if I rev it up to redline from idle, then completely let off. She will drop to about 200 rpm, then return to the normal idle around 700-ish. This problem sound familiar to anyone?
10-29-2014, 12:58 AM
#17
Racer
Earlier this year i had the same coil problem. Car was hitting on all 8 when i decided to change injectors but not after. My problem was almost no spark on #3. Replaced with MSD`s and all was well until last week. Now the car is in the drive with starter problem. I`ll have the plenum off in a few days if you might want to do some parts swapping/trouble shooting. I`m 70 miles south of Jackson.
10-31-2014, 10:50 PM
#18
Earlier this year i had the same coil problem. Car was hitting on all 8 when i decided to change injectors but not after. My problem was almost no spark on #3. Replaced with MSD`s and all was well until last week. Now the car is in the drive with starter problem. I`ll have the plenum off in a few days if you might want to do some parts swapping/trouble shooting. I`m 70 miles south of Jackson.
10-31-2014, 11:32 PM
#19
Melting Slicks
Really?
While it could be the wiring to/ from the clutch switch, or the (purple?) to starter, the starter has not been found innocent at this point.
Once wet, they have been known to suffer that exact fate.
Do a search on No start, which has been covered here extensively.
Then follow the troubleshooting process.
Good Luck, but you will resolve it.
Marty
NCRSZR1
95PACER
