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Hi everyone. New Corvette owner and new to forum. I've drooled over vettes my whole life and finally decided to take the plunge. I bought a 2003 Z06 with 58,000 miles on it. Since I live on the island of Oahu i purchased this Z06 sight unseen from the Big Island and had it shipped over. I love the car and can't believe how wicked fast and fun it is. its everything and more than i thought it would be. At 6'3" and 215 lbs its a joy to get in and out of...
of course buying anything used and unseen it has some issues i'm pretty concerned with
i was told the bolts have surface corrosion because the car was stored so close to the ocean. i was wondering if i should just remove them all and treat or take a few off at a time so i don't mess up the alignment of the doors. Opinions?
Also, it has a lot of the usual issues i've been reading about on the forum. When i go over 60 MPH so much wind comes in the windows its almost like they designed it to do that. When it rained the other day i got soaked. It smells like gas after filling the tank (replaced gas cap). Seats rock back and forth. Bassani exhaust is pretty loud but i love it. Wife and neighbors...not so much. Also, I can't tell if yellow springs have been replaced. I took oil cap off and looked inside. From what I can tell they look grey. thanks for reading and any assistance now and in the future....
Hi everyone. New Corvette owner and new to forum. I've drooled over vettes my whole life and finally decided to take the plunge. I bought a 2003 Z06 with 58,000 miles on it. Since I live on the island of Oahu i purchased this Z06 sight unseen from the Big Island and had it shipped over. I love the car and can't believe how wicked fast and fun it is. its everything and more than i thought it would be. At 6'3" and 215 lbs its a joy to get in and out of...
of course buying anything used and unseen it has some issues i'm pretty concerned with
i was told the bolts have surface corrosion because the car was stored so close to the ocean. i was wondering if i should just remove them all and treat or take a few off at a time so i don't mess up the alignment of the doors. Opinions?
Also, it has a lot of the usual issues i've been reading about on the forum. When i go over 60 MPH so much wind comes in the windows its almost like they designed it to do that. When it rained the other day i got soaked. It smells like gas after filling the tank (replaced gas cap). Seats rock back and forth. Bassani exhaust is pretty loud but i love it. Wife and neighbors...not so much. Also, I can't tell if yellow springs have been replaced. I took oil cap off and looked inside. From what I can tell they look grey. thanks for reading any assistance now and in the future....
David
Some of those are some typical issues.
1. Your windows are out of alignment. There are a few different adjustments that can be made. Just do a search on here for "adjust window".
2. For the gas smell, do a search for "fuel crossover tube".
3. Rocking seats are common. Search for "rocking seat fix".
4. I forget the details of the valve springs, but you should be able to find the info you need if you search for "replace valve springs".
Some of those are some typical issues.
1. Your windows are out of alignment. There are a few different adjustments that can be made. Just do a search on here for "adjust window".
2. For the gas smell, do a search for "fuel crossover tube".
3. Rocking seats are common. Search for "rocking seat fix".
4. I forget the details of the valve springs, but you should be able to find the info you need if you search for "replace valve springs".
Enjoy the new car!
philadd- thanks for the reply. I'm tracking all those issues and fixes through reading previous posts on the forum.
I'm more worried/concerned with the corroded bolts in the pics I posted. I wasn't able to find anything discussing fixes for those.
Nice! I'm guessing the previous owner removed the cats? That'd explain your gas smell.
grantv- without sounding like a complete moron isn't that illegal? The car has a current safety inspection so I'm assuming it passed emissions. How can I tell if its been removed?
grantv- without sounding like a complete moron isn't that illegal? The car has a current safety inspection so I'm assuming it passed emissions. How can I tell if its been removed?
I only guessed as you said it has Borla mufflers, so MAYBE he removed the cats also (would explain the gas smell). Under the car, right in the middle at the front of the tunnel plate is an area where the cats go. If you have stock exhaust manifolds it'll look pretty much exactly like: https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-pictures.html
The wide oval pieces at the top are the cats.
Does the car have headers?
I only guessed as you said it has Borla mufflers, so MAYBE he removed the cats also (would explain the gas smell). Under the car, right in the middle at the front of the tunnel plate is an area where the cats go. If you have stock exhaust manifolds it'll look pretty much exactly like: https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-pictures.html
The wide oval pieces at the top are the cats.
Does the car have headers?
the person I bought it from only knew it had a Bassani exhaust. I'm not tracking any other mods on the car. The only time it smelled like gas was after I filled it up. once I burned a few gallons the smell went away.
grantv- without sounding like a complete moron isn't that illegal? The car has a current safety inspection so I'm assuming it passed emissions. How can I tell if its been removed?
A lot of people run cat-less exhausts in the effort to gain maximum horsepower, or they don't feel like paying extra few hundred dollars when buying aftermarket headers. This can cause the exhaust to have a strong fuel smell to it. However, I don't believe this is the problem in your case since you only smell it after filling the tank. Do you top of the tank after the pump automatically stops? If you have been, this can be the cause. The crossover tube is held on by clamps, and if you overfill the tank, some gas can probably seep past the clamps. At least that's my theory, since it used to happen to me if I overfilled the tank.
As far as the bolts are concerned, the corrosion is only on the surface is nothing to worry about. However, if it's the appearance that bothers you, there are a lot of different methods to remove rust. Do a google (or Youtube) search for "remove corrosion from bolts". You'll probably need to apply something that will stop future corrosion. I would do a few bolts at a time to avoid having to realign any parts.
A lot of people run cat-less exhausts in the effort to gain maximum horsepower, or they don't feel like paying extra few hundred dollars when buying aftermarket headers. This can cause the exhaust to have a strong fuel smell to it. However, I don't believe this is the problem in your case since you only smell it after filling the tank. Do you top of the tank after the pump automatically stops? If you have been, this can be the cause. The crossover tube is held on by clamps, and if you overfill the tank, some gas can probably seep past the clamps. At least that's my theory, since it used to happen to me if I overfilled the tank.
As far as the bolts are concerned, the corrosion is only on the surface is nothing to worry about. However, if it's the appearance that bothers you, there are a lot of different methods to remove rust. Do a google (or Youtube) search for "remove corrosion from bolts". You'll probably need to apply something that will stop future corrosion. I would do a few bolts at a time to avoid having to realign any parts.
Philadd- thanks for your reply. Yeah, I would say a little of both. Looks and safety. I don't want people checking out the car and the 1st thing they notice when I open the door is rusty bolts. I think I'll try removing a few at a time and treating them. Seems like soaking them in solvent and then treating them after with some anticorrosion solution is likely the best method. I'll have to do some research to see if they are torqued or just tighten them until I get a hernia...
Also, I've only filled it up once so next time I get gas I'll pay more attention. Not sure if I topped it off or not. At the time I didn't know it was a big deal...
I didn't either at first. When the pump automatically stops, some cars are closer than others to overflowing. These cars are closer... Not all gas pumps flow at the same rate, so that can be a factor as well.
Well I'm getting close to needing gas so I'll post how that goes. I did replace the gas cap as it seemed like the easiest/cheapest fix at the time. My wife kicked the car out of the garage permanently (said I'd have to do all the laundry if I left it in there) lol.
Some of those are some typical issues.
1. Your windows are out of alignment. There are a few different adjustments that can be made. Just do a search on here for "adjust window".
2. For the gas smell, do a search for "fuel crossover tube".
3. Rocking seats are common. Search for "rocking seat fix".
4. I forget the details of the valve springs, but you should be able to find the info you need if you search for "replace valve springs".
Enjoy the new car!
The OEM valve springs that were installed were yellow. The new OEM springs are blue.
I would check the window alignment and the seals around window, windshield, and doors. You should not be getting soak during a rain. I regularly high speed wash mine, with no water entry issues at all. Sounds like the windows are not sealing.
I would look for other signs of corrosion as well. The bolts themselves are not a huge problem, but could be symptomatic of other corrosion issues.
Gas smell could be a cat issue, fuel pump issue, or bad gas cap or fuel crossover tube. My 2000 Coupe suffered from this, my Z06 does not.
Congrats on the new ownership and welcome to the Vette family.
I would check the window alignment and the seals around window, windshield, and doors. You should not be getting soak during a rain. I regularly high speed wash mine, with no water entry issues at all. Sounds like the windows are not sealing.
I would look for other signs of corrosion as well. The bolts themselves are not a huge problem, but could be symptomatic of other corrosion issues.
Gas smell could be a cat issue, fuel pump issue, or bad gas cap or fuel crossover tube. My 2000 Coupe suffered from this, my Z06 does not.
Congrats on the new ownership and welcome to the Vette family.
Bikeriderga- thanks for all the info. All the seals look good in the windows. I saw the thread that shows how to adjust the windows so I will give that a try and see if it works. As with anything though I'm always worried about making it worse.
I own a house in Marietta and will be moving there in 2 years when I retire. We'll have to get together someday. I hear Atlanta has some really nice racetracks.
As far as the bolt corrosion is concerned, I wouldn't be too concerned with it. A way to fix this with minimal effort is by painting the exposed parts with a rust inhibitor paint. Companies such as Eastwood and POR make paints that you can brush or spray on rusted metal that will neutralize the spread of the rust and give a presentable finish. It usually comes in black and it does work. Much easier than removing the bolts and just as good. Or you could replace the bolts a little at a time with stainless steel hardware for a permanent shiny finish. When I built my street rod every bit of hardware that I used was stainless, made it easy to service with no rusty bolts anywhere.
When I fill up I never fill more after the nozzle clicks the first time, it can ruin the vent system of the fuel tank. Could be why the smell goes away after you've driven it a little after a fill up.
Bikeriderga- thanks for all the info. All the seals look good in the windows. I saw the thread that shows how to adjust the windows so I will give that a try and see if it works. As with anything though I'm always worried about making it worse.
I own a house in Marietta and will be moving there in 2 years when I retire. We'll have to get together someday. I hear Atlanta has some really nice racetracks.
Probably all it needs is window alignment.
On your move and getting together, sounds like a plan!
Lots of good tracks around here. Atlanta Motor Speedway, Private track in Dawsonville, GA (requires membership or can come as guest twice a year), Barber Motor Speedway in Leeds, AL, and of course Talledega in AL as well ( about two hours away).
The bolts w/ surface rust are not surprising (I'm willing to bet your alternator and throttle body and engine block and cast AL suspension parts are all dulled and oxidized as well? - I can see this from the pic of the plate) - you had a car stored next to the ocean, all day every day, getting hit w/ humid salty air - short of sealing it in a giant plastic baggy their aint much you're going to do about it.
My black '03 Z same as yours was barely driven when I purchased it (12,000 miles) and exhibited the same surface oxidization as well - from cape cod MA - its not a big deal and won't effect anything - but I do LOL to myself when I hear people ranting about "CA or FL cars being pristine" - except for all the oxidizing!!! Its a vette - NE or SE or west coast, it isn't going to be driven in the snow so it won't be subject to rot from road salt and sand etc. but no matter what coast you live on if it stays by the ocean for most of its life it'll oxidize like that.
06-26-2015, 02:31 PM
new C5Z
The car has a current safety inspection so I'm assuming it passed emissions. How can I tell if its been removed?
