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Well more like the last few days....
Replaced the oil pressure gauge which the new one was also flakey at first so can't say I really trust it to last. Cleaned e contacts for the circuit board and the plug that's goes in it s well as some repairs to the board. All boring stuff I can't say I enjoy.
The fun part is I have been messing with 3D printing and I prefer some grills in the front fender instead of the single big opening, so I have been experimenting. Pics attached, I still need to work on some curves and print at a smoother setting next time.
Well more like the last few days....
Replaced the oil pressure gauge which the new one was also flakey at first so can't say I really trust it to last. Cleaned e contacts for the circuit board and the plug that's goes in it s well as some repairs to the board. All boring stuff I can't say I enjoy.
The fun part is I have been messing with 3D printing and I prefer some grills in the front fender instead of the single big opening, so I have been experimenting. Pics attached, I still need to work on some curves and print at a smoother setting next time.
Wow, 3D printing ? The door is wide open now ! Have fun creating/experimenting with something different.
Today I received a call from my Friendlly repair shop to inform me the list of repairs to my C3 was finally complete after 3 months in their possession. I arrived at the shop and asked them to hoist the car so I could see what they did.
Low and behold--a mess. The rear axle seals to the Diff were not changed out and leaking. The bolts holding the axle to the hub were stripped and left hanging out, the 2nd new power steering valve from Volvette was yet again defective and leaking (Rebuild), the oil pan bolt was not secure thus leaking oil and they would not remove the right exhaust manifold to insert a new Temp gauge into head stating the manifold might be warped and they wouldn't be able to get it back on and the cross over wire to the TCS sensor was laying across the exhaust manifold.
Is there anywhere in the United States where I can find competent mechanics that have an iota of common sense and know how to work on these older vettes?
Dougtov
Today I received a call from my Friendlly repair shop to inform me the list of repairs to my C3 was finally complete after 3 months in their possession. I arrived at the shop and asked them to hoist the car so I could see what they did.
Low and behold--a mess. The rear axle seals to the Diff were not changed out and leaking. The bolts holding the axle to the hub were stripped and left hanging out, the 2nd new power steering valve from Volvette was yet again defective and leaking (Rebuild), the oil pan bolt was not secure thus leaking oil and they would not remove the right exhaust manifold to insert a new Temp gauge into head stating the manifold might be warped and they wouldn't be able to get it back on and the cross over wire to the TCS sensor was laying across the exhaust manifold.
Is there anywhere in the United States where I can find competent mechanics that have an iota of common sense and know how to work on these older vettes?
Dougtov
So sorry to hear of your dismay. It's not just Corvettes. Most people just don't give a ****. One's that do are rare.
Today I received a call from my Friendlly repair shop to inform me the list of repairs to my C3 was finally complete after 3 months in their possession. I arrived at the shop and asked them to hoist the car so I could see what they did.
Low and behold--a mess. The rear axle seals to the Diff were not changed out and leaking. The bolts holding the axle to the hub were stripped and left hanging out, the 2nd new power steering valve from Volvette was yet again defective and leaking (Rebuild), the oil pan bolt was not secure thus leaking oil and they would not remove the right exhaust manifold to insert a new Temp gauge into head stating the manifold might be warped and they wouldn't be able to get it back on and the cross over wire to the TCS sensor was laying across the exhaust manifold.
Is there anywhere in the United States where I can find competent mechanics that have an iota of common sense and know how to work on these older vettes?
Dougtov
The issue comes down to one word you said "mechanics". Years ago I brought to a dealer an Olds 88 that had an automatic which would intermittently stick in gear when the brake was applied, lurch to a stop, and stall. The service manager said the "technician" couldn't get it to replicate the problem but said it needed a new valve body - $800 bucks when nearly 30 year ago. I asked if the "mechanic"couldn't replicate it, how could he be sure that was the problem, maybe it just needed a flush. He said the "technician" has seen this before and knows that's what it is. I said if a mechanic can't get it to replicate the issue, then he can't be sure. The service manager then said "sir, he is not a mechanic, he is a trained technician and knows what the problem is". I told the manager that he's right about one thing, the guy was not a mechanic because my grandfather was a mechanic and ran a garage for 40 years and would never throw $800 at a problem he couldn't duplicate. I left and took it to a real mechanic. A flush and new fluid and the car went another 70,000 miles before it committed suicide with one of GM's stupid plastic coated timing gears skipping timing and slamming the valves into the pistons.
There are competent mechanics out there still. But they're a rare breed.
Last edited by vince vette 2; 02-10-2018 at 07:08 PM.
Reason: missing word
Pulled the bat wing and diff out after many days. Will hopefully take a look inside tomorrow. A lot of metal filings in the oil and I just put it less than 30 miles ago after draining stuff that had been in there decades.
The only person I've found who really cars about my car is wearing my pants.
Unfortunately, that's true for just about everything.
I took my differential to my neighbor, who owns and runs the local AAMCO. He was able to rebuild it and take care of the internal snap rings and gave it a clean bill of health. I also gave him the transmission, which he verified is good, just needed cleaning and a filter. I took the frame to a frame shop and had them straighten it on their hydraulic machine, other than that, I've done everything myself. Rebuilt the engine (took the block to a machine shop for boring, heads and turned the crank, but I assembled it)
I've come to the conclusion that most shops are either inept or they just don't care, either way, I avoid them.
... I left and took it to a real mechanic. A flush and new fluid and the car went another 70,000 miles before it committed suicide with one of GM's stupid plastic coated timing gears skipping timing and slamming the valves into the pistons.
There are competent mechanics out there still. But they're a rare breed.
I know exactly what you mean. We had an old Chev Belair family car and were planning to move, so I had the transmission fluid and filter changed. The "technician" told me that the sediment in the bottom of the pan indicated that the transmission was about to give out and that I should rebuild it right away, otherwise it might get even MORE expensive.
Really? How much more expensive than rebuilding the transmission?
I told him to just change the filter and fluid and we'd deal with it later.
Moved to Illinois, drove it for another 80,000 miles and didn't have a bit of trouble. Gave it to a neighbor when we left and for all I know, it's still running.
02-08-2018, 01:50 AM
