1980 Corvette power locks
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
From: Jersey Shore
1980 Corvette power locks
locks were working perfectly. now they only work when pushing to lock. when trying to unlock, nothing. No noise, nothing. inspected drivers side pigtail, changed switch, nothing. Help!
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 11,949
Likes: 4,507
From: Virginia
Test for voltage as close to the actuator as you can get, perhaps with t-pins or a pointy probe (poke thru the wire insullation). I replaced an actuator on the 79. Teduious, but not hard, if that's what it is.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 5,339
Likes: 546
From: Central Texas
Originally Posted by 1980L-82
locks were working perfectly. now they only work when pushing to lock. when trying to unlock, nothing. No noise, nothing. inspected drivers side pigtail, changed switch, nothing. Help!
Craig
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 8,351
Likes: 75
From: Tampa Bay FL
The lock hardware in the door gets gummed with age. The grease thickens/hardens and the pivot points corrode. You may have to remove the cloth door panel and be a bit of a contorsionist, but you can clean the mechanism with a tooth brush, solvent and a lot of patience. I stopped using the electric switches to lock/unlock about 10 years ago. They just don' t get used daily like most cars.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,206
Likes: 365
From: The Motor City
The fuse is known to blow - there's a lot of additional draw/resistance when that system needs maintenance. Regarding "inspecting" the pigtail, I found the corrosion was internal and not easily seen until you pop off the cap and can see that the unplated female copper terminals had oxidized to a green (thick like cheese mold) mess. Finally, it could be the driver's side p/d solenoid or the switch itself which controls both doors. Mine just failed cold-turkey as yours did and the cheap Dorman replacement looked robustly designed yet only lasted a year (no problem with the Willcox or Corvette America (forgot which) replacements as I redid both of them. I read the previous poster's point about giving in to manually locking them, but respectfully disagree. Its a satisfying repair (use solder on the pigtails!) and I use them all of the time. As they were designed. We gave up a lot of horsepower on the aero-bumpered cars vs. the chromies, I'll be damned if I'm also going to give up one creature comfort that supplanted it!
Dave
Dave
Last edited by Lakeside49; Apr 3, 2019 at 10:00 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 1,305
Likes: 226
From: PA
Have had my '80 L82 since new. Locks didn't work worth a damn right off the dealer lot. And even after "fixing" them under warranty they still sucked and do to this day. It's a good thing that after almost 40 years it needs new paint. About 20 years ago the lock mechanism stuck so bad that I nearly broke a key trying to unlock it I was so PO'd I kicked the door up at the key hole (I was a little more nimble then). The gouges from the stone chips on my shoe are still there.
Last edited by vince vette 2; Apr 3, 2019 at 08:09 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,206
Likes: 365
From: The Motor City
VInce, spend the money to fix it. There is a 99% chance of fixing it with both switches, pigtails and solenoids. If its not worth it - as apparently not since 1981 when the warranty expired - at least you have a choice to fix it. It is an extremely straightforward, everyday typical GM door lock system from the era that any B-Level Technician that you know can fix with modern parts from any of our C3 parts catalog supplier partners. The repair options are good on our beloved C3's - not the case for many others. Don't look back - go forward.
Last edited by Lakeside49; Apr 3, 2019 at 11:02 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 11,949
Likes: 4,507
From: Virginia
Not to throw our parts suppliers under the bus, as they do a good job providing many Corvette specific parts. This is not one of them.
The lock actuator is not a special part. Order it from RockAuto. There were at least a half-dozen different brands represented, and you can pick which supplier you want. When you order from a reseller, who knows where the part comes from.
The lock actuator is not a special part. Order it from RockAuto. There were at least a half-dozen different brands represented, and you can pick which supplier you want. When you order from a reseller, who knows where the part comes from.
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Drifting
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 1,305
Likes: 226
From: PA
Lakeside,
I'll get to fixing the locks eventually. Order of battle:
- Finish reinstalling the rear suspension, 2nd time, hoping that the 2nd set up on the rear end gears eliminates the gear noise and that the now 1st time rebuilt 39 year old TA's eliminate a knocking noise the source of which has not really been identified
- Tidy up a few minor issues such as a better temporary re-plumb bypassing the blown our heater core which I can live without, replacing one of the three studs in the exhaust manifold that holds the down pipe on (idiots who inspected it snapped it off trying to tighten claiming there was a minor leak which I never could hear), etc.
- Take the car out for a couple test drives to see if the gear noise and knocking are gone - avoid the cops since the inspection has run out while the work was being done
- Get the car inspected and have a little fun for the summer while considering engine and transmission options
- Winter - hopefully replace the engine, probably a crate turnkey type, carbureted, 400 hp range, and put in an overdrive tranny (leaning toward a well built 200-4R) and get the front suspension in order
- Have some fun over the summer
- Winter, new paint and maybe the interior - finally maybe a working lock system
I'll get to fixing the locks eventually. Order of battle:
- Finish reinstalling the rear suspension, 2nd time, hoping that the 2nd set up on the rear end gears eliminates the gear noise and that the now 1st time rebuilt 39 year old TA's eliminate a knocking noise the source of which has not really been identified
- Tidy up a few minor issues such as a better temporary re-plumb bypassing the blown our heater core which I can live without, replacing one of the three studs in the exhaust manifold that holds the down pipe on (idiots who inspected it snapped it off trying to tighten claiming there was a minor leak which I never could hear), etc.
- Take the car out for a couple test drives to see if the gear noise and knocking are gone - avoid the cops since the inspection has run out while the work was being done
- Get the car inspected and have a little fun for the summer while considering engine and transmission options
- Winter - hopefully replace the engine, probably a crate turnkey type, carbureted, 400 hp range, and put in an overdrive tranny (leaning toward a well built 200-4R) and get the front suspension in order
- Have some fun over the summer
- Winter, new paint and maybe the interior - finally maybe a working lock system
Last edited by vince vette 2; Apr 4, 2019 at 10:01 AM.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 1,305
Likes: 226
From: PA
This inspection issue seems to be the story of my life with this car. I drove it from NY to TX back in 1982. It had a current TX registration and plates, but no inspection. Figured I'd get it inspected as soon as crossing into TX. But it was too late in the day so I just went the additional 400+ miles to my final destination. I made several uninspected drives a few years back until I figured it was in good enough shape to get me to an inspection station and pass. But sooner or later this is going to catch up to me.