This is my first post here, I always wanted a Vette and finally last week I bought a 1993 40th anniversary with 120K for a pretty good deal. The car needs work like rear brake calipers; the Speedo goes to 0 sometimes. I also did not see a SES or ABS light when you turn the key on. I don't know if someone took the bulbs out or not.
One of the main problems is; it has a hard time starting, once it starts it will stall if you touch the gas pedal. Once it warms up, it will be ok but if I stab the gas it will back fire and fall on its face. I drove this car hone about 70 miles on the highway home but I didn’t try hammering it. I thought it needed a tune up. It is an LT1 motor. Is there like a spring cleaning guide where I can go and check/clean/replace things for a beginner?

Just to let you guys know what my background is, I am very familiar with wrenching. I restore and sell Turbo Buicks (Grand Nationals) as hobby I have no problems getting down and dirty. This is my first Vette and I like to ask the experts on their opinion. I am thinking it could be a bad coolant sensor or a mass air flow? I know that I need to get the codes out. Is this an OBD I or II? Where the SES light is located? Is there a schematics or a disc I can buy? Where should I buy parts from?

I am sorry for all the questions, I am eager to get this car straight.

TIA

Prasad

 

First is congrat's on the vette and welcome to the forum. There are enough experts on here to fix about anything on a vette. You have a non-vented optispark distributor on the 93 LT1, so whatever else you do a big DO NOT is wash the motor. Water is death to the optispark, which is located right below the water pump. The factory service manuals (Helms) are the way to go for info on these cars. you will sometimes find them here in the parts4sale section, and usually there are some on ebay. Speedo is likely the sender on the transmission,
throttle body plates sticking might be good place to start checking for the motor problems. It is an OBD1 car. Hope this helps.

 

couple things, first you need to get the factory service manuals or Helms manuals, you can find them sometimes on ebay. Second you need to make sure the light works...it gives the tell tale sign of flashing when you've thrown a code. 93 is still OBD1....and pulling the codes is very simple...but won't work if the buld is burned out or missing. Sounds like it could be an CTS, TPs or even bad injectors, alot of possibilities, but you may want to check fuel pressure first.....see if it holds to eliminate leaky injector(s) then you can ohm test them..tells if the injector coils are still healthy..........most of us here have purchased the manuals, around $100. but believe me..well worth the cost.

 

Welcome, should be an easy fix
Doesnt sound like an opti

I just sold an 86 GN with quite a few mods
Just didnt have time for it
Those are great cars

 

Thanks guys, I feel a lot better. I will look for the manual on eBay or something. My buddy has one of those scanners maybe he can come by and check it for me.

I was little worried coming form the Buick side. I just love cars especially the American muscle. I was initially looking for a beat up Vette so that I can do a GN power train conversion but this car seems too nice for me to butcher it. I know you guys may think I am crazy to that but I know how to make the little Buick V6 to run hard. There is one out there with the little Buick V6 that is running in the low 9’s.In this case I want to restore this car and get it to run good and strong.

What are the 1/4 numbers/HP& TRQ numbers on these cars? What are the basic mods that I can do to get this car to hold on its own?

Thanks again

Prasad

 

300hp, 345 torque, 12 sec car. Mods? Exhaust from factory is very good, long tube headers are about the only thing there. A hot cam and ported intake, heads for the inlet side. If you plan to mod and race a D44 rear with good gears is not a bad idea. Of course a procharger and good tune would never hurt.

 

What about gutting the catalytic converter? Any hp gains there?

Thanks again
Prasad

 

My 92 came with a gutted cat. Popped and backfired everytime I let off the accellerator. Put on cats from a 94, no more back fire, runs smooth and seems to like running with the cats.
Over the winter I plan to do LT headers, and cats. I'll keep them on!
Newer cat technology blows away all the stuff we learned from the 70's (or are hearing from guys that remember the 70's). I think there was a dyno showing replacing the cat with a test pipe gained almost nothing in HP. Keep the cats if its driven on the street!

 

Check out this link. Its a way to retrieve stored codes (History) and current codes.

http://www.c4guru.com/articles/CCMCodePull.pdf

Dont forget to wave!

 

Welcome

 

Thanks again guys, you guys are awesome!!!!

Prasad

 

Ninety-nine out of a hundred stock LT1 Corvettes are solid 13-second cars....which is still quicker and faster than most other cars on the road.
Welcome to the Corvette Forum!

If you are experienced with other American machinery (the GN's), then you should have no trouble diagnosing your Corvette....just pretend it's a Buick, and ask yourself what would be causing the problems on a Grand National.
Air, fuel, compression, spark...they all work the same way.

Larry
code5coupe