In advance.
90 Problems?
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,835
Likes: 30
Pro
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 635
Likes: 0
From: Cambria CA
faulty ecm($300)
Injectors($400 parts+work)
Seatbelt light & Inflation restraint light stay on due to bad wiring at the sensor I believe
Bad Bushings in the headlight motors of course($20 online+work)
A/C will need to be recharged, but before it can be the system needs to be switched over to the 134a inviromental stuff.($300?)
And the cruise control is gonna die probably... still haven't fixed mine, its probably a vacuum leak..lol
thats all I can think of off the top of my head.. '90's are great though, old body styling+new interior
Hope you enjoy it
Injectors($400 parts+work)
Seatbelt light & Inflation restraint light stay on due to bad wiring at the sensor I believe
Bad Bushings in the headlight motors of course($20 online+work)
A/C will need to be recharged, but before it can be the system needs to be switched over to the 134a inviromental stuff.($300?)
And the cruise control is gonna die probably... still haven't fixed mine, its probably a vacuum leak..lol
thats all I can think of off the top of my head.. '90's are great though, old body styling+new interior
Hope you enjoy it
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 7,839
Likes: 22
From: San Diego, Ca
a/c might need rebuilding (as opposed to a simple recharge) but you don't need to convert anything to R134 as there's plenty of R12 and if you are rebuilding, the gas will be the least of your worries. Assuming you don't have the knowledge or equipment to do it yourself, a shop will charge you $1500 to $2000 to make it cold again - and R12 won't be any more than 50 to 60 Bucks of that.
'90 is prone to head gasket leaks at #7. GM corrected by counterboring the heads for intake gasket retainers which keeps the intake gasket in place and according to their Service Bulletin, intake gasket leaks led to galvanic corrosion which ate up the head gasket. Problem corrected in '91, at least according to GM. I'd remove the #7 plug and look for rust on the plug threads, or if the coolant looks like crap walk away.
'90 is prone to head gasket leaks at #7. GM corrected by counterboring the heads for intake gasket retainers which keeps the intake gasket in place and according to their Service Bulletin, intake gasket leaks led to galvanic corrosion which ate up the head gasket. Problem corrected in '91, at least according to GM. I'd remove the #7 plug and look for rust on the plug threads, or if the coolant looks like crap walk away.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,894
Likes: 3
From: Reading PA.
I have a 90 and besides having to put injectors in it. And had one problem with the infl rest/ seat belt light being caused by a bad frame sensor $60 bucks and easy fix can't complain. Has the newer style interior without the breadbox 
Instructor
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 198
Likes: 0
From: Elkton MD
Keep in mind it is 17 years old and things do wear out. Beside what else is already posted my trans needed to be rebuilt at about 115k and it was running hot so I put in a new rad. However my ac still works good and I just turned 150k.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 470
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix Arizona
I also have a '90 vert..........pay close attention to the head gasket problem as stated by SunCr, I had to replace two and when the second one went rather than doing a third I had the engine replaced. With all the mechanical glitches in a '90 I still love the car, bought it new off the showroom floor in California. 181,000 miles later still drive it every day because it puts a smile on my face every time I get in the car.
'90's are prone to run hotter than other cars due to emissions compliance by GM, you must pay close attention to the radiator, the area between the radiator and condenser, thermostat, cooling fans and their relays. Also '90's come from the factory with fuel injectors that fail, some at 50k miles others like mine at 175k miles and you cannot repair them. Other than those few small items.......great car.
Hope this helps...........
'90's are prone to run hotter than other cars due to emissions compliance by GM, you must pay close attention to the radiator, the area between the radiator and condenser, thermostat, cooling fans and their relays. Also '90's come from the factory with fuel injectors that fail, some at 50k miles others like mine at 175k miles and you cannot repair them. Other than those few small items.......great car.
Hope this helps...........
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 805
Likes: 3
From: Okeechobee FL
I purchased my '90 Vert a year and a half ago with 73,000 miles and it has been a great car. My biggest issue was a VATS/No Start problem that really haunted me, but finally fixed and never a problem again. Just be ready to attend to some maintenance type problems, especially if they weren't dealt with when needed. I have replaced both cooling fans, alternator, water pump and Lateral Accelorometer (ABS issue). There is one thing that is a 1990 problem and that is the Tach Filter - the tachometer will probably register extremely high. Just remember that it is 17 years old.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 7,839
Likes: 22
From: San Diego, Ca
Coolant temps that climp when the a/c on is usually one of two things: 1. A marginal radiator - the heat from the condensor sends it over the edge. 2. Overcharged or plugged up a/c system - check pressures. Remote possibility that the ECM isn't turning on the fans soon enough. I'm pretty sure the '90 still uses a signal from the high pressure line which opens when the pressure reaches somewhere around 200 psi. Look at the smaller line from the condensor to the Evaporator and if there are two switches on it, one of them, when disconnected should turn on the fan(s). Probably better to check what the fans are doing while looking at the high side pressure.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 158
Likes: 0
From: MD
I've had the following probs:
Bose speaker amps/control box repaired
replaced intake manifold gasket
getting shock actuators rebuilt on FX3
tach filter still not working
heater core leaking
SRS light on
intermittent power window prob
power locks don't work
Bose speaker amps/control box repaired
replaced intake manifold gasket
getting shock actuators rebuilt on FX3
tach filter still not working
heater core leaking
SRS light on
intermittent power window prob
power locks don't work
Instructor
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 132
Likes: 1
From: Canfield Ohio
I purchased my '90 Vert a year and a half ago with 73,000 miles and it has been a great car. My biggest issue was a VATS/No Start problem that really haunted me, but finally fixed and never a problem again. Just be ready to attend to some maintenance type problems, especially if they weren't dealt with when needed. I have replaced both cooling fans, alternator, water pump and Lateral Accelorometer (ABS issue). There is one thing that is a 1990 problem and that is the Tach Filter - the tachometer will probably register extremely high. Just remember that it is 17 years old.
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
From: Columbia, MD
This is a little off topic, but my 90 has the seatbelt light on, abs light on, and I believe the srs light also. Just curious when SRS and Seatbelt light is on at the same time, what does that mean as far as what is wrong?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 805
Likes: 3
From: Okeechobee FL
That's the only thing that I have not fixed yet. From what I understand, it is a real Bear to get to. I think that it is located on top of the Bell Housing. Mine is driving ne nuts. By the time I get to 20 MPH, the needle is at the limits. It has just gotten worse as time goes on. That's my next project, I have just been dreading it.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 805
Likes: 3
From: Okeechobee FL
Mine had the exact same thing when I bought it. Pull the codes. I had a Code for the "Lateral Accelorometer". It is not available anymore, so I bought a used one from Vette2vette and replaced it and that took care of the SRS & Seatbelt light (you have to clear the codes after installation). My ABS light was on because of the RF wheel Sensor (from the Code). I cleared the codes and it has never come on again. Use the paperclip method to pull the codes and sit in your car with a paper & pencil and copy down all codes that flash. Use your FSM to decipher the Codes.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 198
Likes: 0
From: St. Charles County MO
I bought a 90 vert in 2000. It had 26,000 miles on it. Since I bought it I have replaced the following:
Fuel injectors bought new ones from Motorsport 5.0
Had the radio / cd player rebuilt- upgraded with a 96 head so I could play cds that I burned myself Dr. Dons in Texas. Works great
Replaced all four of the speaker amps only one was bad but was told to replace in pairs, so I replaced all four
Replaced the top. vinyl was spllit replaced with black cloth top
Replaced the ECM
Replaced fuel pump & fuel filter
Replaced the intake manifold gasket at time of injector change - oil leak
Installed new plugs, wires and distributor cap & coil
Replaced clutch master cylinder
vehicle now has 42,000 miles and runs great.
Fuel injectors bought new ones from Motorsport 5.0
Had the radio / cd player rebuilt- upgraded with a 96 head so I could play cds that I burned myself Dr. Dons in Texas. Works great
Replaced all four of the speaker amps only one was bad but was told to replace in pairs, so I replaced all four
Replaced the top. vinyl was spllit replaced with black cloth top
Replaced the ECM
Replaced fuel pump & fuel filter
Replaced the intake manifold gasket at time of injector change - oil leak
Installed new plugs, wires and distributor cap & coil
Replaced clutch master cylinder
vehicle now has 42,000 miles and runs great.
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
From: Columbia, MD
Mine had the exact same thing when I bought it. Pull the codes. I had a Code for the "Lateral Accelorometer". It is not available anymore, so I bought a used one from Vette2vette and replaced it and that took care of the SRS & Seatbelt light (you have to clear the codes after installation). My ABS light was on because of the RF wheel Sensor (from the Code). I cleared the codes and it has never come on again. Use the paperclip method to pull the codes and sit in your car with a paper & pencil and copy down all codes that flash. Use your FSM to decipher the Codes.