hey folks I've been browsing the forums looking for some answers and just being ghost like for quite a while so I thought it'd be high time to ask some Q's.

I have an 89' vette I purchased a few months prior about 4500 in fairly good condition. of course with 160k and the usual nonsense these cars have I have a few problems I'd like to ask how to address and if possible fix.

the biggest thing right now is how I should go about maintaining the car. I have not changed any fluids and I heard never to trust the past owner and replace all fluids as soon as possible. that being said, how do I know which are the best? everything from coolant to oil I'm at a loss.

I have put fuel injector cleaner in but that's about it.

heres a couple things I've jotted down about the car, some are unimportant and some are very important.

1. rust on exhaust piping, left side torn.
2. right most back light out.
3. digital dash not lighting up. (at night)
4. low coolant sign on. (coolant level seems fine, standard green)
5. mirror power switch does not turn mirrors left.
6. back and front wheel bearing hub rusted
7. rims rusty, need a good cleaning. front driver needs to be replaced eventually.
8. fluid leaking (power stearing?)
9. rotor discs rusted
10. weatherstripping
11. exterior paint peeling/chipped on front end
12. leather seats reupholstered.
13. Air Conditioning not working (A/C compressor?)
14. wheel alingment? (check)
15. window/door weather seals cracked and brittle.
16. smoke from engine during idle and acceleration

a few things also noted is that the car takes a couple turns to crank, or a very long single turn to catch. I've also been so nicely appointed by some police officers that my right blinker does not function ( I also had a friend check and said he could see but were very dim). that is something i would like to avoid taking to the shop since I know little of these cars but will if needed.

one more thing is a few months prior I got a taste of some very nasty curb rash on the left side which completely wasted the back rim and was replaced. however, the front driver side rim was not replaced since it was not an emergency, but I'm at a loss if I should buy a complete set (which I would rather do then buy individually) from the current 89 year (which are a pain to find) or snag a nice deal on the early 90s sets which are usually in good shape and price.

I also bought replacement bulbs for the dash *both kinds, but I'm a little weary about replacing them. as it would seem a ground is screwed up since nothing lights up at night except 2 lights in the middle.

anyway, that's my rant. I would really appreciate any help on any of the subjects and I apologize for the long post.

thanks, and I appreciate any help!

Ian.

 

welcome
injectors, check the coolant in both places, rotors can be cleaned,
should be fun project

 

89s seem to crank longer for some reason. No cold start injector on them.

 

I haven't checked yet but fuel injector cleaner might not have been the best idea, I think the 89 might have had Multec injectors which tend to deteriorate in some of the chemicals found in the injector cleaners and modern fuel. You might do a search and verify that.

The right most light out can also affect your turn signal, replace the bulb and then see if your turn signal is working.

Try wiggling the switch a little bit for the mirrors, these tend to go out, you might just have to replace it, mine cuts in and out.

Check the hoses on the power steering pump, probably need replacing, do a search for "morning sickness" see if it gives you some threads, that might help you with the power steering problems.

Try some dialectric grease on the weather stripping, it'll give it some life back and might delay having to replace it, squeeze a little bit on rub it in and then wipe off the excess and you'll avoid getting everything it touches greasey.

Air conditioning system might not be holding a charge, have someone do a leakdown test and see if it'll hold vacuum, mine held vacuum it had just slowly leaked down after 25 years, I had it recharged and its been a champ since.

Smoke from engine during idle and acceleration could be running rich due to leaky fuel injectors, again, might be time to replace them.

Hope this steers you in the right direction, when I'm done with work for the day I might be able to provide you with a few links and some more time, good luck!

 

Let's deal with each problem by itself. Post them up one at a time in separate threads. Get one problem fixed and then move on to the next.

 

This will get you started:
http://www.corvettemagazine.com/inde...d=21&Itemid=33

 

My previous "89" started up very quickly.

 

1. rust on exhaust piping, left side torn. Replace at a muffler shop.

2. right most back light out. Remove license plate bracket to access rear tailight bulbs from behind bumper cover.

3. digital dash not lighting up. (at night). Replace 4 bulbs in the dash cluster or cluster might need to be rebuilt.

4. low coolant sign on. (coolant level seems fine, standard green). Head gasket or intake manifold leak. Pressure check cooling system.

5. mirror power switch does not turn mirrors left. Check console switch and wiring.

6. back and front wheel bearing hub rusted. Replace wheel hubs.

7. rims rusty, need a good cleaning. front driver needs to be replaced eventually. Clean

8. fluid leaking (power stearing?) Replace pump or steering rack.

9. rotor discs rusted. Replace or just step on the brakes while vehicle is moving which will scrape the rotors clean.

10. weatherstripping. Replace

11. exterior paint peeling/chipped on front end. Thousands to repaint $$$ depending on labor rates in your area and Quality you can afford.

12. leather seats reupholstered.

13. Air Conditioning not working (A/C compressor?). Have an AC specialists check all componnets in the system.

14. wheel alingment? (check)

15. window/door weather seals cracked and brittle. Replace

16. smoke from engine during idle and acceleration. Do a Complete tune up to include, Cap, Rotor, Spark plugs, plug wires, air filter, fuel filter, O2 sensor, coolant, thermostat, replace all coolant hoses, Clean throttle body, clean IAC valve and passage. Also, call FIC (Fuel injection connection Jon Banner) and replace stock Multec fuel injectors with the Bosch III's.

It sounds like your Vette needs A lot of regular maintenance to be a reliable daily driver. I estimate about $4500+ for all the repairs listed above if you have to pay a shop to do it.

General rule when buying a C4 Vette: Always buy the newest C4 Vette in the best condition that you can afford.

 

First I would take it to someone you trust and get a compression and leakdown test (I gather that you dont have the tools or experience to do it yourself). This will give you a good baseline on the health of the engine. All the cosmetic stuff is just that, and can wait. If your engine needs to be rebuilt or replaced, no sense in doing anything else until you know what your up against. If your test shows good compression and your cylinders arent leaking, I would replace the injectors (FIC-supported vendor) and find out what fluid is leaking, and get that fixed. No AC, I would lump that it with the cosmetic stuff. Get it fixed when you can. If after your engine, injectors, and leaks are all good and up to snuff; whack out the cosmetic stuff one at a time, with the one that buggs you most. Good luck, and have fun!!

 

thank you all for the awesome help. a lot of the fixes didn't seem to bad as most of you have stated, there are some things that I will more then likely check by a specialist but I've saved some money up so it won't be to much of a bugger. even though it might take a chunk of money before being a reliable DD I think it will be worth it in the end result.

thanks again everyone I can tell this will be a great forum to ask questions and gain knowledge.


SN Irwin

 

Have you "burped" the cooling system? The procedure is in the owner's manual. The system can appear full when cool but hidden air pockets need to be removed while the car is running.

digital dash not lighting up. (at night). Does it work properly in the daytime? A possible short in the headlight switch could cause the dash to malfunction when the headlights are turned on.

 

have yet to try "burping" the coolant system, still have the manual so might take that trek, sounds fun.

as for the dash, the digital dash itself works fine, it's just the back light does not light up at all-- headlights on or off.

 

I was not aware that I sold my car. I am going through similar issues with my 86 that I bought 3 months ago. I knew it was a "project" but not a basketcase and that is why I bought it. Seems the old owner(s) did not do anything but drive it, the regular maintenance and general care was lacking. But that was reflected in the price as I got mine for $3,700 with 106,000 miles on it.

 

yep, these cars mostly have a lot of minor issues that will bug you but not affect driving too much. still, I always think it's a corvette!

 

And I am always reminded it is a Vette when I hit the gas. No school like the old school.

 

Thanks for the link. After looking through it, I added it to my favorites for future use.

KnightRider89 Good luck with your car and the list of projects your working on. Let us know how things work out for you as these are checked off the list or you need more help.

 

thanks, will do.