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Old Mar 27, 2020 | 12:56 PM
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I decided to put new rotors and pads on my 1992, the car is new to me, I have had it for a couple of years, when installing the brake hardware I dicided to clean the 70,000 miles of grime in the wheel well area, 1/2 hour each corner for the brakes, 3 hours each corner for the grime, I noticed on the drivers side rear shock what looked like oil, all of the shocks were real dirty but this looked more like oil, all the warning lights are working and none are lit up, the car handles good, but I have no base line to compare it too, I took it around the block to check the brakes and hit a few bumps, not sure how it is supposed to feel, my 1988 did mot have FX3 shocks but it has been a while since I have had that car, and I really dont feel any difference when changing the functions of the shocks, does anyone know what it is supposed to feel like?

Gary E McKiney

Last edited by gemsvette; Mar 27, 2020 at 03:44 PM.
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Old Mar 27, 2020 | 01:23 PM
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You won't feel much of a difference when everything is working correctly. Remember, the FX3 system adjusts the valving based on speed as well as the suspension setting, so it's pretty hard to feel anything until you're going at least about 40 mph. You should feel the difference when you hit a sharp bump, say a pothole, railroad track, or even a large crack in the pavement, when you're going at least 40 mph. In the touring setting, sharp bumps should feel slightly dampened compared to the sport setting.

Oil coming out of a shock means it's probably time for a rebuild or new shock(s).

Last edited by BlackbirdZ07; Mar 27, 2020 at 01:24 PM.
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Old Mar 27, 2020 | 01:42 PM
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Thanks for the reply, yea, all the shocks were dirty but this one looked more like an oil stain, I have started a saving just for the shocks, the new ones are a little pricey, and the rebuilding service is a little over half that with little or no warranty,

Gary
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Old Mar 27, 2020 | 03:18 PM
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Originally Posted by gemsvette
Thanks for the reply, yea, all the shocks were dirty but this one looked more like an oil stain, I have started a saving just for the shocks, the new ones are a little pricey, and the rebuilding service is a little over half that with little or no warranty,

Gary
Theres good used ones that are on ebay right now... might consider those... I just changed my fronts out due to age alone. They seem firmer in all modes now than they did before. Summit Racing has them fairly priced. Rock Auto has them but I couldnt get them sent to my state because of some tax BS....
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Old Mar 27, 2020 | 04:09 PM
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Originally Posted by 81c3
Theres good used ones that are on ebay right now... might consider those... I just changed my fronts out due to age alone. They seem firmer in all modes now than they did before. Summit Racing has them fairly priced. Rock Auto has them but I couldnt get them sent to my state because of some tax BS....
summit racing has new bilstein fx3 shocks right now ?

Last edited by dizwiz24; Mar 27, 2020 at 04:09 PM.
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Old Mar 27, 2020 | 04:10 PM
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Originally Posted by dizwiz24
summit racing has new bilstein fx3 shocks right now ?
RIGHT NOW.... not positive... but they did about 10 days ago when I purchased mine.

Looks like a ship date of April 21 now... (for fronts) April 6 for rears...

Last edited by 81c3; Mar 27, 2020 at 04:22 PM.
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Old Mar 27, 2020 | 06:23 PM
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Zip Corvette has them for $249.99 for fronts, $229.99 for rears, each, and then if you want to replace the gear its $39.99, but it is a steel gear, and if you want new bushings (it would be a good idea with 70,000 miles) they are $14.99 each for poly, the retaining clip is $5.99, and the actuators are only $199.99 each, I am pretty sure my actuators are good, no codes, but when I am ready to order I will most likely replace the bushings.
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Old Mar 27, 2020 | 07:35 PM
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I just ordered all the parts to replace the fx3 system, I had another savings ear marked for the vette2vette no flex kit but I need to find out how the handling improves with new fx3 shocks all around before I install the no flex kit, ordered front and rear fx3 shocks, steel actuators, new bushings all around, and the retaining clips, price with discount $1,163.67 out the door from Zip Corvette, they had everything in stock but the rear shock bushings, next race is April 25th, we will see if that one is canceled too with this virus that has put our lives on hold.
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Old Apr 7, 2020 | 01:38 PM
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An interesting article on how FX3's function, https://www.corvetteactioncenter.com...fx3/index.html
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Old Apr 9, 2020 | 06:13 PM
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So I got the shocks on, got it off the Jacks, now it turns over but will not fire, It was running fine when I put it up on the jacks, I checked the fuses, I checked for any codes, H41 came up and H16, I disconnected the battery, no difference, put a little starting fluid in the intake, no difference, I cleared the codes and H16 came back up, I have not checked for spark yet, just wondering what could have happened by jacking the car up on stands, any idea?
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Old Apr 9, 2020 | 09:17 PM
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Not sure what you might have done.... does sound like a fuel or spark issue. Verify you have fuel pressure with a gauge. Then verify the spark. Dont be surprised if when you do get it running, the Service Ride Control light comes on. There a procedure to get that to turn off also.... if that happens.
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Old Apr 9, 2020 | 10:04 PM
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the ride control is working, I cycled through, and the light turned off, I am going to check spark tomorrow
, thanks
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Old Apr 9, 2020 | 10:19 PM
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Originally Posted by gemsvette
the ride control is working, I cycled through, and the light turned off, I am going to check spark tomorrow
, thanks
What do you mean "cycled through" ? Mine went off also before driving it... then I drove it and the light came on....
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Old Apr 10, 2020 | 12:38 PM
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Originally Posted by 81c3
What do you mean "cycled through" ? Mine went off also before driving it... then I drove it and the light came on....

so the strangest thing just happened, I pulled the 4 prong plug that I had replaced off the coil, turned the ignition on, I was checking the voltage on the prongs and the a/c heater fan came on, I plugged the pigtail back into the coil, got in the car, turned the climate control off, and I was thinking, why not try to see if it starts, AND IT DID, WTH,so I drove it around for about a half hour,, no problems, turned it off and started it several times, fired right up, any ideas? and the ride control light did come on when it started but as soon as I started driving it the light went off

Last edited by gemsvette; Apr 10, 2020 at 12:40 PM.
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Old Apr 10, 2020 | 08:34 PM
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Originally Posted by gemsvette
so the strangest thing just happened, I pulled the 4 prong plug that I had replaced off the coil, turned the ignition on, I was checking the voltage on the prongs and the a/c heater fan came on, I plugged the pigtail back into the coil, got in the car, turned the climate control off, and I was thinking, why not try to see if it starts, AND IT DID, WTH,so I drove it around for about a half hour,, no problems, turned it off and started it several times, fired right up, any ideas? and the ride control light did come on when it started but as soon as I started driving it the light went off
I have no explanation for the no start/start condition.... BUT, the FX3 seems to be working ok from what you say. Thats a good thing. I would say youre good to go at this point. Want to hear strange? After I replaced my front FX3 shocks, I backed out of the garage, no light. Went for a drive, the SRC light came on. Went back home check the codes for FX3... I had ALL the available codes, both for front and rear shocks which I never touched at all.... cleared the codes and its been perfectly fine since.... I guess some things you just dont question.
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Old Apr 11, 2020 | 07:17 AM
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Originally Posted by 81c3
I have no explanation for the no start/start condition.... BUT, the FX3 seems to be working ok from what you say. Thats a good thing. I would say youre good to go at this point. Want to hear strange? After I replaced my front FX3 shocks, I backed out of the garage, no light. Went for a drive, the SRC light came on. Went back home check the codes for FX3... I had ALL the available codes, both for front and rear shocks which I never touched at all.... cleared the codes and its been perfectly fine since.... I guess some things you just dont question.
went to fire it up this morning, no start, I am going to duplicate what I did yesterday, we will see.
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Old Apr 11, 2020 | 07:27 AM
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Keep us posted on what you find. That's a very weird condition. I can't imagine anything with the climate control system shutting down the spark from the opti. But sometimes weird gremlins appear due to older wiring and when you disturb the wiring, weird things start to happen.
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Old Apr 11, 2020 | 05:56 PM
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[QUOTE=mazdaverx7;1601301722]Keep us posted on what you find. That's a very weird condition. I can't imagine anything with the climate control system shutting down the spark from the opti. But sometimes weird gremlins appear due to older wiring and when you disturb the wiring, weird things start to happen.[/QU

I did get it running, so what it looks like is it is further up the wiring bundle, but that not far, so it was not the plug I replaced, I could get it to die by just moving the bundle slightly, first I started wiggling the wires coming from all the censers, I thought it was the water one, it made it die, but I was able to get to die wiggling some of the others too, so I grabbed the loom further up and it died, so removed the tape and the thieving and started looking for any damage, I found some wires stuck together but I think that was just from being bound and laying on top of the valve cover for so many years, I did find one wire that was nicked through the insulation all the way to the wire, I started the car after exposing and separating the wires, couldn't get it to die, so I removed more thieving seporated more wires and started pulling on them one at a time, it died when I pulled the black one coming from the coil, I traced it to a point where it split and had a crimp with a an insulation sleeve that was falling apart, so I stripped it down, I simple metal crimp but nothing saw loose, fired it back up, cant get it to fail, I did find a torx 1/4 inch socket laying on the back side of the coil up against the condenser.
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Old Apr 12, 2020 | 04:56 PM
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ok so I figured it out, there are several wires in the area of the coil, after getting it to die so many different ways moving more than just one wire, I decided to just touch the wires over the coil and it died, I did it several times just pushing the wires towards the coil, then I put a rag in between the wires and the coil and I could not get it to die, it is an MSD coil, and the shop that I had doing work on it to get it smoged replaced the coil with a new one because they could not figure it out, I rerouted the harness away from the coil, problem solved, I with i would found the problem before I got so far into it
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