Killebrews ALDL code readers
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
Likes: 2,596
From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
Originally Posted by rrubel
He runs a Vette tech support line. It's a big part of his business... My understanding is that he (or someone else) will give help on his purchased products for free, but problems requiring his knowledge are charged for. As you said, he's a consultant.
I've met him at Carlisle (and his wife) and he'll do minor advice for free if he's not busy at the booth, and sometimes it's worth it to hang around and listen to him talking to others.
I went there today and asked if they knew any place to get hard-to-find C4 parts, and was given a nice list of companies w/phone numbers, URLs, names, etc and also which were currently onsite at Carlisle - at no charge. Couple of the places I already knew about (like Vette2Vette) but many were new to me.
[RICHR]
I've met him at Carlisle (and his wife) and he'll do minor advice for free if he's not busy at the booth, and sometimes it's worth it to hang around and listen to him talking to others.
I went there today and asked if they knew any place to get hard-to-find C4 parts, and was given a nice list of companies w/phone numbers, URLs, names, etc and also which were currently onsite at Carlisle - at no charge. Couple of the places I already knew about (like Vette2Vette) but many were new to me.
[RICHR]
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,146
Likes: 3
From: The Motor City
Drifting
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,336
Likes: 12
From: Chicago Executive Airport, formerly known as Palwaukee
No-IL Events Coordinator
St. Jude Donor '12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17
I have known Gordon for almost 15 years. I know him as the most knowledgeable person in the world regarding C4 Corvettes. His honesty is second to none. At most of the shows I see him at, he is willing to look at and diagnose any problems you might have. In fact, at The Corvette Classic Show in Bloomington, IL this past June, he adjusted my hood for free! In fact, I did not know my hood was not adjusted properly. He showed my where the factory did not take the time to install the hood correctly.
When you speak with him on Monday, I am sure he will take care of you.
Save The Wave!
When you speak with him on Monday, I am sure he will take care of you.
Save The Wave!
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
Likes: 2,596
From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
Uncle!
[m7, thanks for the link]
I'm callin' Gordon and Chris on Mon. morning, first thing, even if I don't have a question to ask them, just to tell them I'm sorry I ever doubted him/them in any way, shape or form. And ask for forgiveness. OK, I won't bug him just to take up his time with my own foolishness. Heck, I can see a freight train coming at me...and know how to get out of the way. I hope.
geez, ok, I'll admit it. If all this stuff about him is corect (and I have no reason to doubt it!!!!!), I may be calling him at some time in the future when I DO have a problem. See??? I did learn something out of this thread.
[m7, thanks for the link]
I'm callin' Gordon and Chris on Mon. morning, first thing, even if I don't have a question to ask them, just to tell them I'm sorry I ever doubted him/them in any way, shape or form. And ask for forgiveness. OK, I won't bug him just to take up his time with my own foolishness. Heck, I can see a freight train coming at me...and know how to get out of the way. I hope.
geez, ok, I'll admit it. If all this stuff about him is corect (and I have no reason to doubt it!!!!!), I may be calling him at some time in the future when I DO have a problem. See??? I did learn something out of this thread.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 641
Likes: 3
From: Long Island NY
Originally Posted by Strick
When you call Gordon, be ready with your credit card # and he charges like $10 a minute for his slow talking advice. Yes he is knowledgable, but it's going to cost you.
I remember the good old days when I bought my 86 and I had the phone numbers for all the guys in BG and I used to talk with Gordon quite a bit for the cost of a phone call.
Race Director
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 17,101
Likes: 4
From: No more yankee my wankee, the Donger is tired!
Originally Posted by LT4CompYell
To talk about his own product that he's already sold to somebody? You're kidding, right? I realize he's a very bright guy and a Corvette "legend" or some such, but you're not serious that if he talks to you about his products he charges you for it. That's insane.
I've talked to Mike Valentine, Doc Jacobson, Chuck Mallett, Dick Guldstrand, Bob Bondurant, Adrian Fernandez, Jim Wolfe, etc.. I shudder to think what they would've charged me for all that "talking".
I've talked to Mike Valentine, Doc Jacobson, Chuck Mallett, Dick Guldstrand, Bob Bondurant, Adrian Fernandez, Jim Wolfe, etc.. I shudder to think what they would've charged me for all that "talking".
I'm sorry Gordon is one of the nicest guys I have ever talked to. He assisted me while I was on the road, and gave me several tips over a 30 minute span to help me.
Kicker is he did it for free. He is a class guy.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 11,671
Likes: 20
From: Lake Wylie SC
Originally Posted by LT4CompYell
Uncle!
[m7, thanks for the link]
I'm callin' Gordon and Chris on Mon. morning, first thing, even if I don't have a question to ask them, just to tell them I'm sorry I ever doubted him/them in any way, shape or form. And ask for forgiveness. OK, I won't bug him just to take up his time with my own foolishness. Heck, I can see a freight train coming at me...and know how to get out of the way. I hope.
geez, ok, I'll admit it. If all this stuff about him is corect (and I have no reason to doubt it!!!!!), I may be calling him at some time in the future when I DO have a problem. See??? I did learn something out of this thread.
[m7, thanks for the link]
I'm callin' Gordon and Chris on Mon. morning, first thing, even if I don't have a question to ask them, just to tell them I'm sorry I ever doubted him/them in any way, shape or form. And ask for forgiveness. OK, I won't bug him just to take up his time with my own foolishness. Heck, I can see a freight train coming at me...and know how to get out of the way. I hope.
geez, ok, I'll admit it. If all this stuff about him is corect (and I have no reason to doubt it!!!!!), I may be calling him at some time in the future when I DO have a problem. See??? I did learn something out of this thread.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 993
Likes: 4
From: Glen Burnie MD
Originally Posted by Strick
Don't cry uncle, yet. (disclaimer) Gee do lawyers sell their time for $180 an hour?
We paid $150/hr for an education consultant to help with some schooling issues for our youngest, and she was worth every cent.
[RICHR]
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,894
Likes: 3
From: Reading PA.
Wow i'm sorry if I opened a can of worms and got everyone arguing. Maybe I should try one of the other pin jumpers to try to get a code out of it. Maybe the CCM or the ECM pin jumper. Any thoughts? Or I gotta make that phone call.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 11,671
Likes: 20
From: Lake Wylie SC
Originally Posted by pipe
Wow i'm sorry if I opened a can of worms and got everyone arguing. Maybe I should try one of the other pin jumpers to try to get a code out of it. Maybe the CCM or the ECM pin jumper. Any thoughts? Or I gotta make that phone call.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 12,832
Likes: 209
From: Canton GA
Cruise-In III Veteran
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Cruise-In VI Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03-'05-'06-'10-'11-'12
It's too bad you didn't run into Gordon at Carlisle and meet him personally. I bet if you had asked him about your problem, he probably would have given you some free advice. I talked to him at great length at the Cruise-In and his knowledge was astounding.
He was 8 feet away from my car (hood was up) and he pointed and said "Swing that clamp or it will hit the hood." Sure enough, the left upper coolant clamp was dangerously close to hitting the underside of the hood. I hadn't even said a word to him up until that point! His attention to detail is second to none.
He was 8 feet away from my car (hood was up) and he pointed and said "Swing that clamp or it will hit the hood." Sure enough, the left upper coolant clamp was dangerously close to hitting the underside of the hood. I hadn't even said a word to him up until that point! His attention to detail is second to none.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 9,036
Likes: 13
From: Edmonton AB
Originally Posted by JrRifleCoach
May I ask what you ended up being charged?
Originally Posted by Slalom4me
It'll take a while to find it, we're talking '01 maybe?
But I'll see what I can do because in my dealings with the guy,
I found him to be a straight shooter. I've offered his contact
information to several people and I wouldn't do so if he treated
me wrong.
I'm not going to guess. I don't know if it's the heat or something
in the water, but people seem to be a mite over-prickly as of late
But I'll see what I can do because in my dealings with the guy,
I found him to be a straight shooter. I've offered his contact
information to several people and I wouldn't do so if he treated
me wrong.
I'm not going to guess. I don't know if it's the heat or something
in the water, but people seem to be a mite over-prickly as of late
2001/06/27 Re: '89 Coupe w/ Battery Draw
- Desc ________________Qty___Rate____Amt___
- Phone Consultation Fee...1.....10.00.... 10.00
- Plus Time Chrg per min...12......3.00.....36.00
Money well spent. I purchased a couple of items at the same time
(off the clock).
.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 858
Likes: 6
From: Hobe Sound FL
Gordon's Advice
Originally Posted by mseven
Perhaps he feels as though he has done his share of goodwill, and maybe too many people picking his brain just got old.
Aside from friends, most professionals wether it be a doctor, lawyer, (GM dealer) all charge a consultation fee just to listen or estimate a job in general. If he gets the job done then I guess this answers the question of him being a consultant.
I am in no way defending his logic or buisness, nor am I trying to begin an argument, just another point of veiw. m7
Aside from friends, most professionals wether it be a doctor, lawyer, (GM dealer) all charge a consultation fee just to listen or estimate a job in general. If he gets the job done then I guess this answers the question of him being a consultant.
I am in no way defending his logic or buisness, nor am I trying to begin an argument, just another point of veiw. m7
Corvettes to us are a hobby, just like airplanes or boats. To Gordon it is a job. He is retired from GM, he paid his dues. Now he is retired, and probably tired of all the ear time he gets. I mailed Gordon that I needed the manuals and plugs. Reply back to call in a CC for the product. Couple days later, I called and his wife took the order. She also advised me that Gordon told her to tell me what to do when I re-mounted the sensors. She passed the message, and it did not cost one dime.
Boatman
Pro
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 641
Likes: 16
From: O'Fallon MO
I was at the MAD FunFest last weekend. He lent me an shorting plug for the FX-3 to get the code on my malfunction. I brought my car over to the tent where he conducted the workshop and he showed my how to remove the actuator from the shock and then showed my how the travel stop on the gear on top of the shock and sheared off causing it to rotate constantly during the FX-3 Initialization check on power up causing the code. Nice guy, he helped a lot of people even adjusted the hood latches for one guy.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,841
Likes: 19
From: CLT, North Carolina
Gordon Killebrew greatly benefits the C4 hobby
I met Gordon at Bloomington Gold earlier this year and again at Carlisle and can attest to the fact he does indeed know the most intricate details about the C4 Corvette (including all the wire color codes for which wire goes where and does what). The so called code readers the fellow a few posts back was complaining about are unnecessary and Gordon will be the first to tell you that you can do the same thing with a paper clip and a list of code descriptions (which are listed in the factory shop manual). He provides the code readers as a matter of convenience for those who have trouble dealing with electrical problems or understanding technical directions. I would not be upset in finding out I can't fully diagnose my car with $40 worth of plug-in jumpers that I didn't really need to buy anyway. Gordon also says if you are going to do any work yourself the first investment you should make is get a set of the factory service manuals. If the jumper plug complainer had read the manual first he would have had a better idea in how to proceed with his diagnostics rather than jumping the gun and getting himself upset with Gordon Killebrew.
Regards, Greg
Regards, Greg
Last edited by Greg Gore; Sep 20, 2005 at 10:22 AM. Reason: misspelling
